INVERSE CIRCULAR FUNCTIONS

Learning Objectives
1. illustrate the domain and range of the inverse circular
functions
2. evaluate an inverse trigonometric (or circular) expression
 Inverse Functions
For all x in the domain of f and all y in the range of f
f-1(f(x)) = x and f(f-1(y)) = y

For the inverse to exist and be well-defined,

a function must first be one-to-one
 Inverse Circular Functions
the circular functions are not one-to-one

we will restrict our attention to only a part of the domain of a

circular function, s.t. the circular function becomes one-to-one

The Sine Function

𝜋 𝜋
f(x) = sin x, – ≤x ≤
2 2

𝜋 𝜋
y = sin-1x if and only if x = sin y, – ≤ y ≤ –
2 2
 Inverse Circular Functions
1 𝜋
sin−1 =
2 6
−1
𝜋
sin (−1) = −
2
sin−1 0 = 0

The domain of the inverse sine function is [-1,1] and

𝜋 𝜋
the range is [− , ]
2 2
Evaluate the following:

−1 1
1. sin sin
5
−1 1 𝟏
Let α = sin . Then 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝛂 =
5 𝟓
8π
2. sin−1 sin 7
8π
Let β = sin−1 sin .
7
8π π π
Then sin β = sin , with
− ≤β≤
7 2 2
8π 𝛑
sin−1 sin =𝛃=−
7 𝟕
Evaluate the following:

1
1. cos −1 −
2
−1
1 𝟐𝛑
cos − =
2 𝟑
8π
2. cos −1 cos 7
8π 8π
Let α = cos −1 cos . Then α =
cos , with 0 ≤ α ≤ π
7 7
8π 𝟔𝛑
cos −1 cos =α=
7 𝟕
Evaluate the following:

−1 3
1. sin cos
5
3 3
Let α = cos −1 . Then cos α = , where 0 ≤ α ≤ π
5 5

3 2 𝟒
sin α = ± 1 − cos 2 α = 1− =
5 𝟓

2. tan−1 − 3
𝛑
tan−1 − 3 =−
𝟑
Evaluate the following:

4π
1. tan−1 cot
7
4π 4π π π
Let α = tan−1 cot . Then α = cot , with − < α <
7 7 2 3
−1
4π 3π 𝟑𝛑
tan cot = α = tan−1 tan − =−
7 10 𝟏𝟎
7
2. sin cos −1
3
7 7
Let β = cos −1 . Then cot β = , with 0<β<π
3 3

7 4
csc β = 1 + cot 2 β
= 1− =
9 3
1 𝟑
sin β = =
csc β 𝟒
Evaluate the following:

1. csc −1 − 2
Let α = csc −1 2 . Then csc α = − 2,
π π
with α ∈ ቀ−π, − ቃ ∪ ቀ0, ቃ
2 2
−1
𝛑
csc − 2 = α = −
𝟒
13π
2. sec −1 csc
10
13π
Let β = sec −1 ccs
10
13π π 13π 4π
sec β = csc = sec − = sec −
10 2 10 5
−1
13π 4π 𝟒𝛑
sec ccs = β = 2π − =
10 5 𝟓
Evaluate the following:

7
1. tan sec −1
6
7 7 π 3π
Let γ = sec −1 . Then sec γ = , and γ ∈ ቂ0, ቁ ∪ ቂ0, ቁ
6 6 2 2

−1 7 7 2 𝟏𝟑
tan csc = tan γ = sec 2 γ −1= −1=
6 6 𝟔
Exercises
Evaluate the following
−1 3
1. sin −
2
3
2. tan−1 − 3
−1 4π
3. cos cos
3
−1 1
4. cos sin
3
−1 3 1
5. tan sin + cos −1 −
2 2