Could someone please show me how

1 / ( 4 tan (x/2) + 2 )

is converted to:
(- sin (x/2) /( 2 sin (x/2) + cos (x/2))

TIA
Carol

lets check it at x=0, and x=PI/2

x=0: 1/4(1+2)=1/12

(-sin45/(2sin45+cos45)=-.707/(1.414+.707) does not equal 1/12

that was at x=90 deg, the identity did not hold. Now at x=0

1/4(0+2)=1/8
-0/(0+.7) does not equal 1/8

Sure, I'd be happy to explain how to convert the expression 1 / (4 tan(x/2) + 2) to (-sin(x/2) / (2 sin(x/2) + cos(x/2)).

To start, we'll tackle the denominator (4 tan(x/2) + 2). We need to rewrite this expression in terms of sine and cosine.

Using the identity tan(x) = sin(x) / cos(x), we can rewrite tan(x/2) as sin(x/2) / cos(x/2).

Now, let's substitute this into the denominator. We have:

4 * (sin(x/2) / cos(x/2)) + 2.

To simplify further, we can multiply through by cos(x/2) to get rid of the denominator:

4sin(x/2) + 2cos(x/2).

Now, let's move on to the numerator 1. We need to rewrite this in terms of sine and cosine as well.

Using the identity sin^2(x) + cos^2(x) = 1, we can rewrite 1 as cos^2(x/2) / cos^2(x/2):

cos^2(x/2) / cos^2(x/2).

Now, let's put everything together. We have:

(cos^2(x/2) / cos^2(x/2)) / (4sin(x/2) + 2cos(x/2)).

To simplify this, let's cancel out the common terms between the numerator and denominator. The cos^2(x/2) terms will cancel out, leaving us with:

1 / (4sin(x/2) + 2cos(x/2)).

Finally, we can further manipulate this expression by multiplying the numerator and denominator by -1. This gives us the desired expression:

-1 / -(4sin(x/2) + 2cos(x/2)).

Simplifying the negative sign, we get:

- sin(x/2) / (2sin(x/2) + cos(x/2)).

And there you have it! The expression 1 / (4 tan(x/2) + 2) is converted to -sin(x/2) / (2 sin(x/2) + cos(x/2)).