Simplify the expression: 1/ 1+ cot^2 x

Question

Simplify the expression:   1/ 1+ cot^2 x

misty1212 · Answer

HI!!

misty1212 · Answer

do you know that $$1+\cot^2(x)=\csc^2(x)$$?

plasmataco · Answer

sin(x)

misty1212 · Answer

lol not quite

plasmataco · Answer

?

plasmataco · Answer

oh. sin(x) squared.

misty1212 · Answer

yup

anonymous · Answer

i know nothing of this stuff. its so confusing.

misty1212 · Answer

then skip it
it takes a bit of explaining to know why $$1+\cot^2(x)=\csc^2(x)$$ and even then if you do not know that cosecent is the reciprocal of sine, then it will still not make sense

plasmataco · Answer

well, here are some important rule:
Sin^2(x)+Cos^2(x)=1
1/sin(x)=csc(x)...
I forgot a lot XD.

misty1212 · Answer

if it was me, and i did not want to spend the several hours ( probably a few weeks) learning this stuff, i would do this http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=1%2F%281%2Bcot%5E2%28x%29%29

anonymous · Answer

i cant skip it. this is to help me pass my junior year to be a senior

plasmataco · Answer

Also, the sine and cosine law: http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mepres/step-up/sect4/index.htm

misty1212 · Answer

if you really know nothing about this, then you either have to learn it, or you can't do it 
if you don't know the basic stuff about sine and cosine, none of this is going to make any sense at all, besides the obvious fact that you can't do something you know nothing about