Inverse Trig Functions

By
Richard Gill

Supported in Part by a Grant from

VCCS LearningWare
Let us begin with a simple question:

What is the first pair of inverse functions that pop into YOUR
mind?

This may not be your pair but this is a

f ( x)  x 2 famous pair. But something is not
f 1 ( x)  x quite right with this pair. Do you
know what is wrong?

Congratulations if you guessed that the top function does not

really have an inverse because it is not 1-1 and therefore, the
graph will not pass the horizontal line test.
Consider the graph of y  x2.
y

Note the two points on 

the graph and also on
the line y=4. 

f(2) = 4 and f(-2) = 4 so 

what is an inverse 

function supposed to do
with 4? 

f 1 (4)  2 or f 1 (4)  2 ?
x
 

By definition, a function cannot generate two different outputs for

the same input, so the sad truth is that this function, as is, does not
have an inverse.
So how is it that we arrange for this function to have an inverse?

y  x2
We consider only one half of y=x
the graph: x > 0. 4

The graph now passes the

horizontal line test and we do y x
2
have an inverse:

2
f ( x)  x for x  0    
x

1
f ( x)  x

Note how each graph reflects across the line y = x onto its inverse.
A similar restriction on the domain is necessary to create an
inverse function for each trig function.

Consider the sine function.

You can see right away y = sin(x)

y

that the sine function does


not pass the horizontal y = 1/2

line test.

But we can come up with a x

        
valid inverse function if we
restrict the domain as we
did with the previous
function. 

How would YOU restrict the domain?

Take a look at the piece of the graph in the red frame.
We are going to build the y

inverse function from this


section of the sine curve
because:

This section picks up all x

the outputs of the sine         

from –1 to 1.
This section includes the
origin. Quadrant I angles 

generate the positive ratios

and negative angles in
Quadrant IV generate the
negative ratios. Lets zoom in and look at some key
points in this section.
I have plotted the special angles on the curve and the table.
y
y = sin(x)
x f ( x)
 
 1
2
 3
 
3 2
 2
  x
4 2      

 1
 
6 2
0 0
 1

6 2
 2
4 2
 3
3 2

1
2
The new table generates the graph of the inverse.
1
The domain of
x sin( x) x sin ( x)

the chosen

 1 To get a good 1  section of the
2 2
 3 look at the 3  sine is   ,  
     2 2
3 2 graph of the 2 3
inverse 2  So the range of
 2  
  the arcsin is
4 2 function, we 2 4
 1 1    
  will “turn the    2 , 2 
6 2 2 6
0 0 tables” on the 0 0
 1 sine function. 1  The range of the
6 2 2 6 chosen section of
 2 2  the sine is [-
4 2 2 4 1 ,1] so the
 3 3 
domain of the
3 2 2 3
  arcsin is [-1, 1].
1 1
2 2
Note how each point on the original graph gets “reflected” onto the
graph of the inverse.
     y = arcsin(x) y
 ,1 to 1, 
2   2
y = sin(x)
 3   3  
 ,   
 3 2  to  2 , 3 


   

 2   2  
 ,   
 4 2  to  2 , 4 
   
x
 

etc.

You will see the

inverse listed as

both:
arcsin( x) and sin 1 ( x)
In the tradition of inverse functions then we have:

   
Unless you are
sin    1  arcsin(1)  or sin 1 (1) 
2 2 2 instructed to use
  3  3   3  degrees, you
sin     arcsin    or sin 

1



3 2  2  3  2  3 should assume that
inverse trig
functions will
generate outputs
of real numbers (in
radians).

The thing to remember is that for the trig function the input is the
angle and the output is the ratio, but for the inverse trig function the
input is the ratio and the output is the angle.
The other inverse trig functions are generated by using similar
restrictions on the domain of the trig function. Consider the cosine
function:
y
What do you y = cos(x)

think would be a
good domain
restriction for the
cosine?
Congratulations if        
x

you realized that the
restriction we used on
the sine is not going
to work on the cosine.

The chosen section for the cosine is in the red frame. This section
includes all outputs from –1 to 1 and all inputs in the first and second
quadrants.
Since the domain and range for the section are the domain0,   and  1,1,
and range for the inverse cosine are  1,1 and 0 ,  .

y y = arccos(x) y
y = cos(x)
 






x
        




x
 

The other trig functions require similar restrictions on their
domains in order to generate an inverse.
Like the sine function, the domain of the section of the
  
tangent that generates the arctan is  2 , 2  .
 

y
y
y=arctan(x)
y=tan(x) 



 



x x
        










  
   D   ,   and R    , 
D    ,  and R   ,    2 2
 2 2
 The table below will summarize the parameters we have so far.
Remember, the angle is the input for a trig function and the ratio is
the output. For the inverse trig functions the ratio is the input and the
angle is the output.

arcsin(x) arccos(x) arctan(x)

Domain 1  x  1 1  x  1    x  

Range     
 x 0 x  x
2 2 2 2 2

When x<0, y=arcsin(x) will be in which quadrant? y<0 in IV

When x<0, y=arccos(x) will be in which quadrant? y>0 in II

When x<0, y=arctan(x) will be in which quadrant? y<0 in IV
The graphs give you the big picture concerning the behavior of the
inverse trig functions. Calculators are helpful with calculations (later
for that). But special triangles can be very helpful with respect to
the basics.

60 45 1
2
1 2
30 
45
3 2
Use the special triangles above to answer the following. Try to figure
it out yourself before you click.
  3
 3
 
30  or  because cos 30   
arccos 
  6 2
 2 

csc 1 (2)  
 
30  or  because csc 30  2 / 1  2
 6
OK, lets try a few more. Try them before you peek.

60 
2 45 1
1 2
30 45
3
2
 1   1
arcsin   45 (or ) because sin 45 
 

 2 4 2

tan 1 ( 3 )  
  3
60 (or ) because tan 60   3
3 1
 1 
arcsin    45 (or   ) because sin  45    1
 2 4 2
 Negative inputs for the arccos can be a little tricky.
y
 2
60 2 3
1
 60 
30 x
-1
3
  180  60  120
 1 x 1
arccos    
 2  
to check : cos 120  
r 2


From the triangle you can see that arccos(1/2) = 60 degrees. But negative
inputs for the arccos generate angles in Quadrant II so we have to use 60
degrees as a reference angle in the second quadrant.
 You should be able to do inverse trig calculations without a
calculator when special angles from the special triangles are
involved. You should also be able to do inverse trig calculations
without a calculator for quadrantal angles.

Its not that bad. Quadrantal angles are

the angles between the quadrants—
y
angles like y = cos(x)


  
 or  90 , 0 or 0 , or 90 ,  or 180


2 2
To solve arccos(-1) for example, you x

could draw a quick sketch of the cosine         

section:

And observe that arccos(-1) = 


 ,1
But a lot of people feel comfortable using the following sketch
and the definitions of the trig ratios.
r=1
For arccos(-1) for example, you y
(0, 1)

can observe that, since

x
cos 
r the point (-1, 0) is the
one we want. That point is on the
x
terminal side of (-1, 0)
(1, 0)

  .
x 1
So, since cos( )    1,
r 1
arccos(1)   .
(-1, 0)


Or for arccot(0), you can observe that,
So, arccot(0)  90 .
x
since cot    the point (0, 1) Good luck getting that
y
is the one we want. That point is on the answer off of a
terminal side of 90 degrees. calculator.
Finally, we encounter the composition of trig functions with inverse
trig functions. The following are pretty straightforward
compositions. Try them yourself before you click to the answer.

 1   3   so
 1   3    3
sin  sin    ? 
sin sin  
  sin  
 2   2  2
          


First, what do we know about  ?

 3
We know that is an angle whose sine is 2
.

Did you suspect from the beginning that this was the answer because
that is the way inverse functions are SUPPOSED to behave? If so,
good instincts but….
Consider a slightly different setup:

 
arcsin sin 120   This is also the composition
of two inverse functions
 3 but…

arcsin  
 60 .

 2 
Did you suspect the answer was going to be 120 degrees? This
problem behaved differently because the first angle, 120 degrees,
was outside the range of the arcsin. So use some caution when
evaluating the composition of inverse trig functions.

The remainder of this presentation consists of practice problems,

their answers and a few complete solutions.
First, some calculator problems. On most calculators, you access
the inverse trig functions by using the 2nd function option on the
corresponding trig functions. The mode button allows you to
choose whether your work will be in degrees or in radians.
You have to stay on top of this because the answer is not in a
format that tells you which mode you are in.

Answers and selected complete solutions can be found after

the exercises.
Find the exact  1 
1 10. sec 1 2 
1. sin  
value of each  2 
expression  1 
2. arccos  1 11 . arccos 
without using a  2
calculator. 3. tan 1  1
When your    
 1  12. arcsin sin    
answer is an 4. arctan    2 
 3
angle, express it
in radians. 5. arcsin0 
 
13. arcsin sin 270 
Work out the   1  
 1 
1 14. tan arccos  
answers 6. cos    2 

yourself before  2
you click. 7. arctan  3    
15. arccos cos

 
8. sin 1  1   3 
 1  1  
 3 16. sin  cos    
9. cos 
1

   2 
 2 
On most calculators, you access the inverse trig functions by using the
2nd function option on the corresponding trig functions. The mode
button allows you to choose whether your work will be in degrees or
in radians. You have to stay on top of this because the answer is not in
a format that tells you which mode you are in.

Use a calculator. For 21-24,

Use a calculator. For 17-20,
express your answers in radians
round to the nearest tenth of a
rounded to the nearest hundredth.
degree.

1
17. cos (.6666) 21. tan 1 3.585
18. arctan(2.345) 22. arcsin(.7878)
19. arcsin(.1234) 23. cos 1  .2345
20. arccos(.8787) 24. arctan(.7878)
Use a calculator. When your answer is an angle, express it in radians
rounded to the hundredth’s place. When your answer is a ratio,
round it to four decimal places, but don’t round off until the very
end of the problem.
25. arcsinsin 3.58
26. arcsincos1
27. arctan(sin 2.34)
28. cosarccos .5758

29. cos sin 1  .5758 
30. tan arccos.2345
Answers appear in the following slides.
Answers for problems 1 – 9.
 1     3  5
1
1. sin    9. cos 
1

 6
 2  6  2 
2. arccos  1   Negative ratios for arccos generate angles
 in Quadrant II.
3. tan  1 
1

4 y
 1  
4. arctan  2
 3 6 1 
5. arcsin0   0 x
 3
1 1  
6. cos   
 2 4 The reference angle is 6

7. arctan  3   
3
so the answer is
 6  5
   
6
 
6 6 6

8. sin  1 
1

2
10. sec 1 2  cos 1 1 / 2   
3 y
14.
  1  3 2
11 . arccos  3
 2 4
60 
     x
12. arcsin  sin       -1
  2  2

13. arcsin sin 270   arcsin  1  90 
 

2
  1    2 
14. tan  arccos    tan     3 y
  2    3 
15.
    1 
15. arccos cos    arccos   1
  3  2 3  x
 1  1    2  3  3
16. sin  cos      sin   2
  2   3  2
Answers for 17 – 30.
1
17. cos (.6666)  48.2  21. tan 1 3.585  1.30
18. arctan(2.345)  66.9 22. arcsin(.7878)  0.91
19. arcsin(.1234)  7.1 
23. cos 1  .2345  1.81
20. arccos(.8787)  151.5 24. arctan(.7878)  0.67

25. arcsinsin 3.58  arcsin 0.4245...  0.44

26. arcsincos1  arcsin0.5403...  0.57
27. arctan(sin 2.34)  arctan 0.7184...  0.62
28. cosarccos .5758  .5758
29. cossin 1  .5758  cos 0.6136...  0.8175
30. tanarccos.2345  tan1.3341...  4.1455