I've been doing some of my AP math work, and stumbled across a question I have trouble getting the right answer for... sort of?
The question is as followed, prove that $\tan22.5^\circ = \sqrt2 -1$.
I used the identity $\tan^2 x =\frac {\sin^2 (x)}{ \cos^2 (x)}$. I later substituted the $\sin x$ and $\cos x$ by the following: $\sin^2 (x) = \frac12 -\frac12\cos2x$
$\cos^2 (x) = \frac12 + \frac12\cos2x$ .
I derived both formulas myself, and used them in the previously stated identity. My final answer for $\tan(x)$ is $\sqrt{3-2\sqrt2}$, which gives an answer of $0.414$ to $3$d.p. This answer corresponds to the answer provided by the question itself, so the calculations are right. I am confused as to why the way I did it does not correspond to the answer. In terms of my steps, I found the value of $\cos(2x)$ to be $\frac{\sqrt{2}}{2}$ and then later on I rationalised the denominator before I took the square root on $\tan^2 x$.
Would writing something like $\sqrt{3-2\sqrt2}$ = $\sqrt2 -1$ be appropriate?