INVERSE TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS

INVERSE TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS

BASIC CONCEPTS
INVERSE CIRCULAR FUNCTIONS

Function Domain Range

LM S , S OP
1. y = sin-1 x iff x = sin y –1 < x < 1,
N 2 2Q
2. y = cos-1 x iff x = cos y –1 < x < 1 [0, S ]

FG  S , S IJ
3. y = tan-1 x iff x = tan y f  x  f H 2 2K
4. y = cot-1 x iff x = cot y f  x  f [0, S ]

LM S .0IJ ‰ FG 0, S OP
5. y = cosec-1 x iff x = cosec y f,  1 ‰ [1, f]
N 2 K H 2Q
LM0. S IJ ‰ FG S , SOP
6. y = sec-1 x iff x = sec y f,  1 ‰ [1, f]
N 2K H 2 Q

(i) Sin–1 x & tan–1 x are increasing functions in their domain.

(ii) Cos–1 x & cot–1 x are decreasing functions in over domain.

Ÿ x = sin T
PROPERTY – I
§S ·
Ÿ x cos ¨  T ¸
(i) sin–1 x + cos1 x = S/2, for all x [ –1, 1] ©2 ¹
Sol. Let, sin–1 x = T ... (i)
S
then, T[– S/2, S/2] [ ' x [–1, 1] ] Ÿ cos1 x T
2
Ÿ – S/2 dTdS/2
{ ' x [–1, 1] and (S/2–T) [0, S])
Ÿ – S/2 d– TdS/2
Ÿ T+ cos–1 x = S/2 ... (ii)
S
Ÿ 0d Td S from (i) and (ii), we get
2
S
S sin–1 x + cos–1 x =
Ÿ 2
– T[0, S] 2

Now, sin–1 x = T
 INVERSE TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS

(ii) tan–1 x + cot–1 x = S/2, for all x R Ÿ T+ cosec–1 x = S/2 ... (ii)
Sol. Let, tan–1 x = T ... (i) from (i) and (ii); we get
then, T(–S/2, S/2) { ' x R) sec–1 x + cosec–1 x = S/2

S S PROPERTY – II
Ÿ  T
2 2

S S §1·
Ÿ   T  (i) sin–1 ¨ ¸ = cosec–1 x, for all x  (– f, 1] ‰[1, f)
2 2 ©x¹

S Sol. Let, cosec–1 x = T ... (i)

Ÿ 0 T S
2 then, x = cosec T

§S · Ÿ
1
sin T
Ÿ ¨  T ¸  (0, S) x
©2 ¹
Now, tan–1 x = T 1
{ ' x (–f, –1] ‰[1, f) Ÿ [–1, 1] {0}
Ÿ x = tan T x
Ÿ x = cot (S/2 – T) cosec–1 x = TŸT[– S/2, S/2] – {0}

S §1·
Ÿ cot 1 x T { ' S/2 – T(0, S)} Ÿ T sin 1 ¨ ¸ ... (ii)
2 ©x¹

S from (i) and (ii); we get

Ÿ T  cot 1 x ... (ii)
2
§1·
from (i) and (ii), we get sin 1 ¨ ¸ cos ec 1x
©x¹
tan–1 x + cot–1 x = S/2
§1·
S (ii) cos–1 ¨ ¸ = sec–1 x, for all x  (– f, 1] ‰[1, f)
(iii) sec–1 + cosec–1 x = , for all x (– f, –1] ‰[1, f) ©x¹
2
Sol. Let, sec–1 x = T ... (i) Sol. Let, sec–1 x = T ... (i)

then, T[0, S] – {S/2} { ' x  (–f, –1] ‰[1, f)} then, x (–f, 1] ‰[1, f) and T[0, S] – {S/2}

Ÿ 0 dTdS, TzS/2 Now, sec–1 x = T

Ÿ – Sd– Td0, TzS/2 Ÿ x = sec T

S S S S 1
 d Td ,  T z 0 Ÿ cos T
Ÿ x
2 2 2 2

§S · ª S Sº S §1·
Ÿ T cos 1 ¨ ¸ ... (ii)
Ÿ ¨  T ¸  « , , Tz 0
© 2 ¹ ¬ 2 2 ¼» 2 ©x¹

Now, sec–1 x = T ­ ' x (f,  1] ‰ [1, f)

°
Ÿ x = sec T ® 1
°¯Ÿ x  [1, 1]  {0} and T  [0, S]
Ÿ x = cosec (S/2 – T)
Ÿ cosec–1 x = S/2 – T from (i) & (ii), we get
­ §S · ª S Sº S ½ §1·
®' ¨  T ¸  «  , » ,  T z 0 ¾ cos1 ¨ ¸ sec1 (x)
¯ ©2 ¹ ¬ 2 2¼ 2 ¿ ©x¹
 INVERSE TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS

­° cot 1 x , for x ! 0 §1·

(iii) tan–1 §¨ ¸· tan 1 ¨ ¸  S  cot 1 x, if x  0
1
® 1 ©x¹
©x¹ °̄S  cot x, for x  0
Hence,
Sol. Let cot–1 x = T. Then xR, x z0 and T[0, S] ... (i)
Now two cases arises : §1· ­ cot 1 x, for x ! 0
tan 1 ¨ ¸ ® 1
Case I : When x > 0 ©x¹ ¯S  cot x, for x  0
In this case, T(0, S/2)
? cot–1 x = T
PROPERTY – III
Ÿ x = cot T (i) cos–1 (–x) = S – cos–1 (x), for all x [–1, 1]
1 (ii) sec–1, (–x) = S– sec–1 x, for all x (–f, –1] ‰[1, f)
Ÿ tan T
x (iii) cot–1 (–x) = S– cot–1 x, for all x R

§1· (iv) sin–1 (–x) = – sin–1 (x), for all x [–1, 1]

T tan 1 ¨ ¸ ... (ii)
©x¹ (v) tan–1 (–x) = – tan–1 x, for all x R
from (i) and (ii), we get { ' T(0, S/2)} (vi) cosec–1 (–x) = – cosec–1 x, for all x (–f, –1] ‰[1, f)

§1· Sol. (ii) Clearly, – x [–1, 1] for all x [–1, 1]

tan 1 ¨ ¸ cot 1 x, for all x ! 0.
©x¹ let cos–1 (–x) = T ... (i)

Case II : When x < 0 then, – x = cos T

In this case T(S/2, S) { ' x = cot T< 0) Ÿ x = – cos T

S Ÿ x = cos (S– T)
Now, T S
2 { ' x [–1, 1] and S– T[0, S] for all T[0, S]

S cos–1 x = S– T
Ÿ  TS0
2 Ÿ T= S– cos–1 x ... (ii)
Ÿ T– S(–S/2, 0) from (i) and (ii), we get
? cot–1 x = T cos–1 (–x) = S– cos–1 x
Ÿ x = cot T Similarly, we can prove other results.
1
tan T (i) Clearly, – x [–1, 1] for all x [–1, 1]
Ÿ
x
let sin–1 (–x) = T
1 then, – x = sin T ... (i)
Ÿ  tan (S  T)
x
Ÿ x = – sin T
1 Ÿ x = sin (–T)
Ÿ tan (T  S) { ' tan (S–T) = – tan T}
x Ÿ – T= sin–1 x

§1· { ' x [–1, 1] and – T[–S/2, S/2] for all T[–S/2, S/2]
Ÿ T– S= tan–1 ¨ ¸ { ' T– S(–S/2, 0)}
©x¹ Ÿ T= – sin–1 x ... (ii)
from (i) and (ii), we get
§1·
Ÿ tan 1 ¨ ¸ S  T ... (iii)
©x¹ sin–1 (–x) = – sin–1 (x)

from (i) and (iii), we get

 INVERSE TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS

PROPERTY – IV PROPERTY – V

(i) sin (sin–1 x) = x, for all x [–1, 1] (i) Sketch the graph for y = sin–1 (sin x)
(ii) cos (cos–1 x) = x, for all x [–1, 1] Sol. As, y = sin–1 (sin x) is periodic with period 2S.

(iii) tan (tan–1 x) = x, for all x R ? to draw this graph we should draw the graph for one interval
of length 2Sand repeat for entire values of x.
(iv) cosec (cosec–1 x) = x, for all x (–f, –1] ‰[1, f)
As we know,
(v) sec (sec–1 x) = x, for all x (–f, –1] ‰[1, f)
­ S S
(vi) cot (cot–1 x) = x, for all x R °° x; 
dxd
1 2 2
Sol. We know that, if f : A o B is a bijection, then f–1 : B oA sin (sin x) ®
S S§ S 3S ·
(S  x);  d S  x  ¨ i.e., d x d ¸
exists such that fof–1 (y) = f (f–1 (y)) = y for all y B. °¯ 2 2© 2 2 ¹
Clearly, all these results are direct consequences of this
property. ­ S S
°° x,  dxd
Aliter : Let T[–S/2, S/2] and x [–1, 1] such that sin T= or sin 1 (sin x) ®
2 2
°S  x, S 3S
x. dxd ,
°̄ 2 2
then, T= sin–1 x
? x = sin T= sin (sin–1 x) which is defined for the interval of length 2 S, plotted as ;

Hence, sin (sin–1 x) = x for all x [–1, 1]

Similarly, we can prove other results.
Remark : It should be noted that,
sin–1 (sin T) zT, if [– S/2, S/2]. Infact, we have

­ S  T, if T  [3S / 2,  S / 2] Thus, the graph for y = sin–1 (sin x), is a straight line up and
°
° T, if T  [S / 2, S / 2] a straight line down with slopes 1 and –1 respectively lying
sin 1 (sin T) ®
° S  T , if T  [ S / 2, 3S / 2]
°¯ 2 S  T, if T  [3S / 2, 5S / 2] and so on. ª S Sº
between «  , » .
¬ 2 2¼

Similarly,

­ T, if T  [S, 0]
° T, Students are adviced to learn the definition of sin–1 (sin x) as,
° if T  [0, S]
cos 1 (cos T) ®
° 2S  T, if T  [S, 2 S] ­ 5S 3S
°¯2S  T, if T  [2S, 3S] and so on. ° x  2S ; 
2
dxd
2
°
° S  x 3S S
;  dxd
° 2 2
°
° S S
­ S  T, if T  [ 3S / 2,  S / 2] y sin 1 (sin x) ® x ;  dxd
° T, ° 2 2
° if T  [S / 2, S / 2]
tan 1 (tan T) ® ° S 3S
° T  S, if T  [ S / 2, 3S / 2] ° Sx ; dxd
° 2 2
°¯ T  2S, if T  [3S / 2, 5S / 2] and so on.
° 3S 5S
°̄ x  2S ;
2
dxd
2
... and so on
 INVERSE TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS

(ii) Sketch the graph for y = cos–1 (cos x). FORMULAS

Sol. As, y = cos–1 (cos x) is periodic with period 2S.
xy
? to draw this graph we should draw the graph for one interval (i) tan–1 x + tan–1 y = tan–1 , xy < 1
1  xy
of length 2Sand repear for entire values of x of length 2S.
As we know; xy
(ii) tan–1 x – tan–1 y = tan–1 , xy > – 1
1  xy
­ x; 0dxdS
cos 1 (cos x) ®
¯ 2 S  x; 0 d 2S  x d S,
2x
(iii) 2 tan–1 x = tan–1 ,|x|<1
1  x2
­ x; 0dxdS
or cos 1 (cos x) ®
¯ 2 S  x; S d x d 2S, 2x
(iv) 2 tan–1 x = sin–1 , | x | d1
1  x2
Thus, it has been defined for 0 < x< 2Sthat has length 2S.
So, its graph could be plotted as;
1 x2
(v) 2 tan–1 x = cos–1 , x t0
1 x2

(vi) sin–1 x + sin–1 y = sin–1 (x 1  y2  y 1  x 2 )

(vii) sin–1 x – sin–1 y = sin–1 (x 1  y2  y 1  x 2 )

(viii) cos–1 x + cos–1 y = cos–1 (xy – 1  x 2 1  y2 )

Thus, the curve y = cos–1 (cos x).
(iii) Sketch the graph for y = tan–1 (tan x).
(ix) cos–1 x – cos–1 y = cos–1 (xy + 1  x 2 1  y2 )
Sol. As y = tan–1 (tan x) is periodic with period S.
1 (x) If tan–1x + tan–1y + tan–1z = tan–1
? to draw this graph we should draw the graph for one interval
2 ª x  y  z  xyz º
of length Sand repeat for entire values of x. « »
¬1  xy  yz  zx ¼ if, x > 0 , y > 0, z > 0 &
­ S S½ xy + yz + zx < 1
As we know; tan–1 (tan x) = ® x;   x  ¾
¯ 2 2¿ Note :
(i) If tan–1 x + tan–1y + tan–1z = S then x + y + z = xyz
S S
Thus, it has been defined for   x  that has length S. (ii) If tan–1 x + tan–1y + tan–1z =
π
then xy + yz + zx =1
2 2 2
So, its graph could be plotted as; REMEMBER THAT :
3π
(i) sin–1 x + sin–1 y + sin–1 z =
2
Ÿ x=y=z=1

(ii) cos–1x + cos–1 y + cos–1 z = 3S x = y = z = -1

(iii) tan–1 1 + tan–1 2 + 2 tan–1 3 =

1 1 π
tan–1 1 + tan–1 + tan–1 =
2 3 2

Thus, the curve for y = tan–1 (tan x), where y is not defined
S
for x (2n+1) .
2