Given sec 16° cosec 74° – cot 74° tan 16°

= sec 16° . cosec (° – 16°) – cot (° – 16°) . tan 16°

= sec 16°. sec ° – tan ° . tan 16° [∵ cosec (90° – θ) = sec θ; cot (90° – θ) — tan θ]

= sec² ° – tan² °

= [∵ sec² θ - tan² θ = 1]