DERIVATIVE OF TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS

1. Derivative of 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒆 and 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒆 functions.

𝑑 𝑑𝑢
a. 𝑑𝑥
𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑢 = cos 𝑢 𝑑𝑥

𝑑 𝑑𝑢
b. 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑢 = −sin 𝑢
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

Exercises: Find the derivative of the following.

1. 𝑦 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑥 2 + 1
𝑦 ′ = cos 𝑥 2 + 1 (2𝑥)

2. 𝑦 = 𝑥 1 3
𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑥 2
1 −2
𝑦′ = 𝑥1 3 cos 𝑥2 2𝑥 + 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑥2 𝑥 3
3
4 1 −2
𝑦′ = 2𝑥 3 cos 𝑥2 + 𝑥 3 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑥 2
3
 sin 2𝑥
3. 𝑦 = 5𝑥 2 +1

Apply the quotient rule to find the derivative

′ 5𝑥 2 +1 (cos 2𝑥)2−sin 2𝑥 (10𝑥)

𝑦 = 5𝑥 2 +1 2

2 5𝑥 2 +1 (cos 2𝑥)−10𝑥 sin 2𝑥

𝑦′ = 5𝑥 2 +1 2

4. 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 sin 𝑥

Apply the product rule

𝑦 ′ = 𝑥 2 cos 𝑥 + sin 𝑥 (2𝑥)
𝑦 ′ = 𝑥 2 cos 𝑥 + 2x sin 𝑥
5. 𝑦 = sin 2𝑥

Apply the power rule

′ 1 −1 2
𝑦 = sin 2𝑥 (cos 2𝑥)2
2

2 cos 2𝑥
𝑦′ =
2 sin 2𝑥

cos 2𝑥
𝑦′ =
sin 2𝑥
6. 𝑦 = cos 𝑥 3 + 2

Apply the chain rule

𝑦 ′ = −sin 𝑥 3 + 2 (3𝑥 2 )
𝑦 ′ = −3𝑥 2 sin 𝑥 3 + 2
7. 𝑦 = 𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 2𝑥 + 1
𝑑
𝑦 ′ = 2 cos 2𝑥 + 1 ∙ cos 2𝑥 + 1
𝑑𝑥

𝑦 ′ = 2 cos 2𝑥 + 1 − sin 2𝑥 + 1 2
𝑦 ′ = −4 cos 2𝑥 + 1 sin 2𝑥 + 1

cos 𝑥
8. 𝑦 = 𝑥

𝑑 𝑑
𝑥∙ (cos 𝑥) − cos 𝑥 ∙ (𝑥)
𝑦′ = 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑥2

𝑥(− sin 𝑥) − cos 𝑥 (1)

𝑦′ =
𝑥2
−𝑥 sin 𝑥 − cos 𝑥
𝑦′ =
𝑥2
 1
9. 𝑦 = 𝑥 − 3 cos 𝑥 2
′ 𝑑 1 𝑑
𝑦 = − 3 𝑑𝑥 cos 𝑥 2
𝑑𝑥 𝑥

1
𝑦′ = − 2 − 3 − sin 𝑥 2 2𝑥
𝑥
1
𝑦′ = − 2 + 6𝑥 sin 𝑥 2
𝑥
10. 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 cos 2𝑥

′
𝑑 2
𝑑 2
𝑦 =𝑥 ∙ cos 2𝑥 + cos 2𝑥 ∙ 𝑥
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑦 ′ = 𝑥 2 − sin 2𝑥 2 + cos 2𝑥 (2𝑥)
𝑦 ′ = −2𝑥 2 sin 2𝑥 + 2𝑥 cos 2𝑥
2. Derivative of 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒕, 𝒄𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒕, 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒕 and 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒕.

𝑑 𝑑𝑢
a. 𝑑𝑥 tan 𝑢 = 𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 𝑢 ∙ 𝑑𝑥

𝑑 𝑑𝑢
b. 𝑑𝑥 cot 𝑢 = −𝑐𝑠𝑐 2 𝑢 ∙ 𝑑𝑥

𝑑 𝑑𝑢
c. sec 𝑢 = 𝑠𝑒𝑐 𝑢 tan 𝑢 ∙
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

𝑑 𝑑𝑢
d. 𝑑𝑥 csc 𝑢 = −𝑐𝑠𝑐 𝑢 cot 𝑢 ∙ 𝑑𝑥
Exercises: Find the derivative of 𝑦 with respect to 𝑥.

1. 𝑦 = 4 tan 5𝑥
𝑑
𝑦′ =4∙ tan 5𝑥
𝑑𝑥
𝑦 ′ = 4 𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 5𝑥 (5)
𝑦 ′ = 20𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 5𝑥

2. 𝑦 = 𝑥 3 tan 𝑥

′
𝑑 3
𝑑 3
𝑦 =𝑥 ∙ tan 𝑥 + tan 𝑥 ∙ 𝑥
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑦 ′ = 𝑥 3 𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 𝑥 + tan 𝑥 3𝑥 2
𝑦 ′ = 𝑥 3 𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 𝑥 + 3𝑥 2 tan 𝑥
3. 𝑦 = 𝑠𝑒𝑐 3 𝑥
𝑑
𝑦′ = 3𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 𝑥∙ sec 𝑥
𝑑𝑥
𝑦 ′ = 3 𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 𝑥 (sec 𝑥 tan 𝑥)
𝑦 ′ = 3𝑠𝑒𝑐 3 𝑥 tan 𝑥

4. 𝑦 = tan(sin 𝑥)

′ 2
𝑑
𝑦 = 𝑠𝑒𝑐 (sin 𝑥) ∙ sin 𝑥
𝑑𝑥
𝑦 ′ = 𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 sin 𝑥 cos 𝑥
𝑦 ′ = cos 𝑥 𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 sin 𝑥
5. 𝑦 = csc 𝑥 + 𝑥 tan 𝑥
𝑦 ′ = csc 𝑥 cot 𝑥 + 𝑥 𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 𝑥 + tan 𝑥 (1)
𝑦 ′ = csc 𝑥 cot 𝑥 + 𝑥 𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 𝑥 + tan 𝑥

6. 𝑦 = 2 tan 𝑥 − 3 cot 𝑥
𝑦 ′ = 2𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 𝑥 − 3(−𝑐𝑠𝑐 2 𝑥)
𝑦 ′ = 2𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 𝑥 + 3𝑐𝑠𝑐 2 𝑥

7. 𝑦 = cot 2𝑥 + tan 3𝑥 + 𝑥 − 2
𝑦 ′ = −𝑐𝑠𝑐 2 2𝑥 2 + 𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 3𝑥 3 + 1
𝑦 ′ = 3𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 3𝑥 − 2𝑐𝑠𝑐 2 2𝑥
8. 𝑦 ′ = 𝑠𝑒𝑐 𝑥 2 + 2
𝑦 ′ = sec 𝑥 2 + 2 tan 𝑥 2 + 2 (2𝑥)
𝑦 ′ = 2𝑥 sec 𝑥 2 + 2 tan 𝑥 2 + 2

1
9. 𝑦 ′ = 2 cot 𝑥 cos 𝑥 2

1 𝑑 𝑑
𝑦′ = cot 𝑥 ∙ 2 2
cos 𝑥 + cos 𝑥 ∙ co𝑡 𝑥
2 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥

1
𝑦′ = cot 𝑥 (− sin 𝑥 2 )2𝑥 + cos 𝑥 2 (−𝑐𝑠𝑐 2 𝑥)
2
1
𝑦′ = −2𝑥 sin 𝑥 2 cot 𝑥 − cos 𝑥 2 𝑐𝑠𝑐 2 𝑥
2
10. y = 1 + 𝑡𝑎𝑛2 𝑥

From the identities, 1 + 𝑡𝑎𝑛2 𝑥 = 𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 𝑥

𝑦 = 𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 𝑥
𝑦 = sec 𝑥
𝑦 ′ = sec 𝑥 tan 𝑥
Implicit Differentiation of Trigonometric Functions

To illustrate, we have the following examples

Examples: Find the derivative of 𝑦 with respect to 𝑥 by implicit

differentiation.

1. sin 𝑦 + sin 𝑥 = 2
cos 𝑦 𝑦 ′ + cos 𝑥 1 = 0
′
cos 𝑥
𝑦 =−
cos 𝑦

2. 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝑦 + 𝑦 cos 𝑥 = 1
2 sin 𝑦 cos 𝑦 𝑦 ′ + 𝑦 ′ cos 𝑥 + 𝑦 − sin 𝑥 = 0
𝑦 ′ 2 sin 𝑦 cos 𝑦 + cos 𝑥 = 𝑦 sin 𝑥
′
𝑦 sin 𝑥
𝑦 =
2 sin 𝑦 cos 𝑦 + cos 𝑥
3. 𝑦 2 = sin 2𝑥
2𝑦𝑦 ′ = cos 2𝑥 (2)

2 cos 2𝑥
𝑦′ =
2𝑦

cos 2𝑥
𝑦′ =
𝑦

4. 𝑦 sin 𝑥 = cos 2𝑥
𝑦𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑥 + sin 𝑥 𝑦 ′ = (− sin 2𝑥)2
sin 𝑥 𝑦 ′ = −2 sin 2𝑥 − 𝑦 cos 𝑥

−2 sin 2𝑥 − 𝑦 cos 𝑥
𝑦′ =
sin 𝑥
5. cos 2𝑦 = 𝑥 2 + 4
− sin 2𝑦 2𝑦 ′ = 2𝑥

𝑥
𝑦′ =−
2 sin 2𝑦
 MAXIMA – MINIMA USING TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS

Example 1: Find the area of the largest rectangle inscribed in a given

circle.

Solution:
Let: 2x = length of the inscribed rectangle
2y = width of the inscribed rectangle
r = radius of the circle

𝑥
𝜃 𝑦
𝑟
The area of the rectangle is
𝐴 = 2𝑥 2𝑦 = 4𝑥𝑦
But
𝑥 𝑦
cos 𝜃 = sin 𝜃 =
𝑟 and 𝑟
𝑥 = 𝑟 cos 𝜃 𝑦 = 𝑟 sin 𝜃

Thus, 𝑑𝐴
𝐴 = 4 𝑟 cos 𝜃 𝑟 sin 𝜃 At 𝑑𝜃 = 0,
𝐴 = 4𝑟 2 cos 𝜃 sin 𝜃 0 = 4𝑟 2 cos 2𝜃;
𝜋
𝐴 = 2𝑟 2 (2 cos 𝜃 sin 𝜃) 𝜃=
4
𝐴 = 2𝑟 2 sin 2𝜃 Therefore,
Taking the derivative of the area with
𝜋 2
respect to  𝑥 = 𝑟 cos = 𝑟
𝑑𝐴 4 2
= 2𝑟 2 (cos 2𝜃)2 𝜋 2
𝑑𝜃
𝑑𝐴 𝑦 = 𝑟 sin = 𝑟
= 4𝑟 2 cos 2𝜃 4 2
𝑑𝜃
We find that 𝑥 = 𝑦, which means the rectangle is actually a square.

Example 2: A steel girder 30 ft. long is carried along a passage 10 ft.

wide and into a corridor at right angles to the passage. The thickness
of the girder being neglected, how wide must the corridor be in order
that the girder may go round the corner?

Solution:

𝑥
𝜃

𝜃
10’
From the figure: Maximize the width of the
10 corridor by taking the
cos θ =
𝐿1
10 derivative of 𝑥 with respect to
𝐿1 = cos 𝜃  and equate it to zero.
𝑥
sin 𝜃 =𝐿 𝑑𝑥
2 = 30 cos 𝜃 − 10𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 𝜃
𝑥 𝑑𝜃
𝐿2 = 10
sin 𝜃
0 = 30 cos 𝜃 −
𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 𝜃
𝐿 = 𝐿1 + 𝐿2 10
10 𝑥 2
= 30 cos 𝜃
30 = + 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃
cos 𝜃 sin 𝜃 10
𝑥
= 30 −
10 = 𝑐𝑜𝑠 3 𝜃
sin 𝜃 cos 𝜃 30
10 sin 𝜃
𝑥 = 30 sin 𝜃 − cos 𝜃 3 10
𝑥 = 30 sin 𝜃 − 10 tan 𝜃 = cos 𝜃
30
𝜃 = 46.10°
From
𝑥 = 30 sin 𝜃 − 10 tan 𝜃
𝑥 = 30 sin 46.10° − 10 tan 46.10°
𝑥 = 11.22 𝑓𝑡.

Example 3: A wall 10 ft high is 8 ft from the house. Find the length of

the shortest ladder that will reach the house, when one end rests on
the ground outside the wall.

Solution:

𝐿2


𝐿1
10’
 8’
 𝐿2

8’
𝐿1
10’
 8’

Isolated figure of the wall and the ladder

From the figure above

10 8
sin 𝜃 =𝐿 cos 𝜃 =
1 𝐿2
10 8
𝐿1 = sin 𝜃
𝐿2 = cos 𝜃
𝐿1 = 10 𝑐𝑠𝑐𝜃 𝐿2 = 8 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝜃
 𝐿 = 𝐿1 + 𝐿2
Substituting the 𝐿1 and 𝐿2 ,

𝐿 = 10 𝑐𝑠𝑐𝜃 + 8 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝜃
Maximize the length of the ladder by taking the derivative of 𝐿
with respect to  and equate it to zero.
𝑑𝐿
= −10 csc 𝜃 cot 𝜃 + 8 sec 𝜃 tan 𝜃 = 0
𝑑𝜃
8 sec 𝜃 tan 𝜃 = 10 𝑐𝑠𝑐𝜃 cot 𝜃
1 sin 𝜃 1 cos 𝜃
8 = 10
cos 𝜃 cos 𝜃 sin 𝜃 sin 𝜃
8 sin 𝜃 10 cos 𝜃
2 =
𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝜃
𝑠𝑖𝑛3 𝜃 5
3 =
𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃 4
3
5
𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝜃 =
4
 53
tan 𝜃 =
4
𝜃 = 47.13°

From
𝐿 = 10 𝑐𝑠𝑐𝜃 + 8 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝜃
𝐿 = 10 𝑐𝑠𝑐47.13° + 8 𝑠𝑒𝑐47.13°
10 8
𝐿= +
sin 47.13° cos 47.13°

𝐿 = 25.4 𝑓𝑡.
Example 4: A trapezoidal gutter is to be made, from a strip of metal
22 inches wide by bending up the edges. If the base is 14 inches
wide, what width across the top gives the greatest carrying capacity.

Solution:
For maximum capacity, its cross-sectional area should be maximum.
x 14 x
 
𝐴2 𝐴2
4 h 𝐴1 h 4

14
𝑥 ℎ
cos 𝜃 = sin 𝜃 =
4 4
𝑥 = 4 cos 𝜃 ℎ = 4 sin 𝜃
The area of the gutter is,
𝐴 = 𝐴1 + 2𝐴2
1
𝐴 = 14ℎ + 2 𝑥ℎ
2
𝐴 = 14 4 sin 𝜃 + 4 cos 𝜃 4 sin 𝜃
𝐴 = 56 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 + 16 cos 𝜃 sin 𝜃
Taking the derivative of A with respect to .
𝑑𝐴
= 56 cos 𝜃 + 16 cos 𝜃(cos 𝜃) + 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃(− sin 𝜃)
𝑑𝜃
𝑑𝐴
= 56 cos 𝜃 = 16 𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 𝜃 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝜃 = 0
𝑑𝜃
7 cos 𝜃 + 2 𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 𝜃 − 1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 𝜃 = 0
4𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 𝜃 + 7 cos 𝜃 − 2 = 0
4 cos 𝜃 − 1 cos 𝜃 + 2 = 0

4 cos 𝜃 − 1 = 0 cos 𝜃 + 2 = 0
1 cos 𝜃 = −2
cos 𝜃 =
4 (no value)
The width at the top is
𝑤 = 2𝑥 + 14
𝑤 = 2 4 cos 𝜃 + 14
1
𝑤=8 + 14
4

𝑤 = 16 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠