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CIE A Level Maths: Pure 3 Your notes

3.1 Reciprocal Trigonometric Functions

Contents
3.1.1 Reciprocal Trig Functions - Definitions
3.1.2 Reciprocal Trig Functions - Graphs
3.1.3 Trigonometry - Further Identities

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3.1.1 Reciprocal Trig Functions - Definitions

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Reciprocal Trig Functions - Definitions
What are the reciprocal trigonometric functions?
There are three reciprocal trig functions corresponding to the three regular trig functions

Cotangent can also be written in terms of sine and cosine

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Exam Tip
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To solve equations with the reciprocal trig functions, convert them into the regular trig functions
and solve in the usual way.
Don't forget that both tan and cot can be written in terms of sin and cos (see the Worked Example
below).
You will sometimes see csc instead of cosec for cosecant.

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Worked example
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3.1.2 Reciprocal Trig Functions - Graphs

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Reciprocal Trig Functions - Graphs
What does the graph of the sec look like?
The graph of y = secx looks like this:

y-axis is a line of symmetry

has period (ie repeats every) 360° or 2π radians
vertical asymptotes wherever cos x= 0
domain is all x except odd multiples of 90° (90°, -90°, 270°, -270°, etc.)
the domain in radians is all x except odd multiples of π/2 (π/2, - π/2, 3π/2, -3π/2, etc.)
range is y ≤ -1 or y ≥ 1
What does the graph of the cosec look like?
The graph of y = cosec x looks like this:

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has period (ie repeats every) 360° or 2π radians

vertical asymptotes wherever sin x= 0
domain is all x except multiples of 180° (0°, 180°, -180°, 360°, -360°, etc.)
the domain in radians is all x except multiples of π (0, π, - π, 2π, -2π, etc.)
range is y ≤ -1 or y ≥ 1
What does the graph of the cot look like?
The graph of y = cot x looks like this:

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has period (ie repeats every) 180° or π radians

vertical asymptotes wherever tan x= 0
domain is all x except multiples of 180° (0°, 180°, -180°, 360°, -360°, etc.)
the domain in radians is all x except multiples of π (0, π, - π, 2π, -2π, etc.)
range is y ∈ ℝ (ie cot can take any real number value)

Exam Tip
Make sure you know the shapes of the graphs for cos, sin and tan.
The shapes of the reciprocal trig function graphs follow from those graphs plus the definitions
sec = 1/cos, cosec = 1/sin and cot = 1/tan

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Worked example
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3.1.3 Trigonometry - Further Identities

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Trigonometry - Further Identities
What identities do I need to know with secant, cosecant, and cotangent?
There are two identities with sec, cosec and cot that you need to know and be able to use:
tan2x + 1 ≡ sec2x
1 + cot2x ≡ cosec2x
These are not really 'new' identities – they can both be derived from sin2x + cos2x ≡ 1
To derive the identity for sec2x divide sin2x + cos2x ≡ 1 by cos2x
To derive the identity for cosec2x divide sin2x + cos2x ≡ 1 by sin2x

Exam Tip
These identities are given in the exam formulae booklet – make sure you know how to find them.
They will be needed to prove some trigonometric identities and solve some trigonometric
equations.

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Worked example
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