Inverse Trig Functions

c A Math Support Center Capsule February 12, 2009

Introduction
Just as trig functions arise in many applications, so do the inverse trig functions. What may be most surprising is that they are useful not only in the calculation of angles given the lengths of the sides of a right triangle, but they also give us solutions to some common integrals. For example, suppose you need to evaluate the following integral:
b

1 dx 1 x2

for some appropriate values of a and b. You can use the inverse sine function to solve it! In this capsule we do not attempt to derive the formulas that we will use; you should look at your textbook for derivations and complete explanations. This material will simply summarize the key results and go through some examples of how to use them. As usual, all angles used here are in radians.

Restrictions on the Domains of the Trig Functions

A function must be one-to-one for it to have an inverse. As we are sure you know, the trig functions are not one-to-one and in fact they are periodic (i.e. their values repeat themselves periodically). So in order to dene inverse functions we need to restrict the domain of each trig function to a region in which it is one-to-one but also attains all of its values. We do this by selecting a specic period for each function and using this as a domain on which an inverse can be dened. Clearly there are an innite number of dierent restrictions we could chose but the following are choices that are normally used.

Standard Restricted Domains Function Domain Range sin(x) cos(x) tan(x) cot(x) sec(x) csc(x) [ , ] 2 2 [0, ] ( , ) 2 2 (0, ) [0, ) ( , ] 2 2 [ , 0) (0, ] 2 2 [1, 1] [1, 1] (, ) (, ) (, 1] [1, ) (, 1] [1, )

Denitions of the Inverse Functions

When the trig functions are restricted to the domains above they become one-to-one functions, so we can dene the inverse functions. For the sine function we use the notation sin1 (x) or arcsin(x). Both are read arc sine . Look carefully at where we have placed the -1. Written this way it indicates the inverse of the sine function. If, instead, we write 1 (sin(x))1 we mean the fraction sin(x) . The other functions are similar. The following table summarizes the domains and ranges of the inverse trig functions. Note that for each inverse trig function we have simply swapped the domain and range for the corresponding trig function. Standard Restricted Domains Function Domain Range sin1 (x) cos1 (x) tan1 (x) cot1 (x) sec1 (x) csc1 (x) [1, 1] [1, 1] (, ) (, ) (, 1] [1, ) (, 1] [1, ) [ , ] 2 2 [0, ] ( , ) 2 2 (0, ) [0, ) ( , ] 2 2 [ , 0) (0, ] 2 2

We can now dene the inverse functions more clearly. For the arcsin function we dene y = sin1 (x) if 1 x 1, y is in [ , ], and sin(y) = x 2 2 2

Note that this is only dened when x is in the interval [1, 1]. The other inverse functions are similarly dened using the corresponding trig functions.

Some Useful Identities

Here are a few identities that you may nd helpful. cos1 (x) + cos1 (x) = sin1 (x) + cos1 (x) =
2

tan1 (x) = tan1 (x)

Practicing with the Inverse Functions

1 Example 1: Find the value of tan(sin1 ( 5 ). Solution: The best way to solve this sort of problem is to draw a triangle for yourself using the Pythagorian Theorem.

5 2 6

1 Here we use for the value of sin1 ( 5 ). Notice that we labeled the hypotenuse and the side opposite by using the value of the sin of the angle. We then used the Pythagorian Theorem to get the remaining side. We now have the information that is needed to nd opposite 1 tan(). Since tan() = adjacent , the answer is 1 = 2 6 24 3 Example 2: Find the value of sin(cos1 ( 5 )). Solution: Look at the following picture:

S S S 5 S S S S

-3
3 In this picture we let = cos1 ( 3 ). Then 0 and cos = 5 . Because cos() 5 is negative, must be in the second quadrant, i.e. . Using the Pythagorean 2

Theorem and the fact that is in the second quadrant we get that sin() =
259 5 4 5.

52 32 5

= Note that although does not lie in the restricted domain we used to dene the arcsin function, the unrestricted sin function is dened in the second quadrant and so we are free to use this fact.

Derivatives of Inverse Trig Functions

The derivatives of the inverse trig functions are shown in the following table. Derivatives Derivative
d 1 dx (sin x) d 1 dx (cos x) d 1 dx (tan x) d 1 dx (cot x) d 1 dx (sec x) d 1 dx (csc x)

Function sin1 (x) cos1 (x) tan1 (x) cot1 (x) sec1 (x) csc1 (x)

1 , 1x2

|x| < 1

1 = 1x2 , |x| < 1

= = = =

1 1+x2 1 1+x2 1 , |x| x2 1 1 , |x| x2 1

|x| > 1 |x| > 1

In practice we often are interested in calculating the derivatives when the variable x is replaced by a function u(x). This requires the use of the chain rule. For example,
du d du 1 (sin1 u) = = dx , |u| < 1 dx 1 u2 dx 1 u2 The other functions are handled in a similar way.

Example 1: Find the derivative of y = cos1 (x3 ) for |x3 | < 1 Solution: Note that |x3 | < 1 if and only if |x| < 1, so the derivative is dened whenever |x| < 1.

d (cos1 (x3 )) = dx =

1 1 (x3 )2 1 1 (x3 )2

d 3 (x ) dx (3x2 )

3x2 1 x6 Example 2: Find the derivative of y = tan1 ( 3x). = Solution: d 1 d (tan1 ( 3x)) = ( 3x) 2 dx dx 1 + ( 3x) 1 1 = 3 2 2 3x 1 + ( 3x) 3 = 2 3x (1 + 3x)

Exercise 1: For each of the following, nd the derivative of the given function with respect to the independent variable. (a) y = tan1 t4 (b) z = t cot1 (1 + t2 ) (c) x = sin1 1 t4 + cos1 t (e) y = sin1 x (d) s =
t 1t2 y (f) z = cot1 ( 1y2 )

Solutions: (a) y = tan1 t4 dy d = tan1 (t4 ) dt dt d 4 1 = (t ) 4 )2 dt 1 + (t 4t3 = 1 + t8 (b) z = t cot1 (1 + t2 ) dz d = t cot1 (1 + t2 ) dt dt = cot1 (1 + t2 ) + t 1 1 + (1 + t2 )2 2t2 = cot1 (1 + t2 ) 4 t + 2t2 + 2 (2t)

(c) x = sin1 1 t4 dx d = sin1 1 t4 dt dt d 1 ( 1 t4 ) = 2 dt 4) 1( 1t 1 1 1 (1 t4 ) 2 (4t3 ) = 1 (1 t4 ) 2 1 1 = (2t3 ) 4 4 11+t 1t 1 1 = 2 (2t3 ) t 1 t4 2t = 1 t4

(d) s =

t 1t2

+ cos1 t ds t d d = + cos1 t dt dt 1 t2 dt 1 1 ( 1 t2 ) 1 t 2 (1 t2 ) 2 (2t) 1 = + ( 1 t2 )2 1 t2 2 t 1 t2 + 1t2 1 = (1 t2 ) 1 t2 2 ( 1 t2 )( 1 t2 ) + t (1 t2 ) 1 = 2) (1 t ( 1 t2 )(1 t2 ) ( 1 t2 ) 2 ) + t2 (1 t2 ) (1 t = ( 1 t2 )(1 t2 ) t2 = 3 (1 t2 ) 2

(e) y = sin1 x dy d = sin1 x dx dx 1 d = x 2 dx 1 ( x) 1 1 1 x2 = 1x 2 1 = 2 x(1 x)

y (f) z = cot1 ( 1y2 ) dz dy

= = = = = = =

y d 1 dy cot ( 1y 2 )
y )2 1y 2

1+(

y d dy ( 1y 2 ) y d dy ( 1y 2 ) (1y 2 ) (1y 2 ) 1 y (1y 2 )2 1 y 1 (2y)

1
(1y 2 )2 +y 2 (1y 2 )2

(1y 2 )2 (1y 2 )2 +y 2 1 (1y 2 )2 +y 2 1(1y 2 +2y 2 ) 12y 2 +y 4 +y 2 (1+y 2 ) 1y 2 +y 4

(2y)

Solving Integrals

The formulas listed above for the derivatives lead us to some nice ways to solve some common integrals. The following is a list of useful ones. These formulas hold for any constant a = 0
du a2 u2 du a2 +u2

= sin1 ( u ) + C a

for u2 < a2 for all u for |u| > a > 0

1 = a tan1 ( u ) + C a 1 = a sec1 | u | + C a

du u u2 a2

Exercise 2: Verify each of the equations above by taking the derivative of the right hand side. We now want to use these formulas to solve some common integrals.
dx Example 1: Evaluate the integral 916x2 Solution: Let a = 3 and u = 4x. Then 16x2 = (4x)2 = u2 and du = 4dx. We get the following for 16x2 < 9:

 dx 916x2

1 4

du a2 u2

= 1 sin1 ( u ) + C 4 a = 1 sin1 ( 4x ) + C 4 3
4 = 1 sin1 ( 3 x) + C 4

Exercise 3: Evaluate the following integrals. (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f)
dx 254x2 dy 36+4y 2 z dz 5+2z 4 sin x dx 10cos2 x dx 5+4xx2

7 dx 2512x+4x2

Solutions: (a)
dx . 254x2

For this problem use the formula

a = 5, u = 2x and du = 2 dx, giving you

dy (b) . Use the formula 36+4y 2 and du = 2 dy. du a2 +u2 du a2 +u2

du a2 u2 dx = 1 2 254x2 1 1 u a tan ( a )

= sin1 u + C with a
du a2 u2 1 = 2 sin1 ( 2x ) + C 5

+ C with a = 6, u = 2y
1 12

This gives us

dy 36+4y 2

1 2

= ( 1 )( 1 ) tan1 ( 2y ) + C = 2 6 6

tan1 ( y ) + C 3

z dz (c) . In order to make the calculations a bit simpler, it is useful to multiply 5+2z 4 the numerator and denominator by 2 in order to get the term 4z 4 instead of 2z 4 in the z dz 2z dz denominator. This gives us = . 5+2z 4 10+4z 4 2 , du = 4z dz and a = Now let u = 2z 10 and we have z dz 5+2z 4

1 2

4 z dz 10+4z 4

1 2

du 2 ( 10) +u2

1 2 10

2z tan1 ( 10 ) + C

(d)

sin x dx . 10cos2 x

Let u = cos x, du = sin x dx and a =

sin x dx 10cos2 x = sin1 ( cos x ) + C 10

10. Then

sin x dx 10cos2 x

= (1)

(e) form

dx . 5+4xx2 du . a2 u2

We want to transform this expression into something with the To do this we need to complete the square of the expression in the

denominator as follows: 5 + 4x x2 = 5 + 4 4 + 4x x2 = 9 4 + 4x x2 = 9 (x2 4x + 4) = (3)2 (x 2)2 This gives us

dx 5+4xx2

dx (3)2 (x2)2

= sin1 ( x2 ) + C 3

7 dx (f) 2512x+4x2 . Again we need to complete the square. This time we want to transform the expression into something with the form a2du 2 . We rewrite the denominator as +u follows:

25 12x + 4x2

= 16 + 9 12x + 4x2 = (4)2 + (2x 3)2

Now, letting u = 2x 3 and du = 2 dx we get

7 dx 2512x+4x2

7 2

2 dx (4)2 +(2x3)2

7 8

tan1 ( 2x3 ) + C 4

10