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Ch. 5 - Trigonometric Identities
Chapter 6, Problem 5.52a

Use the given information to find sin(s + t). See Example 3.
sin s = 3/5 and sin t = -12/13, s in quadrant I and t in quadrant III

Verified step by step guidance
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Step 1: Use the identity for \( \sin(s + t) \), which is \( \sin(s + t) = \sin s \cos t + \cos s \sin t \).
Step 2: Find \( \cos s \) using the Pythagorean identity \( \sin^2 s + \cos^2 s = 1 \). Since \( \sin s = \frac{3}{5} \), calculate \( \cos s = \sqrt{1 - \left(\frac{3}{5}\right)^2} \).
Step 3: Determine \( \cos t \) using the Pythagorean identity \( \sin^2 t + \cos^2 t = 1 \). Given \( \sin t = -\frac{12}{13} \), find \( \cos t = -\sqrt{1 - \left(-\frac{12}{13}\right)^2} \) (negative because \( t \) is in quadrant III).
Step 4: Substitute the values of \( \sin s \), \( \cos s \), \( \sin t \), and \( \cos t \) into the identity from Step 1.
Step 5: Simplify the expression to find \( \sin(s + t) \).

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Sine Function

The sine function, denoted as sin, is a fundamental trigonometric function that relates the angle of a right triangle to the ratio of the length of the opposite side to the hypotenuse. For any angle s, sin s = opposite/hypotenuse. Understanding the sine function is crucial for solving problems involving angles and their relationships in trigonometry.
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Quadrants of the Coordinate Plane

The coordinate plane is divided into four quadrants, each defined by the signs of the x and y coordinates. In Quadrant I, both sine and cosine are positive, while in Quadrant III, sine is negative and cosine is also negative. Knowing the quadrant in which an angle lies helps determine the signs of the trigonometric functions, which is essential for accurately calculating values like sin(s + t).
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Angle Addition Formula

The angle addition formula for sine states that sin(s + t) = sin s * cos t + cos s * sin t. This formula allows us to find the sine of the sum of two angles by using the sine and cosine values of the individual angles. To apply this formula effectively, one must also calculate the cosine values for angles s and t, especially since they are in different quadrants.
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