The University of Sydney

MOOC Introduction to Calculus

Notes for ‘Inverse circular functions’

Important Ideas and Useful Facts:

(i) The inverse sine function: It is conventional to restrict the domain of y = sin x to the
interval [− π2 , π2 ] to produce a fragment of the sine curve that satisfies the horizontal line
test. By reflecting this fragment in the line y = x, we produce the graph of the inverse
sine function y = sin−1 (x).
y
π
y = sin−1 x
y 2
y = sin x
1
− π2 −1

π x 1 x
2

−1

− π2

The domain of sin−1 is the interval [−1, 1] and the range is the interval [− π2 , π2 ].

(ii) The inverse cosine function: It is conventional to restrict the domain of y = cos x to the
interval [0, π] to produce a fragment of the cosine curve that satisfies the horizontal line
test. By reflecting this fragment in the line y = x, we produce the graph of the inverse
cosine function y = cos−1 (x).
y

π
y

1 y = cos x

π π
2
y = cos−1 x
π x
2

−1
x
−1 1

The domain of cos−1 is the interval [−1, 1] and the range is the interval [0, π].

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(iii) The tangent function: Recall that the tangent function
sin x
y = tan x =
cos x
is only defined when cos x is nonzero. In particular, cos( π2 ) = cos( −π
2
) = 0, so that tan( π2 )
and tan( −π2
) are both undefined. In fact, the lines x = π2 and x = − π2 form vertical
asymptotes.

y
y = tan x

− 3π
2
− π2 π
2
3π
2
5π
2
7π
2
x

The periodic behaviour of the sine and cosine functions induce periodic behaviour in the
tan function, and vertical asymptotes appear along the x-axis at every odd multiple of π2 .

(iv) The inverse tangent function: It is conventional to restrict the domain of y = tan x to
the interval (− π2 , π2 ) to produce the branch of the tangent curve above sitting between
the asymptotes x = ± π2 , which certainly satisfies the horizontal line test. By reflecting
this branch in the line y = x, we produce the graph of the inverse tangent function
y = tan−1 (x), which has a sigmoid shape and horizontal asymptotes y = ± π2 . The
domain of the inverse tangent function is all of the real line R, and the range is the
interval (− π2 , π2 ).

π
2
y = tan−1 x

− π2

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Examples:
1. We can think of the sine, cosine and tangent functions as taking angles and producing
numbers. Therefore we can think of the inverse sine, cosine and tangent functions as
bringing numbers back to angles. For example,
(π ) (π ) √ (π ) ( π)
1 3
sin = , sin = , sin = 1 , sin − = −1 ,
6 2 3 2 2 2
so “undoing” each of these gives
( ) (√ )
1 π 3 π π π
sin−1 = , sin−1 = , sin−1 (1) = , sin−1 (−1) = − .
2 6 2 3 2 2
For example,
(π ) √ (π ) (π )
3 1
cos = , cos = , cos = 0 , cos(π) = −1 ,
6 2 3 2 2
so “undoing” each of these gives
(√ ) ( )
−1 3 π −1 1 π π
cos = , cos = , cos−1 (0) = , cos−1 (−1) = π .
2 6 2 3 2
For example,
(π ) ( π) (π ) √ ( π) 1
tan = 1, tan − = −1 , tan = 3, tan − = −√ ,
4 4 3 6 3
so “undoing” each of these gives
π π √ π ( −1 ) π
tan−1 (1) = , tan−1 (−1) = − , tan−1 ( 3) = , tan−1 √ = − .
4 4 3 3 6

2. A kite is attached to the ground by a piece of string of length 50 metres. The kite is flying
30 metres directly above the ground, and we will assume that the string is approximately
straight. The problem is to find the angle θ of elevation.

50 m
30 m

θ
ground

Solution: We have a right-angled triangle with angle θ, opposite side length 30 m and
hypotenuse 50m. Hence
30
sin θ = = 0.6 ,
50
so, “undoing” the sine function, we get
θ = sin−1 (0.6) ≈ 0.6435 ≈ 37◦ .
We estimate the angle of elevation of the kite to be about 37◦ .

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 3. The Statue of Liberty and its pedestal are both 46 metres tall.

h = 46 m

θ h = 46 m

viewpoint

125 m

The problem is to find the angle θ subtended by the Statue when viewed from a horizontal
distance 125 metres from the base of the pedestal.
Solution: Let φ be the angle subtended by the pedestal, so
46 46 + 46 92
tan φ = and tan(φ + θ) = = .
125 125 125
Hence, “undoing” the tan function gives
( 46 ) ( 92 )
φ = tan−1 and φ + θ = tan−1 ,
125 125
so that
( 92 ) ( 92 ) ( 46 )
θ = tan−1 − φ = tan−1 − tan−1 ≈ 0.28186 ≈ 16◦ .
125 125 125
Thus the angle subtended by the Statue of Liberty from 125 metres from the base is
approximately 16◦ .