To simplify the expression tan A / (1 - cot A) + cot A / (1 - tan A), we can start by rewriting the terms using the definitions of tangent and cotangent.
Step-by-Step Simplification
Recall that:
- tan A = sin A / cos A
- cot A = cos A / sin A
Now, substituting these definitions into the expression:
First Term
For the first term:
tan A / (1 - cot A) = (sin A / cos A) / (1 - (cos A / sin A))
This simplifies to:
tan A / (1 - cot A) = (sin A / cos A) / ((sin A - cos A) / sin A) = (sin^2 A) / (cos A (sin A - cos A))
Second Term
For the second term:
cot A / (1 - tan A) = (cos A / sin A) / (1 - (sin A / cos A))
This simplifies to:
cot A / (1 - tan A) = (cos A / sin A) / ((cos A - sin A) / cos A) = (cos^2 A) / (sin A (cos A - sin A))
Combining the Terms
Now, we can combine both terms:
tan A / (1 - cot A) + cot A / (1 - tan A) = (sin^2 A) / (cos A (sin A - cos A)) + (cos^2 A) / (sin A (cos A - sin A))
By finding a common denominator and simplifying, we can reach the final result.
Final Result
After simplification, the expression can be rewritten as:
tan A + cot A
Answer Choice
The correct answer is B. tan A + cot A.