<s>[INST] How to simplify $\sin^4 x+\cos^4 x$ using trigonometrical identities? $\sin^{4}x+\cos^{4}x$
I should rewrite this expression into a new form to plot the function.
\begin{align}
& = (\sin^2x)(\sin^2x) - (\cos^2x)(\cos^2x) \\
& = (\sin^2x)^2 - (\cos^2x)^2 \\
& = (\sin^2x - \cos^2x)(\sin^2x + \cos^2x) \\
& = (\sin^2x - \cos^2x)(1) \longrightarrow\,
= \sin^2x - \cos^2x
\end{align}
Is that true?
 [/INST] Expand in terms of complex exponentials.
$$\sin^4 x + \cos^4 x = \left( \frac{e^{ix} - e^{-ix}}{2i} \right)^4 + \left( \frac{e^{ix} + e^{-ix}}{2} \right)^4$$
Notice that $i^4 = +1$, so we get
$$\sin^4 x + \cos^4 x = \frac{1}{16} \left( 2e^{4ix} + 2 e^{-4ix} + 12 \right)$$
where we use the relation $(a+b)^4 = a^4 + 4 a^3 b + 6 a^2 b^2 + 4 ab^3 + b^4$. The terms of the form $a^3 b$ and $ab^3$ all cancel by addition.
This leaves us with a final result:
$$\sin^4 x + \cos^4 x = \frac{4}{16} \left(\frac{e^{4ix} + e^{-4ix}}{2} \right) + \frac{12}{16} = \frac{3}{4} + \frac{1}{4} \cos 4x$$
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