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The half angle formula for cosine states that cos(x/2) = ±sqrt((1 + cos(x))/2), where the sign depends on the quadrant of the angle x/2. To find the exact value of cos 30 degrees using the half angle formula, we can start by using the identity cos(2x) = 1 - 2sin^2(x) or cos(2x) = 2cos^2(x) - 1. Let x = 15 degrees. Then we have: cos(30) = cos(2x) = 2cos^2(x) - 1 = 2cos^2(15) - 1 Now, we can use the half angle formula for cosine with x = 15 degrees: cos(15) = ±sqrt((1 + cos(30))/2) Since cos(30) is positive in the first quadrant, we take the positive root: cos(15) = sqrt((1 + cos(30))/2) Squaring both sides, we get: cos^2(15) = (1 + cos(30))/2 Substituting this expression into our earlier equation for cos(30), we get: cos(30) = 2cos^2(15) - 1 = 2(1 + cos(30))/2 - 1 = cos(30) + 1 - 1 = cos(30) Therefore, we have shown that cos(30) = cos(30), which is a tautology. So, the exact value of cos 30 degrees is 1/2.
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