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How to simplify :

$$\sqrt{\tan ^2 x + \cot ^2x }$$

the option are :

(i) $ \tan x \cdot \sin x$

(ii) $\sin x \cdot \cos x $

(iii) $ \sec x \cdot \csc x $

(iv) $ \frac{1}{\tan x - \cot x}$

(v) $ \csc^2 x - \sec ^2 x$

My approach :

Since $\tan x = \frac{\sin x}{\cos x}$ and $\cot x = \frac{\cos x}{\sin x}$,

$$ \begin{align} \sqrt{\tan ^2 x + \cot ^2x } &= \sqrt{\frac{\sin ^2 x}{\cos ^2 x} + \frac{\cos ^2 x}{\sin ^2 x}} \\ &= \sqrt{\frac{\sin ^4 x + \cos ^4 x}{\sin ^2 x \cdot \cos ^2 x} }\\ &= \sqrt{\frac{(\sin ^2 x + \cos ^2 x)^2 - 2 \sin x \cdot \cos x}{\sin ^2 x \cdot \cos ^2 x} }\\ &= \sqrt{\frac{1 - 2\sin x \cdot \cos x}{\sin ^2 x \cdot \cos ^2 x} }\\ &= \sqrt{\sec ^2 x \cdot \csc^2 x - 2 \sec x \cdot \csc x}\\ &= \sqrt{\sec x \cdot \csc x ( \sec x \cdot \csc x - 2)}\\ \end{align} $$

from this point, I don't have any idea how should I approach this problem to get another form of this equation available on the option.

Another approach I have in mind is from changing $\cot x = \frac{1}{\tan x}$

$$ \begin{align} \sqrt{\tan ^2 x + \cot ^2x } &= \sqrt{\tan ^2 x + \frac{1}{\tan ^2 x}} \\ &= \sqrt{\frac{\tan ^4 x + 1}{\tan ^2 x} }\\ \end{align} $$

From this point, I don't have any idea.

What am I missing or what approach should you suggest to change the form to the option available on the option?

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  • $\begingroup$ Use \tan, \sin and \cos etc. to produce $\tan$, $\sin$ and $\cos$ instead of $tan$, $sin$ and $cos$ which look bad. $\endgroup$
    – Gary
    Oct 18, 2021 at 3:19
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    $\begingroup$ @Gary thanks for the finishing touches $\endgroup$ Oct 18, 2021 at 3:22
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    $\begingroup$ The value of the question at $x=\dfrac{\pi}{4}$ isn't satisfied anywhere in the options. $\endgroup$
    – UNAN
    Oct 18, 2021 at 3:31
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    $\begingroup$ @PCMSE Yeah I plot on GeoGebra I thought maybe I'm missing something I doubt the options. $\endgroup$
    – user960916
    Oct 18, 2021 at 3:33

1 Answer 1

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You made a mistake in one of your steps. You should have

$$\sin^4x + \cos^4x = (\sin^2x+\cos^2x)^2-2\sin^2x\cos^2x$$

This then helps you achieve

$$\sqrt{\sec^2x\csc^2x-2}$$

Other than that, none of the choices are correct (as far as I can tell, the above expression can't be simplified any further).

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