Where does this trig identiy come from?

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The trigonometric identity cos(x-a)cos(b-x) = 1/2[cos(a+b-2x) + cos(a-b)] is derived from the sum of cosines identity, which states that cos(α) + cos(β) = 2cos((α+β)/2)cos((α-β)/2). This identity can be useful in various mathematical problems involving cosine functions. The original poster struggled to find this identity in standard resources, only locating it on WolframAlpha. Understanding the derivation of such identities can enhance problem-solving skills in trigonometry.
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Our teacher used the following on a problem solution:

cos(x-a)cos(b-x) = \frac{1}{2}[cos(a+b-2x) + cos(a-b)]

Where does this come from? I can't find it in anywhere (except for wolframalpha). Thanks.
 
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thanks for the heads up
 
vincent_vega said:
Our teacher used the following on a problem solution:

cos(x-a)cos(b-x) = \frac{1}{2}[cos(a+b-2x) + cos(a-b)]

Where does this come from? I can't find it in anywhere (except for wolframalpha). Thanks.



It comes from the known identity for sum of cosines: \cos \alpha+\cos\beta=2\cos\frac{\alpha+\beta}{2} \cos \frac{\alpha-\beta}{2}

DonAntonio
 
Here is a little puzzle from the book 100 Geometric Games by Pierre Berloquin. The side of a small square is one meter long and the side of a larger square one and a half meters long. One vertex of the large square is at the center of the small square. The side of the large square cuts two sides of the small square into one- third parts and two-thirds parts. What is the area where the squares overlap?

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