INVERSE TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS

PREVIOUS YEAR’S CBSE Board Questions

Based on Principle Value

𝜋 1
1. sin [ 3 − sin−1 (− 2)] is equal to
1 1
(a) 2 (b) 3 (c) – 1 (d) 1

[CBSE SQP 2021-22]

Solution
(d) : We have,
𝜋 −1
sin [ − sin−1 ( )]
3 2
𝜋 1 𝜋 𝜋 𝜋
= sin [ + sin−1 ( )] = sin [ + ] = sin ( ) = 1
3 2 3 6 2
1 1
2. Write the value of cos−1 (− 2) + 2 sin−1 (2). [CBSE 2014]

Solution

1 1
Given cos −1 (− 2) + 2 sin−1 (2)
2𝜋 𝜋 2𝜋 𝜋
= cos −1 (cos ) + 2 sin−1 (sin ) = +2 × =𝜋
3 6 3 6

𝜋
3. Write the principal value of tan−1 [sin (− 2 )].

[CBSE 2014C]
Solution

𝜋 𝜋
Here, tan−1 [sin (− 2 )] = tan−1(−1) = − 4

4. Find the value of the following:

𝜋
cot ( 2 − 2 cot −1 √3)

[CBSE 2014 C]

1
 Solution

𝜋
cot ( − 2 cot −1 √3)
2
𝜋 𝜋 𝜋 𝜋
= cot ( − 2 cot −1 (cot )) = cot ( − 2. )
2 6 2 6
𝜋 𝜋 𝜋
= cot ( − ) = cot = √3
2 3 6

1
5. Write the principal value of tan−1(1) + cos −1 (− ).
2

[CBSE 2013]
Solution

−1
tan−1(1) + cos−1 (
)
2
𝜋 2𝜋 𝜋 2𝜋 11𝜋
= tan−1 (tan ) + cos−1 (cos ( )) = + =
4 3 4 3 12

13𝜋
6. The value of sin−1 (cos ) is
5
3𝜋 𝜋 3𝜋 𝜋
(a) − (b) – 10 (c) (d) 10
5 5

[CBSE 2021-22]
Solution
13𝜋 3𝜋
(b) : We have, sin−1 (cos ) = sin−1 [cos (2𝜋 + )]
5 5

3𝜋 𝜋 𝜋
= sin−1 [cos ] = sin−1 [cos ( + )]
5 2 10
𝜋 𝜋 𝜋
= sin−1 (− sin ) = − sin−1 (sin ) = −
10 10 10

2
 √3
7. Write the value of tan−1 [2 sin (cos −1 )].
2

[CBSE 2013]
Solution
√3
tan−1 [2 sin (2 cos −1 )]
2
𝜋 𝜋
= tan−1 [2 sin (2 . )] = tan−1 [2 sin ]
6 3
√3 𝜋
= tan−1 [2 . ] = tan−1(√3) =
2 3

√3 1
8. Write the principal value of [cos−1 + cos −1 (− 2)].
2

[CBSE 2013 C]
Solution

√3 1
cos −1 ( ) + cos−1 (− )
2 2

√3 2𝜋 𝜋 2𝜋 5𝜋
= cos −1 ( ) + cos −1 (cos ) = + =
2 3 6 3 6

9. Write the principal value of [tan−1(−√3) + tan−1(1)].

[CBSE 2013 C]
Solution

tan−1(−√3) + tan−1(1)
𝜋 𝜋
= tan−1 (− tan ) + tan−1 (tan )
3 4
𝜋 𝜋 𝜋 𝜋 𝜋
= tan−1 (tan (− )) + = − + = −
3 4 3 4 12

3
 Based on Domain & Range

10. If tan−1 𝑥 = 𝑦, then

−𝜋 𝜋 −𝜋 𝜋 −𝜋 𝜋
(a) −1 < 𝑦 < 1 (b) ≤𝑦 ≤ (c) <𝑦< (d) 𝑦 ∈ { 2 , 2 }
2 2 2 2

[CBSE SQP 2021-22]

Solution
−𝜋 𝜋
(c): Range of tan−1 𝑥 = ( , )
2 2
𝜋 𝜋
∴ − <𝑦<
2 2

Based on Simplification

11. sin(tan−1 𝑥), where |𝑥| < 1, is equal to

𝑥 1 1 𝑥
(a) √1−𝑥 2 (b) √1−𝑥2 (c) √1+𝑥 2 (d) √1+𝑥2

[CBSE SQP 2021-23]

Solution

(d) : We have, sin(tan−1 𝑥)

Let tan−1 𝑥 = 𝜃 ⇒ 𝑥 = tan 𝜃
𝑥
⇒ sin 𝜃 =
√𝑥 2 + 1
𝑥
∴ sin(tan−1 𝑥) = sin 𝜃 =
√𝑥 2 + 1

4
 sin 𝑥+cos 𝑥 𝜋 𝜋
12. Express sin−1 ( ), where – 2 < 𝑥 < 4 , in the simplest form.
√2

[CBSE SQP 2019-20]

Solution

sin 𝑥+cos 𝑥 −𝜋 𝜋
We have, sin−1 ( ) if <𝑥<
√2 4 4

sin 𝑥 cos 𝑥
𝜋 𝜋
= sin−1 ( + ) if −
<𝑥<
√2 √2 4 4
𝜋 𝜋
= sin−1 (sin 𝑥 cos + cos 𝑥 sin )
4 4
−𝜋 𝜋 𝜋 𝜋 𝜋
if + <𝑥+ < +
4 4 4 4 4
𝜋 𝜋 𝜋
= sin−1 (sin (𝑥 + )) if 0 < (𝑥 + ) <
4 4 2
𝜋
i.e., principal values = (𝑥 + 4 )

cos 𝑥 −3𝜋 𝜋
13. Express tan−1 ( ), <𝑥< in the simplest form.
1−sin 𝑥 2 2

[CBSE SQP 2020-21]

Solution

We have,
𝜋
cos 𝑥 sin ( 2 − 𝑥)
−1 −1
tan ( ) = tan [ 𝜋 ]
1 − sin 𝑥 1 − cos ( 2 − 𝑥)
𝜋 𝑥 𝜋 𝑥
2 sin ( 4 − 2) cos (4 − 2)
−1
= tan [ 𝜋 𝑥 ]
2 sin2 (4 − 2)
𝜋 𝑥 𝜋 𝜋 𝑥
= tan−1 [cot ( − )] = tan−1 [tan { − ( − )}]
4 2 2 4 2
𝜋 𝑥 𝜋 𝑥
= tan−1 [tan ( + )] = +
4 2 4 2

5
14. Simplest form of
√1+cos 𝑥+√1−cos 𝑥 3𝜋
tan−1 ( ), 𝜋<𝑥< is
√1+cos 𝑥−√1−cos 𝑥 2
𝜋 𝑥 3𝜋 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥
(a) 4 − 2 (b) −2 (c) – 2 (d) 𝜋 − 2
2

[CBSE SQP 2021-22]

Solution

(a) : We have,
√1 + cos 𝑥 + √1 − cos 𝑥 3𝜋
tan−1 ( ),𝜋 < 𝑥 <
√1 + cos 𝑥 − √1 − cos 𝑥 2
𝑥 𝑥
|√2 cos 2| + |√2 sin 2|
= tan−1 ( 𝑥 𝑥)
|√2 cos 2| − |√2 sin 2|
𝑥 𝑥
−√2 cos 2 + √2 sin 2 𝜋 𝑥 3𝜋
= tan−1 ( 𝑥 𝑥) (∵ 2 < 2 < 4 )
−√2 cos 2 − √2 sin 2
𝑥 𝑥 𝑥
cos 2 − sin 2 1 − tan 2
−1 −1
= tan ( 𝑥 𝑥) = tan ( 𝑥)
cos 2 + sin 2 1 + tan 2
𝜋 𝑥 𝜋 𝑥
= tan−1 (tan ( − )) = −
4 2 4 2

Mixed Questions

15. Prove that:

12 3 56
cos −1 (13) + sin−1 (5) = sin−1 (65)

[CBSE 2019]
Solution

12 3
Let 𝑥 = cos−1 (13) and 𝑦 = sin−1 (5)

6
 12 3
or cos 𝑥 = 13 and sin 𝑦 = 5

Now, sin 𝑥 = √1 − cos 2 𝑥 and cos 𝑦 = √1 − sin2 𝑦

144 9
⇒ sin 𝑥 = √1 − and cos 𝑦 = √1 −
169 25
5 4
⇒ sin 𝑥 = and cos 𝑦 =
13 5
We know that,
sin(𝑥 + 𝑦) = sin 𝑥 cos 𝑦 + cos 𝑥 sin 𝑦
15 4 12 3 20 36 56
= × + × = + =
13 5 13 5 65 65 65
56
⇒ 𝑥 + 𝑦 = sin−1 ( )
65
12 3 56
𝑜𝑟, cos −1 ( ) + sin−1 ( ) = sin−1 ( )
13 5 65

16. Prove that

12 4 56
cos −1 + cos−1 = tan−1 .
13 5 33

[CBSE 2013C]
Solution

4 12
Let 𝑥 = cos−1 (5) and 𝑦 = cos−1 (13)
4 12
⇒ cos 𝑥 = and cos 𝑦 =
5 13
𝑁𝑜𝑤, 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝒙 = √𝟏 − 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝟐 𝒙 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝒚 = √𝟏 − 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝟐 𝒚

16 144
⇒ sin 𝑥 = √1 − and sin 𝑦 = √1 −
25 169
3 5
⇒ sin 𝑥 = and sin 𝑦 =
5 13
We know that, cos(𝑥 + 𝑦) = cos 𝑥 cos 𝑦 − sin 𝑥 sin 𝑦
4 12 3 5
= × − ×
5 13 5 13

7
 48 15 33
⇒ cos(𝑥 + 𝑦) = − =
65 65 65
33
⇒ 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 𝑐𝑜𝑠 −1 ( )
65
4 12 33
∴ cos−1 ( ) + cos −1 ( ) = cos−1 ( )
5 13 65
√1 − 𝑥 2
Now, cos−1 𝑥 = tan−1 ( )
𝑥

√ 33 2
33 1 − ( ) 56
65
∴ cos−1 ( ) = tan−1 = tan−1 ( )
65 33 35
( 65 )
4 12 56
∴ cos −1 ( ) + cos −1 ( ) = tan−1 ( )
5 13 35