Yes It is an identity To become it more clear Draw a 3,4,5 right angled triangle with base=3 altitude=4 and hypotenuse=5 Let angle between base and hypotenuse is theta Then Cos theta=3/5 Sin theta=4/5 Tan theta=4/3 So theta=cos^-1(3/5)=tan^-1(4/3) It is proved above using the identity