9/5/2019 Trigonometric Inverses - MathBitsNotebook(A2 - CCSS Math)

Inverse Trigonometric Functions

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When working with trigonometric inverse problems, keep the following information in mind:

Inverse Notation: Reference Triangles:

arcsin(x) = sin-1(x)
arccos(x) = cos-1(x)
arctan(x) = tan-1(x)
arcsin(x)is read "the angle
whose sine is x".

Solution:
You are looking for "the angle whose sine is" and the

angle is in the interval .

Sine is positive in Quadrant I. Yes, sine is also positive in

Quadrant II, but Quadrant II is not used to create sine
inverse.

and we know that , so or 45º.

Solution:
You are looking for the sine of "an angle whose cosine is"
1/2 in the interval .

and we know that , so .

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Cosine is positive in Quadrant I. Now, finish the question

by finding the sine of this result:

Solution:
You are looking for "the angle whose tangent is"

and the angle is in the interval .

and we know that a reference angle of 30 degrees in
quadrant IV will set up our situation. We need to
remember that
.

Solution:
You are looking for "the angle whose tangent is"

and the angle is in the interval .

creates the triangle shown at the right. The

Pythagorean Theorem was used to find the length of
the hypotenuse.

Tangent is positive in Quadrant I.

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Solution:
You are looking for "the angle whose sine is" the
same as the in the interval .

You need to find an angle whose

in .
Remember when f (f-1(x)) = x? This concept does not apply in this
situation because of the restrictions on the domain of sine inverse. Sine is positive in Quadrant I.

Use the inverse function of

sine, cosine, or tangent to solve this problem:
Given:
and cos θ > 0, find the exact value of sin θ.

Solution:
To solve this problem we need to know the "angle
whose" cotangent is -8/15, which would imply
the use of the inverse of cotangent. But, our
question specifies the use of the inverse of sine,
cosine or tangent only. Let's rewrite the first
given condition to be:
and use
Our problem is to now find

Since this question asks for "exact value", the

calculator cannot be used to give a decimal
approximation.

Answer:

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9/5/2019 Trigonometric Inverses - MathBitsNotebook(A2 - CCSS Math)

Solution:

You are looking for secant of "the angle whose

sin is" 2x-1 in the interval .
From labeling the triangle and using the
Pythagorean Theorem, we can read the secant of
the angle.

For help with

trigonometric
inverses on
your calculator,
click here.

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