6.2.2 Differentiation Of The Inverse Trigonometric Functions

Calculus Of One Real Variable – By Pheng Kim Ving
Chapter 6: The Trigonometric Functions And Their Inverses – Section 6.2.2: Differentiation Of The Inverse
Trigonometric Functions

6.2.2
Differentiation Of The Inverse Trigonometric
Functions

Return To Contents
Go To Problems & Solutions

The Derivatives Of Arcsine And Arccosine

Consequently:

Similarly:

Remark that (d/dx) arccos x is the negative of (d/dx) arcsin x.

The Derivatives Of Arctangent And Arccotangent

Note that Eq. [1.3] is valid for all x in R. This is consistent with the fact that dom(arctan x) is R.

Similarly:

Remark that (d/dx) arccot x is the negative of (d/dx) arctan x.

The Derivatives Of Arcsecant And Arccosecant

So, since sec y = x, we obtain:

Similarly:

Remark that (d/dx) arccsc x is the negative of (d/dx) arcsec x.

Example 1.1

Differentiate each of the following functions, simplifying the answer when appropriate.

Solution

EOS

Go To Problems & Solutions     Return To Top Of Page

2. Relationships Between Inverse Trigonometric Functions

for all x in (–1, 1). We saw in Section 4.1 Theorem 6.1 that if a function f is continuous on [a, b] and its derivative is 0 on

Go To Problems & Solutions     Return To Top Of Page

3. Avoiding Confusions In Memorizing The Derivatives

We observe that:

As for (d/dx) arctan x, there should be no confusion with any other derivative.

Go To Problems & Solutions     Return To Top Of Page

4. Why Bother With All Of These “Inverse” Stuffs?

The derivative of arcsin x is:

We’ve got three new antiderivatives: arcsin, arctan, and arcsec. Well, that’s why we bother with all of these “ inverse”
stuffs.

Note that we didn’t “ boast ” about the derivatives of the inverse cofunctions arccos x, arccot x, and arccsc x. The reason
is that they’re simply the negatives of the derivatives of arcsin x, arctan x, and arcsec x respectively, as observed in Part
3, and thus provide no new antiderivatives. For example, we know that:

Return To Top Of Page

1. Find the derivative of each of the following functions, simplifying the answer when appropriate.

  

Solution

Return To Top Of Page

2. Find an equation of the line tangent to the curve y = arcsin(x/2) at the point x = –1.

Solution

Return To Top Of Page

3.  Let f(x) = sin arcsin x.

     a. Show that f ‘(x) = 1 by calculating it directly from the given expression.
     b. Simplify f(x). Find f ‘(x) using this simplified form of f(x).
     c. Sketch a graph of f(x).

Note:  Also see Problem & Solution 4.

Solution

c. The domain of f is [–1, 1]; its range is also [–1, 1].

Return To Top Of Page

4. Let f(x) = arcsin sin x.

     a. Show that:

        

         where k is any integer, by calculating f ‘(x) directly from the given expression.
     b. Simplify f(x). Find f ‘(x) using this simplified form of f(x).
     c. Sketch a graph of f(x).

Note.  Also see Problem & Solution 3.

Solution

a. We have:

   

    It follows that:

   

c.

  

Return To Top Of Page

5.  A careless mathematics professor asked his calculus class on their final examination to find dy/dx if y = arccos (1 +
     x2). What’s wrong with this problem?

Solution

Return To Top Of Page     Return To Contents