Inverse Trig

Functions
I. Four Facts About Functions and Their Inverse Functions:
1. A function must be one-to-one (any horizontal line intersects it at
most once) in order to have an inverse function.

2. The graph of an inverse function is the reflection of the original

function about the line y = x .

3. If ( x, y ) is a point on the graph of the original function, then ( y, x ) is

a point on the graph of the inverse function.

4. The domain and range of a function and it’s inverse are

interchanged.

II. Illustration of the Four Facts for the Cosine Function:

Background: The regular cosine function for − ∞ < x < ∞ , is not one-to-
one since some horizontal lines intersect the graph many times. (See
how the horizontal line y = 1 intersects the portion of the cosine function
graphed below in 3 places.) Therefore more than one x value is
associated with a single value. The inverse relationship would not be a
function as it would not pass the vertical line test.
y
y=x

y =1
x
− 2π 2π
y = cos x

y = cos −1 x

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FACT #1: A function must be one-to-one (any horizontal line intersects it at
most once) in order to have an inverse function.

The restricted cosine function, y = cos x on the interval 0 ≤ x ≤ π is one-to-

one and does have an inverse function called arccos x or cos −1 x . See the
graphs of the restricted cosine function and its inverse function below:
y
π
y = cos −1 x
y=x

π
2

x
1 π π
2
y = cos x

FACT #2: The graph of an inverse function is the reflection of the original
function about the line y = x .

Note the symmetry of graphs of cos x and arccos x about the line y = x .

FACT #3: If ( x, y ) is a point on the graph of the original function, then ( y, x )

is a point on the graph of the inverse function.

⎛π 1 ⎞ π 1
⎜ , ⎟ is a point on the graph of y = cos x cos =
⎝ 3 2⎠ 3 2

⎛1 π ⎞ 1 π
⎜ , ⎟ is a point on the graph of y = arccos x arccos =
⎝2 3⎠ 2 3

In general, if arccos x = y , then x = cos y . ( cos −1 x = y implies cos y = x )

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FACT #4: The domain and range of a function and it’s inverse are
interchanged.

cos x arccos x

Domain 0≤ x ≤π −1 ≤ x ≤ 1
(restricted domain)

−1 ≤ y ≤ 1 0≤ y ≤π
Range
(restricted range)

⎛ 3⎞
Example: Evaluate arccos⎜⎜ − ⎟.
⎟
⎝ 2 ⎠

3
Solution: The question being asked is “What angle has a cosine value of − ?”
2
Usually there are an infinite number of solutions because cosine is
periodic and equals this value twice each and every period. However,
for the arccos x function we are looking for the answer in the
restricted range. From the above work, we know the range of
arccos x is 0 ≤ y ≤ π . So the question being asked is more precisely,
3
“What angle between 0 and π has a cosine value of − ?”
2
Since cosine is negative for angles in the 2nd quadrant and the
π 5π
reference angle is , the final answer is .
6 6
y

5π
6
x

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 III. Other Inverse Trigonometric Functions:
Each trigonometric function has a restricted domain for which an
inverse function is defined. The restricted domains are determined so
the trig functions are one-to-one.

Trig Restricted Inverse trig Principle value

function domain function range
π π π π
y = sin x − ≤x≤ y = arcsin x − ≤ y≤
2 2 2 2
y = cos x 0≤ x ≤π y = arccos x 0≤ y ≤π

π π π π
y = tan x − <x< y = arctan x − < y<
2 2 2 2
y
Graphs: y π
2
1

y = sin x : y = arcsin x = sin −1 x :

π
−
2 −1

π x 1
x
2

−1

π
−
2

y y
π
1

y = cos x : y = arccos x = cos −1 x :

π π x
2

−1

−1
x
1

y
−1
y = tan x : y = arctan x = tan x : π
2

−
π
2
π x x
2
π
−
2

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 ⎛ 1⎞
Example #1: Evaluate y = arcsin⎜ − ⎟ .
⎝ 2⎠
1
HINT: Find the angle whose sine value equals − . The answer must be in the
2
π π
principle range of − ≤ y≤ .
2 2
π
Answer: −
6

1
Example #2: Evaluate y = arccos(− ) .
2
1
HINT: Find the angle whose cosine value equals − . The answer must be in the
2
principle range of 0 ≤ y ≤ π .
2π
Answer:
3

Example #3: Evaluate y = arctan(−1) .

HINT: Find the angle whose tangent value equals − 1 . The answer must be in the
π π
principle range of − < y< .
2 2
π
Answer: −
4

⎛ 1⎞ ⎛ 1⎞
**Alternate notation for the above examples: Evaluate sin −1 ⎜ − ⎟ , cos −1 ⎜ − ⎟ ,
⎝ 2⎠ ⎝ 2⎠
−1
tan (−1) .

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Example #4:

Calculator Example
If the length of two legs of a right triangle are 7 and 10, find the measure of the
larger acute angle.

Solution:
A Acute angle B is larger than angle A since the
side opposite B (side b = 10 ) is larger than the
side opposite A (side a = 7 ).
opp 10
10 tan B = =
adj 7
⎛ 10 ⎞ ⎛ 10 ⎞
B = arctan⎜ ⎟ = tan −1 ⎜ ⎟
B ⎝7⎠ ⎝7⎠
7 ⎛ π ⎞ 11π
B = 55° or 55⎜ ⎟= radians
⎝ 180 ⎠ 36

PROBLEMS:
1. Evaluate:
⎛ 2⎞
a) arccos(0) b) arccos⎜⎜ ⎟
⎟ c) cos −1 (−1) d) cos −1 (1)
⎝ 2 ⎠

3
e) sin −1 (0) f) arcsin(− ) g) arctan( 3 ) h) tan −1 (− 3 )
2

2. Find the measure of the acute angles in a right triangle with a hypotenuse of
length 10 and a side of length 7.

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ANSWERS:

π π
1. a) b) c) π d) 0
2 4
π π π
e) 0 f) − g) h) −
3 3 3

⎛7⎞ ⎛7⎞
2. sin −1 ⎜ ⎟ = arcsin⎜ ⎟ = 44.4° . The other angle 90° − 44.4° = 45.6° .
⎝ 10 ⎠ ⎝ 10 ⎠
⎛7⎞ ⎛7⎞
Alternate solution: cos −1 ⎜ ⎟ = arccos⎜ ⎟ = 45.6° . The other angle
⎝ 10 ⎠ ⎝ 10 ⎠
90° − 45.6° = 44.4° .

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