Chapter 3
Trigonometric
functions
Yanni Lian
3.1 Secant, Cosecant
and cotangent
Secant (sec), cosecant (cosec) and cotangent (cot)
are known as the reciprocal trigonometric functions
sec x = 1 / cos x (undefined when cos x = 0)
cosec x = 1 / sin x (undefined when sin x = 0)
cot x = 1 / tan x (undefined when tan x = 0)
cot x = cos x / sin x
3.1 Secant, Cosecant
and cotangent
example
Use your calculator to write down the values of:
sec 280˚
cot 115˚
ANSWER
3.1 Secant, Cosecant
and cotangent
example
Work out the exact values of:
sec 210˚
cosec 3π / 4
ANSWER
exercise
Find the exact value (as. an integer, fraction or surd) of each of the following:
cosec 90˚
cot 4π / 3
sec 225˚
Show that
where a and b are real numbers to be found.
3.2 Graphs of sec x, cosec x, and cot x
Sketch in the interval -180˚ ≤ x ≤ 180˚, the graph of y = sec x
First draw the graph y = cos x.
For each value. of x, the value of sec x is the
reciprocal of the corresponding value of cos x.
In particular: cos 0˚ = 1, so sec 0˚ =1;
and cos 180˚ = -1, so sec 180˚ = -1.
As x approaches 90˚ from the left, cos x is +ve but
approaches zero, and so sec x is +ve but becomes
increasingly large.
At x = 90˚, sec x is undefined and there is a vertical
asymptote. This is also true for x = 90˚
As x approaches 90˚ from the right, cos x is -ve but
approaches zero, and so sec x is -ve but becomes
increasingly large negative.
3.2 Graphs of sec x, cosec x, and cot x
The graph of y = sec x, x ∈ ℝ, has symmetry in
the y-axis and has period 360˚ or 2π radians. It
has vertical asymptotes at all values of x for
which cos x = 0
the domain of y = sec x is x ∈ ℝ, x ≠ 90˚,
270˚, 450˚, ... or any odd multiple of 90˚
in radians the domain is x ∈ ℝ, x ≠ π/2, 3π/2,
5π/2, ... or any odd multiple of π/2
the range of y = sec x is y ≤ -1 or y ≥ 1
3.2 Graphs of sec x, cosec x, and cot x
The graph of y = cosec x, x ∈ ℝ, has period 360˚
or 2π radians. It has vertical asymptotes at all
values of x for which sin x = 0
the domain of y = cosec x is x ∈ ℝ, x ≠ 180˚,
360˚, ... or any multiple of 180˚
in radians the domain is x ∈ ℝ, x ≠ 0, π, 2π, ...
or any multiple of π
the range of y = cosec x is y ≤ -1 or y ≥ 1
3.2 Graphs of sec x, cosec x, and cot x
The graph of y = cot x, x ∈ ℝ, has period 180˚ or
π radians. It has vertical asymptotes at all
values of x for which tan x = 0
the domain of y = cot x is x ∈ ℝ, x ≠ 0˚, 180˚,
360˚, ... or any multiple of 180˚
in radians the domain is x ∈ ℝ, x ≠ 0, π, 2π, ...
or any multiple of π
the range of y = cot x is y ∈ ℝ
3.2 Graphs of sec x,
cosec x, and cot x
example
Sketch the graph of y = 4 cosec x, -π ≤ x ≤ π
On the same axes, sketch the line y = x
State the number of solutions to the equation 4
cosec x - x = 0, -π ≤ x ≤ π
ANSWER
3.2 Graphs of sec x,
cosec x, and cot x
example
Sketch, in the interval o˚ ≤ x ≤ 360˚, the graph of
y = 1+ sec 2x
ANSWER
exercise
Describe the relationship between the graphs of:
y = tan (x + π/2) and y = tan x
y = cot (-x) and y = cot x
y = cosec (x + π/4) and y = cosec x
y = sec (x - π/4) and y = sec x
Sketch, in the interval -2π ≤ x ≤ 2π, the graph of y = 3 + 5 cosec x
Hence deduce the range of value of k for which the equation
3 + 5 cosec x = k has no solutions.
3.3 Using sec x,
cosec x, and cot x
You need to be able to simplify expression, prove
identities and solve equation involving sec x, cosec x
and cot x.
example
Simplify:
sin x cot x sec x
sin x cos x (sec x + cosec x)
ANSWER
3.3 Using sec x,
cosec x, and cot x
example
Prove that
Hence explain why the equation
has no solutions.
ANSWER
3.3 Using sec x,
cosec x, and cot x
example
Solve the equations:
sec x = -2.5
cot 2x = 0.6
in the interval o˚ ≤ x ≤ 360˚
ANSWER
exercise
Rewrite the following as powers of sec x, cosec x or cot x.
Using the definition of sec, cosec, cot and tan, simplify the
following expression: sec² x cos⁵ x + cot x cosec x sin⁴ x.
3.4 Trigonometric
Identities
You can use the identity sin²x + cos²x ≡ 1 to prove the
following identities.
1 + tan²x ≡ sec²x
1 + cot²x ≡ cosec²x
example
Prove that 1 + tan²x ≡ sec²x
Prove that 1 + cot²x ≡ cosec²x
ANSWER
3.4 Trigonometric
Identities
example
Given that tanA = -5/12, and that angle A is obtuse,
find the exact values of:
sec A
sin A
ANSWER
3.4 Trigonometric
Identities
example
Prove that identities:
ANSWER
3.4 Trigonometric
Identities
example
Solve the equation 2 cosec²x -9 = cot x in the interval
0˚ ≤ x ≤ 360˚.
ANSWER
exercise
Simplify each of the following expressions.
(1 - sin²x)(1 + tan²x)
(cosec x * cot x) / (1 + cot² x)
4cosec² 2x + 4cosec² 2x cot² 2x
Prove the following identities:
sec⁴ x - tan⁴ x ≡ sec² x + tan² x
(sec x - sin x)(sec x + sin x) ≡ tan² x + cos² x
Solve the following equations in the given intervals:
sec² x - (1 + √3)tan x + √3 = 1, 0 ≤ x ≤ 2π
cosec² x + 1 = 3 cot x, -180˚ ≤ x ≤ 180˚
3.5 Inverse
Trigonometric
Functions
You need to understand and use the inverse
trigonometric functions arcsin x, arccos x and arctan
x and their graphs.
The inverse function of sin x is called arcsin x.
The domain of y = arcsin x is -1 ≤ x ≤ 1
The range of y = arcsin x is -π/2 ≤ arcsin x ≤ π/2
or -90˚ ≤ arcsin x ≤ 90˚
3.5 Inverse
Trigonometric
Functions
Example
Sketch the graph of y = arcsin x
Step 1:
Draw the graph of y = sinx, with the restricted domain
of -π/2 ≤ x ≤ π/2.
Restricting the domain ensures that the inverse
function exists since y = sinx is a one-to-one function
for the restricted domain. Only one-to-one functions
have inverses.
3.5 Inverse
Trigonometric
Functions
Example
Sketch the graph of y = arcsin x
Step 1:
Reflect in the line y = x
The domain of arcsin x is -1 ≤ x ≤ 1; the range is
-π/2 ≤ arcsin x ≤ π/2.
Remember that the x and y coordinates of
points interchange when reflecting in y = x.
For example: (1, 2) --> (2,1)
3.5 Inverse
Trigonometric
Functions
The inverse function of cos x is called arccos x.
The domain of y = arccos x is -1 ≤ x ≤ 1
The range of y = arcsin x is 0 ≤ arccos x ≤ π or 0˚
≤ arccos x ≤ 180˚
3.5 Inverse
Trigonometric
Functions
The inverse function of tan x is called arctan x.
The domain of y = arctan x is x ∈ ℝ
The range of y = arcsin x is -π/2 ≤ arctan x ≤ π/2
or -90˚ ≤ arcsin x ≤ 90˚
3.4 Trigonometric
Identities
example
Work out, in radians, the values of:
arcsin (√2/2)
arccos (-1)
arctan (√3)
ANSWER
exercise
Given that p = 2 sec x and q = 4 cos x, express p in terms of q.
Solve, in the interval 0˚ ≤ x ≤ 360˚.
sec (2x - 15˚) = cosec 135˚
Prove that
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