Chapter - Inverse Trigonometric Functions

Areas to be revised:
1. Principal value branch table.
2. Properties of Inverse Trigonometric functions.

Properties:
𝑥+𝑦
tan−1 ( )ifxy< 1
1−𝑥𝑦
−1 𝑥+𝑦
1. tan−1 𝑥 +tan−1 𝑦 = 𝜋 + tan if x > 0, y > 0, xy> 1
1−𝑥𝑦
−1 𝑥+𝑦
−𝜋 + tan ifx < 0, y < 0, xy> 1
1−𝑥𝑦

𝑥−𝑦
tan−1 ( )ifxy>-1
1+𝑥𝑦
−1 𝑥−𝑦
2.tan−1 𝑥 − tan−1 𝑦 = 𝜋 + tan ifx > 0, y < 0, xy<-1
1+𝑥𝑦
−1 𝑥−𝑦
−𝜋 + tan ifx < 0, y> 0, xy<-1
1+𝑥𝑦
Problems
𝟑 𝟑 𝟖 𝝅
1. Prove that 𝐭𝐚𝐧−𝟏 ( ) + 𝐭𝐚𝐧−𝟏 ( ) − 𝐭𝐚𝐧−𝟏 ( ) =
𝟒 𝟓 𝟏𝟗 𝟒
3 3 8
Sol: L.H.S = tan−1 ( ) + tan−1 ( ) − tan−1 ( )
4 5 19
3 3
+ 8
−1 4 5
=tan ( 3 3 )- tan−1 (19) [tan−1 𝑥 + tan−1 𝑦 =
1−4 . 5
𝑥+𝑦
tan−1 ( ) 𝑖𝑓 𝑥𝑦 < 1]
1−𝑥𝑦
27 8
= tan−1 ( ) − tan−1 ( )
11 9
27 8
−
−1 11 9
= tan [ 27 8 −]( xy> -1)
1 + 11 ∗ 9
425 𝜋
= tan−1 (425) = tan−1 (1) =
4
= R.H.S.

1
 𝟏
2. If 𝐬𝐢𝐧(𝐬𝐢𝐧−𝟏 ( ) + 𝐜𝐨𝐬 −𝟏 𝒙) = 𝟏,then find the value of x.
𝟐
1
Sol.: We have sin(sin−1 ( ) + cos−1 𝑥) = 1,
2
1 𝜋
= sin(sin−1 ( ) + cos−1 𝑥) = sin
2 2
1 𝜋 1
= sin−1 ( ) + cos−1 𝑥 = = x=
2 2 2
√𝟑
3. Write the value of .𝐭𝐚𝐧−𝟏 [𝟐 𝐬𝐢𝐧(𝟐𝐜𝐨𝐬 −𝟏 )]
𝟐
π √3 𝜋
Sol:tan−1 [2 sin(2 x )] since cos−1 =
6 2 6
𝜋 √3
= tan−1 [2 sin ] = tan−1 (2 x )
3 2
𝜋
= tan−1 (√3) =
3

𝟏 𝟏 𝟑𝟏
4. Prove that 𝟐 𝐭𝐚𝐧−𝟏 ( ) + 𝐭𝐚𝐧−𝟏 ( ) = 𝐬𝐢𝐧−𝟏 ( )
𝟐 𝟕 𝟐𝟓√𝟐
1 1
=2 tan−1 ( ) + tan−1 ( )
2 7
1
2x2 1 2𝑥
−1
=tan ( 1 2
) + tan−1 ( ) [2 tan−1 (𝑥 ) = tan−1 ]
1−( ) 7 1−𝑥 2
2
4 1
=tan−1 ( ) + tan−1 ( )
3 7
4 1
+ 𝑥+𝑦
−1
=tan (3 7
4 1 ) [tan−1 (𝑥 ) + tan−1 (𝑦) = tan−1 ( ) , 𝑥𝑦 <
1−3 x7 1−𝑥𝑦
1
31
=tan−1 ( )
17
31 31
Let tan−1 ( ) = 𝜃 => tan 𝜃 =
17 17
31 31
sin 𝜃 = => 𝜃 = sin−1 ( )
25√2 25√2

2
 31 31
tan−1 ( ) =sin−1 ( )= R.H.S
17 25√2

𝟏 𝟐𝒙 𝟏−𝒚𝟐
5. Find the value of 𝐭𝐚𝐧 [ 𝐬𝐢𝐧−𝟏 𝟐 + 𝐜𝐨𝐬
−𝟏
] |x|<1 ,y>0, xy<1
𝟐 𝟏+𝒙 𝟏+𝒚𝟐
1 2𝑥 1−𝑦 2
Sol: tan [ sin−1 + cos−1 ]
2 1+𝑥 2 1+𝑦2
1 2𝑥
=tan [2tan−1 𝑥 + 2 tan−1 𝑦] [2 tan−1 𝑥 = sin−1
2 1+𝑥 2
1−𝑥 2
cos−1
1+𝑥 2
1
=tan x 2 [ tan−1 𝑥 + tan−1 𝑦]
2
𝑥+𝑦 𝑥+𝑦
=tan [ tan−1 ( )] =
1−𝑥𝑦 1−𝑥𝑦
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝝅
6. Prove that 𝐭𝐚𝐧−𝟏 + 𝐭𝐚𝐧−𝟏 + 𝐭𝐚𝐧−𝟏 + 𝐭𝐚𝐧−𝟏 =
𝟓 𝟕 𝟑 𝟖 𝟒
1 1 1 1
Sol. L.H.S tan−1 + tan−1 + tan−1 + tan−1
5 7 3 8
1 1 1 1
+ +
−1 5 7 −1 3 8
= tan ( 1 1 ) + tan ( 1 1 )
1−5x7 1−3x8
12 11
= tan−1 ( ) + tan−1 ( )
34 23
6 11
= tan−1 ( ) + tan−1 ( )
17 23
6 11
+ 6 11
−1 17 23
= tan ( 6 11 ) ( x < 1)
1− x 17 23
17 23
325 𝜋
=tan−1 ( ) = tan−1 (1) =
325 4

7. Prove that 𝐜𝐨𝐭 −𝟏 𝟕 + 𝐜𝐨𝐭 −𝟏 𝟖 + 𝐜𝐨𝐭 −𝟏 𝟏𝟖 = 𝐜𝐨𝐭 −𝟏 𝟑

Sol. LHS =cot −1 7 + cot −1 8 + cot −1 18
1 1 1 1
=tan−1 ( ) + tan−1 ( ) + tan−1 ( ) since cot −1 𝑥 = tan−1
7 8 18 𝑥

3
 1 1
+ 1 1 1
−1
=tan ( 7 8
1 1 )+ tan−1 ( ) since x < 1
1− x 18 7 8
7 8

3 1
3 1 +
= tan−1 ( ) + tan−1 ( ) = tan−1 ( 11 18 )
11 18 3 1
1− x
11 18
65 1
=tan−1 ( ) = tan−1 ( ) = cot −1 3 = RHS
195 3

𝝅
8. Solve 𝐭𝐚𝐧−𝟏 𝟐𝒙 + 𝐭𝐚𝐧−𝟏 𝟑𝒙 =
𝟒
𝜋
Sol.=tan−1 2𝑥 + tan−1 3𝑥 =
4
2𝑥+3𝑥 𝜋 5𝑥 𝜋
=tan−1 ( ) = => = tan
1−2𝑥 x 3𝑥 4 1−6𝑥 2 4
5𝑥
=> = 1 = 6x2 +5x-1=0 => (6x-1)(x+1) = 0
1−6𝑥 2
1
x= or 𝑥 = −1
6
sincex= -1 doesn’t satisfy the equation, x=1/6 is the only solution of the
given equation.

𝒙−𝟏 𝒙+𝟏 𝝅
9. Solve for x, 𝐭𝐚𝐧−𝟏 ( ) + 𝐭𝐚𝐧−𝟏 ( )=
𝒙−𝟐 𝒙+𝟐 𝟒
𝑥−1 𝑥+1 𝜋
Sol. Given tan−1 ( )+ tan−1 ( ) =
𝑥−2 𝑥+2 4
𝑥−1 𝑥+1
(𝑥−2)+(𝑥+2) 𝜋
=tan−1 ( 𝑥−1 𝑥+1 )=
1− (𝑥−2)+(𝑥+2) 4

(𝑥−1)(𝑥+2)+(𝑥+1)(𝑥−2) 𝜋
= (𝑥−2)(𝑥+2)−(𝑥−1)(𝑥+1) = tan
4
𝑥 2 +𝑥−2+𝑥 2 −𝑥−2 2𝑥 2 −4
= =1 => =1
𝑥 2 −4−𝑥 2 +1 −3
1 1
= 2𝑥 2 = 4 − 3 => 𝑥 2 = => 𝑥 = ±
2 √2

10. If 𝟎 < 𝑥 < 1, then solve the following for x

4
 𝟖
𝐭𝐚𝐧−𝟏 (𝒙 + 𝟏) + 𝐭𝐚𝐧−𝟏 (𝒙 − 𝟏) = 𝐭𝐚𝐧−𝟏 ( )
𝟑𝟏
8
Sol. Given tan−1 (𝑥 + 1) + tan−1 (𝑥 − 1) = tan−1 ( )
31
𝑥+1+𝑥−1 8
= tan−1 ( ) = tan−1 ( )
1−(𝑥+1)(𝑥−1) 31
2𝑥 8
= tan−1 ( ) = tan−1 ( )
1−𝑥 2 +1 31
2𝑥 8
= = => 16 − 8𝑥 2 = 62𝑥
2−𝑥 2 31
2
=4𝑥 + 31𝑥 − 8 = 0 => (𝑥 + 8)(4𝑥 − 1) = 0
1
𝑥 = −8 &𝑥 =
4
As 0 <x <1 ,x ≠ -8 therefore x=1/4