Introduction to Reciprocal Trig Functions
Short for SECANT
Short for COTANGENT Short for COSECANT
Example
(a) Use your calculator to find sec 23 giving your answer to 2 decimal places.
(b) Use your calculator to find cosec 0.6c giving your answer to 2 decimal places.
(c) Find cot 30 giving your answer as a surd.
Cot x in terms of cos x and sin x
sin x 1
We know that tan x = , and also that cot x =
cos x tan x
Therefore
cot x =
Identities that link sin x and cos x
Assuming this is a right-angled triangle,
mark on the right-angle and the other angle.
Now write, in terms of a, b and c
c
b 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑥 = 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑥 =
𝑠𝑖𝑛(90° − 𝑥) = cos(90° − 𝑥) =
a
So we can see that
𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝒙 = 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝒙 =
Identities that link tan x and cot x
Assuming this is a right-angled triangle, mark
on the right-angle and the other angle. Now
write, in terms of a, b and c
c
b 𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝑥 = 𝑐𝑜𝑡 𝑥 =
𝑡𝑎𝑛(90° − 𝑥) = cot(90° − 𝑥) =
a
So we can see that
Identities:
cos x
cot x = 1 + tan 2 x = sec2 x 1 + cot 2 x = cosec2 x
sin x
Graphs:
4 y
4 y
3
y=cotx 3
y=cosecx
2
2
1
1
x x
–360 –270 –180 –90 90 180 270 360 –360 –270 –180 –90 90 180 270 360
–1 –1
–2 –2
–3 –3
–4 –4
4 y
3
y=secx
2
–360 –270 –180 –90 90 180 270 360
–1
–2
–3
–4
Function y = cot x y = cosec x y = sec x
Domain 𝑥 ∈ ℝ, 𝑥 ≠ 𝑛𝜋 𝑥 ∈ ℝ, 𝑥 ≠ 𝑛𝜋 𝜋
𝑥 ∈ ℝ, 𝑥 ≠ + 𝑛𝜋
𝑥 ∈ ℝ, 𝑥 ≠ 180𝑛° 𝑥 ∈ ℝ, 𝑥 ≠ 180𝑛° 2
𝑥 ∈ ℝ, 𝑥 ≠ 90° + 180𝑛°
Range 𝑦∈ℝ 𝑦 ∈ ℝ, 𝑦 ≤ −1 ∪ 𝑦 ≥ 1 𝑦 ∈ ℝ, 𝑦 ≤ −1 ∪ 𝑦 ≥ 1
