Derivatives

of The Trigonometric functions

t
2
t
0
2
t

t
Consider the function ( )
sin y u =
We could make a graph of the slope:
u slope
1
0
1
0
1
Now we connect the dots!
The resulting curve is a cosine curve.
( )
sin cos
d
x x
dx
=

t
2
t
0
2
t

t
We can do the same thing for ( )
cos y u =
u slope
0
1
0
1
0
The resulting curve is a sine curve that has
been reflected about the x-axis.
( )
cos sin
d
x x
dx
=

Proof that derivative of sin(x)= cos(x)

1
sin
=

u
u
u
lim
0
x
x f x x f
x f
x
A
A +
=
A
) ( - ) (
0
lim ) ( '
x
x x x
x
x
A
A +
=
A
) sin( - ) sin(
lim sin
0
) ( '
sin (o+|) = sin o cos | + cos o sin |
x
x x x x x
x
x
A
A + A
=
A
) sin( - sin cos cos sin
lim sin
0
) ( '
( )
x
x x
x
x x
x
x x
A
A
+
A
A
=
A A
sin cos
lim
- cos sin
lim sin
0 0
1
) ( '
( ) x x cos sin = ) ( '
Formulas needed in proof
x
x
x
x
x x x x
A
A
+
A
A
=
A A A A
sin
lim lim lim lim sin
0 0 0 0
x
x
x cos )
1 cos
( sin ) ( '
0
1 cos
=

u
u
u

lim
0
-
Using the definition of the derivative
We can find the derivative of tangent x by using the
quotient rule.
tan
d
x
dx
sin
cos
d x
dx x
( )
2
cos cos sin sin
cos
x x x x
x

2 2
2
cos sin
cos
x x
x
+
2
1
cos x
2
sec x
( )
2
tan sec
d
x x
dx
=

Derivatives of the remaining trig functions can be

determined the same way.
sin cos
d
x x
dx
=
cos sin
d
x x
dx
=
2
tan sec
d
x x
dx
=
2
cot csc
d
x x
dx
=
sec sec tan
d
x x x
dx
=
csc csc cot
d
x x x
dx
=
t