Given that tan x = 1, what is the value of sin^2(x) + cos^2(x)?
0
1/2
1
2
Correct answer: 1
Solution
By the fundamental Pythagorean identity, sin^2(x) + cos^2(x) = 1 for all angles x. The given condition tan x = 1 is irrelevant, since the identity holds universally. Hence the value is 1.