Question

Please help! Step by step please, and fully simplified. Simplify the expression.
cos^2 x + sin^2 x / cot^2 x - csc^2 x

Answer 1

well you should know

sin^2 + cos^2 = 1

and if you divide every term by sin^2 you get

1 + cot^2 = csc^2

rewriting it to the form you need

1 = csc^2 - cot^2

make the necessary substitutions to get the simplified answer.

hope it helps

Answer 2

Thank you! But what kind of substitutions would I make to get the simplified answer?

Answer 3

well

\[\frac{\sin^2 + \cos^2}{\csc^2 - \cot^2} = \frac{1}{-1(\cot^2 - \csc^2)} = \frac{1}{-1 \times 1} = -1\]