3.

8 Derivatives of Inverse Trig Functions

Lewis and Clark Caverns, Montana
Greg Kelly, Hanford High School, Richland, Washington Photo by Vickie Kelly, 1993
8 6 4 2 0
8
6
4
2
0
x
y
x
y
8 6 4 2 0
8
6
4
2
0
x
y
x
y
8 6 4 2 0
8
6
4
2
0
x
y
x
y
( )
2
0 f x x x = >
We can find the inverse
function as follows:
2
y x =
Switch x and y.
2
x y =
x y =
y x =
2
y x =
y x =
2
df
x
dx
=
At x = 2:
( )
2
2 2 4 f = =
( )
2 2 2 4
df
dx
= =
4 m = ( )
2, 4
( )
1
f x x

=
( )
1
1
2
f x x

=
1 1
2
1
2
df
x
dx

=
1
1
2
df
dx
x

To find the derivative of the

inverse function:
8 6 4 2 0
8
6
4
2
0
x
y
x
y
8 6 4 2 0
8
6
4
2
0
x
y
x
y
( )
2
0 f x x x = >
2
y x =
y x =
2
df
x
dx
=
At x = 2:
( )
2
2 2 4 f = =
( )
2 2 2 4
df
dx
= =
4 m = ( )
2, 4
( )
1
f x x

=
1
1
2
df
dx
x

=
( )
1
1 1 1
4
2 2 4
2 4
df
dx

= = =

At x = 4:
( )
1
4 4 2 f

= =
( )
4, 2
1
4
m =
Slopes are
reciprocals.
8 6 4 2 0
8
6
4
2
0
x
y
x
y
8 6 4 2 0
8
6
4
2
0
x
y
x
y
2
y x =
y x =
4 m = ( )
2, 4
( )
4, 2
1
4
m =
Slopes are
reciprocals.
Because x and y are
reversed to find the
reciprocal function, the
following pattern always
holds:
Derivative Formula for Inverses:
df
dx
df
dx
x f a
x a

=
=
=
1
1
( )
evaluated at ( ) f a
is equal to the reciprocal of
the derivative of ( ) f x
evaluated at .
a
The derivative of
1
( ) f x

A typical problem using this formula might look like this:

Given: ( )
3 5 f =
( )
3 6
df
dx
=
Find:
( )
1
5
df
dx

Derivative Formula for Inverses:

df
dx
df
dx
x f a
x a

=
=
=
1
1
( )
( )
1
1
5
6
df
dx

-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
-1.5 -1 -0.5 0.5 1 1.5
sin y x =
1
sin y x

=
We can use implicit
differentiation to find:
1
sin
d
x
dx

1
sin y x

=
sin y x =
sin
d d
y x
dx dx
=
cos 1
dy
y
dx
=
1
cos
dy
dx y
=
We can use implicit
differentiation to find:
1
sin
d
x
dx

1
sin y x

=
sin y x =
sin
d d
y x
dx dx
=
cos 1
dy
y
dx
=
1
cos
dy
dx y
=
2 2
sin cos 1 y y + =
2 2
cos 1 sin y y =
2
cos 1 sin y y =
But
2 2
y
t t
< <
so is positive. cos y
2
cos 1 sin y y =
2
1
1 sin
dy
dx
y
=

2
1
1
dy
dx
x
=

We could use the same technique to find and

.
1
tan
d
x
dx

1
sec
d
x
dx

1
2
1
sin
1
d du
u
dx dx
u

1
2
1
tan
1
d du
u
dx u dx

=
+
1
2
1
sec
1
d du
u
dx dx
u u

1
2
1
cos
1
d du
u
dx dx
u

1
2
1
cot
1
d du
u
dx u dx

=
+
1
2
1
csc
1
d du
u
dx dx
u u

1 1
cos sin
2
x x
t

=
1 1
cot tan
2
x x
t

=
1 1
csc sec
2
x x
t

=

Your calculator contains all six inverse trig functions.

However it is occasionally still useful to know the following:
1 1
1
sec cos x
x

| |
=
|
\ .
1 1
cot tan
2
x x
t

=
1 1
1
csc sin x
x

| |
=
|
\ .
t