Lecture 6 : Inverse Trigonometric Functions

Inverse Sine Function (arcsin x = sin1 x)

The trigonometric function sin x is not one-to-one
functions, hence in order to create an inverse, we must restrict its domain.
The restricted sine function is given by

sin x
2 x 2

f (x) =

undefined otherwise
We have Domain(f) = [ 2 , 2 ] and Range(f) = [1, 1].
y= sin x

y= fHxL

1.0

1.0

0.5

0.5
H6, 12L

H56, 12L

-0.5

-0.5

-1.0

-1.0

We see from the graph of the restricted sine function (or from its derivative) that the function is
one-to-one and hence has an inverse, shown in red in the diagram below.
H1, 2L
1.5

1.0
H2, 1L

0.5

-1
,

H
4

-0.5

2
-1

-
,

H
2

L
4

-1.0

-1.5

This inverse function, f 1 (x), is denoted by

f 1 (x) = sin1 x or

arcsin x.

Properties of sin1 x.
Domain(sin1 ) = [1, 1] and Range(sin1 ) = [ 2 , 2 ].
Since f 1 (x) = y if and only if f (y) = x, we have:
1

sin1 x = y if and only if sin(y) = x and

y .
2
2

Since f (f 1 )(x) = x f 1 (f (x)) = x we have:

sin(sin1 (x)) = x for x [1, 1]

 
sin1 (sin(x)) = x for x , .
2 2

from the graph: sin1 x is an odd function and

 
1
using the graph above.
Example Evaluate sin1
2

Example Evaluate sin1 ( 3/2),

sin1 (x) = sin1 x.

sin1 ( 3/2),

Example Evaluate sin1 (sin ).

Example Evaluate cos(sin1 ( 3/2)).

Example Give a formula in terms of x for tan(sin1 (x))

Derivative of sin1 x.
d
1
sin1 x =
,
dx
1 x2
Proof
or

1 x 1.

dy
We have sin1 x = y if and only if sin y = x. Using implicit differentiation, we get cos y dx
=1

dy
1
=
.
dx
cos y

Now we know that cos2 y + sin2 y = 1, hence we have that cos2 y + x2 = 1 and

cos y = 1 x2
2

and

d
1
sin1 x =
.
dx
1 x2

If we use the chain rule in conjunction with the above derivative, we get
d
k 0 (x)
sin1 (k(x)) = p
,
dx
1 (k(x))2
Example Find the derivative

x Dom(k) and 1 k(x) 1.

d
sin1 cos x
dx

Inverse Cosine Function We can define the function cos1 x = arccos(x) similarly. The details
are given at the end of this lecture.
Domain(cos1 ) = [1, 1] and Range(cos1 ) = [0, ].
cos1 x = y

cos(y) = x and 0 y .

if and only if

cos(cos1 (x)) = x for x [1, 1]



cos1 (cos(x)) = x for x 0, .

It is shown at the end of the lecture that

d
d
1
cos1 x = sin1 x =
dx
dx
1 x2
and one can use this to prove that
sin1 x + cos1 x =

.
2

Inverse Tangent Function

The tangent function is not a one to one function, however we can also restrict the domain to construct
a one to one function in this case.
The restricted tangent function is given by

2 < x < 2
tan x
h(x) =

undefined otherwise
We see from the graph of the restricted tangent function (or from its derivative) that the function is
one-to-one and hence has an inverse, which we denote by
h1 (x) = tan1 x or

arctan x.

y= hHxL
6

H4, 1L

y= arctanHxL

-2

-4

-5

-4

-3

-2

H1, 4L
1

-1

4
-6

Properties of tan1 x.
Domain(tan1 ) = (, ) and Range(tan1 ) = ( 2 , 2 ).
Since h1 (x) = y if and only if h(y) = x,

we have:

tan1 x = y if and only if tan(y) = x and

<y< .
2
2

Since h(h1 (x)) = x and

tan(tan1 (x)) = x for x (, )

h1 (h(x)) = x, we have:
tan1 (tan(x)) = x for x

we have

lim tan x = and

x( 2 )

lim tan1 x =

tan1 (x) = tan1 (x).

Frpm the graph, we have:

Also, since

and

lim

x( 2 + )

tan x = ,

lim tan1 x =

Example Find tan1 (1) and tan1 ( 13 ).

Example Find cos(tan1 ( 13 )).

Derivative of tan1 x.
d
1
tan1 x = 2
,
dx
x +1

< x < .


,
.
2 2

dy
Proof We have tan1 x = y if and only if tan y = x. Using implicit differentiation, we get sec2 y dx
=1
or
dy
1
=
= cos2 y.
2
dx
sec y

Now we know that cos2 y = cos2 (tan1 x) =

1
.
1+x2

proving the result.

If we use the chain rule in conjunction with the above derivative, we get
k 0 (x)
d
1
tan (k(x)) =
,
dx
1 + (k(x))2

x Dom(k)

Example Find the domain and derivative of tan1 (ln x)

Domain = (0, )
1
d
1
x
tan1 (ln x) =
=
dx
1 + (ln x)2
x(1 + (ln x)2 )

Integration formulas
Reversing the derivative formulas above, we get
Z

dx = sin1 x + C,
2
1x

1
dx = tan1 x + C,
x2 + 1

Example
Z

1
q
3 1

dx =
x2
9

1
dx =
9 x2
1

1
q
dx =
2
3
3 1 x9

1
q
1

dx
x2
9

Let u = x3 , then dx = 3du and

Z
Z
1
1
3
x

dx =
du = sin1 u + C = sin1 + C
3
3
9 x2
1 u2
Example
Z
0

1/2

1
dx
1 + 4x2

Let u = 2x, then du = 2dx, u(0) = 0, u(1/2) = 1 and

Z
0

1/2

1
1
dx =
2
1 + 4x
2

Z
0

1
1
1
dx = tan1 u|10 = [tan1 (1) tan1 (0)]
2
1+u
2
2
1

[ 0] = .
2 4
8

Extra Examples
Example Find a formula in terms of x for cos(tan1 x).

1 + x2
x

tan-1x =

1
tan-1x =

= tan x

cos(tan-1x) = cos() =

1
1 + x2

Example
Z

1
2

0
2

Let u = x . Then du = 2xdx and

Z
0

du
2

dx
1 x4

= xdx. u(0) = 0 and u( 12 ) = 12 . We get

x
1

dx =
2
1 x4

1
2

1
du
1

= sin1 (u)|02
2
1 u2

1
1
= [sin1 (1/2) sin1 (0)] = [/6 0] = /12
2
2
Example
Z

1
dx
x(1 + (ln x)2 )

Let u = ln x, then du = dx/x and

Z
Z
1
1
dx =
du = tan1 u + C = tan1 (ln x) + C
2
2
x(1 + (ln x) )
(1 + (u) )

Example Find the domain and derivative of h(x) = sin1 (x2 1)

The domain of this function is all values of x for which x2 1 is in the domain of sin1 which is
{x| 1 x 1}. Therefore the
domain of
h = {xsuch that 1 x2 1 1}. Now 1 x2 1
1

2
is the same as 0 x 2, or 2 x 2. Therefore the domain of h is the interval 2 x 2.
d
1
2x
sin1 (x2 1) = p
2x = p
.
dx
1 (x2 1)2
1 (x2 1)2

The restricted cosine function

3

is given by

0x
cos x
g(x) =

undefined otherwise

We have Domain(g) = [0, ] and Range(g) = [1, 1].

2

3!

3!

2!

5!
2

3!
2
We see from the graph of the restricted
2 cosine function (or from its derivative) that the function is
one-to-one and hence has an inverse,

g 1 (x) = cos1 x or arccos x

3

!
2

f(x) = cos-1(x)

Domain(cos1 ) = [1, 1] and

Recall from the definition of inverse functions:

Range(cos1 ) = [0, ].

g 1 (x) = y if and only if g(y) = x.

cos1 x = y

cos(y) = x and 0 y .

if and only if

g(g 1 (x)) = x g 1 (g(x)) = x

cos(cos1 (x)) = x for x [1, 1]



cos1 (cos(x)) = x for x 0, .

Note from the graph that cos1 (x) = cos1 (x) .

cos1 ( 3/2) =

and cos1 ( 3/2) =

You can use either chart below to find the correct angle between 0 and .:

tan(cos1 ( 3/2)) =
tan(cos1 (x)) =
Must draw a triangle with correct proportions:

1
1-x2

x
cos = x

cos-1x =

tan(cos-1x) = tan =

cos = x

1-x2
x

1
d
cos1 x =
,
dx
1 x2

1 x 1.

dy
Proof We have cos1 x = y if and only if cos y = x. Using implicit differentiation, we get sin y dx
=1
or
1
dy
=
.
dx
sin y

Now we know that cos2 y + sin2 y = 1, hence we have that sin2 y + x2 = 1 and

sin y = 1 x2
and

Note that

d
1
.
cos1 x =
dx
1 x2
d
dx

d
cos1 x = dx
sin1 x. In fact we can use this to prove that sin1 x + cos1 x =

If we use the chain rule in conjunction with the above derivative, we get
k 0 (x)
d
cos1 (k(x)) = p
,
dx
1 (k(x))2

x Dom(k) and 1 k(x) 1.

Example Find the domain and derivative of cos1

(x2 1)
Domain: 1 x2 1 1 or 0 x2 2 or 2 x 2.
Using the formula above with k(x) = x2 1, we get
2x
d
cos1 (x2 1) = p
dx
1 (x2 1)2
Example
Z
Let u = cos1 x,

du =
Z

1
1x2 dx

cos1 x

dx
1 x2

or dx = 1 x2 du. We get

cos1 x

dx =
1 x2

Z
udu =

u2
(cos1 x)2
+C =
+C
2
2

10

.
2