Inverse Trigonometric

Functions
What You Should Learn
• Evaluate and graph inverse sine functions

• Evaluate and graph other inverse trigonometric

functions

• Evaluate compositions of trigonometric

functions

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Inverse Sine Function

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Inverse Sine Function
We have know that for a function to have an inverse
function, it must be one-to-one—that is, it must pass the
Horizontal Line Test.

In Figure 4.67 it is obvious that y = sin x does not pass the

test because different values of x yield the same y-value.

Figure 4.67
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Inverse Sine Function
However, when you restrict the domain to the interval
– 2  x   2 (corresponding to the black portion of the
graph in Figure 4.67), the following properties hold.

1. On the interval [– 2,  2], the function y = sin x is

increasing.

2. On the interval [– 2,  2], y = sin x takes on its full range
of values, –1  sin x  1.

3. On the interval [– 2,  2], y = sin x is one-to-one.

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Inverse Sine Function
So, on the restricted domain – 2  x   2, y = sinx has a
unique inverse function called the inverse sine function. It
is denoted by

y = arcsin x or y = sin–1 x.

The notation sin–1 x is consistent with the inverse function

notation f –1(x). The arcsin x notation (read as “the arcsine
of x”) comes from the association of a central angle with its
intercepted arc length on a unit circle.

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Inverse Sine Function
So, arcsin x means the angle (or arc) whose sine is x. Both
notations, arcsin x and sin–1 x, are commonly used in
mathematics, so remember that sin–1 x denotes the inverse
sine function rather than 1sin x. The values of arcsin x lie
in the interval – 2  arcsin x   2.

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Example 1 – Evaluating the Inverse Sine Function

If possible, find the exact value.

a. b. c. sin–1 2

Solution:
a. Because , and lies in , it
follows that

Angle whose sine is

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Example 1 – Solution cont’d

b. Because , and lies in , it follows

that

Angle whose sine is

c. It is not possible to evaluate y = sin–1 x at x = 2 because

there is no angle whose sine is 2. Remember that the
domain of the inverse sine function is [–1, 1].

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Example 2 – Graphing the Arcsine Function

Sketch a graph of y = arcsin x by hand.

Solution:
By definition, the equations
y = arcsin x and sin y = x

are equivalent for – 2  y   2. So, their graphs are the

same. For the interval [– 2,  2] you can assign values to
y in the second equation to make a table of values.

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Example 2 – Solution cont’d

Then plot the points and connect them with a smooth

curve. The resulting graph of y = arcsin x is shown in
Figure 4.68.

Figure 4.68

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Example 2 – Solution cont’d

Note that it is the reflection (in the line y = x) of the black

portion of the graph in Figure 4.67.

Figure 4.67

Remember that the domain of y = arcsin x is the closed

interval [–1, 1] and the range is the closed interval
[– 2,  2].
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Other Inverse Trigonometric Functions

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Other Inverse Trigonometric Functions
The cosine function is decreasing and one-to-one on the
interval 0  x  , as shown in Figure 4.69.

Figure 4.69

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Other Inverse Trigonometric Functions
Consequently, on this interval the cosine function has an
inverse function—the inverse cosine function—denoted
by

y = arccos x or y = cos–1 x.

Because y = arccos x and x = cos y are equivalent for

0  y  , their graphs are the same, and can be confirmed
by the following table of values.

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Other Inverse Trigonometric Functions
Similarly, you can define an inverse tangent function by
restricting the domain of y = tan x to the interval (– 2,  2).

The inverse tangent function is denoted by

y = arctan x or y = tan –1 x.
Because y = arctan x and x = tan y are equivalent for
– 2 < y <  2 their graphs are the same, and can be
confirmed by the following table of values.

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Other Inverse Trigonometric Functions
The following list summarizes the definitions of the three
most common inverse trigonometric functions.

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Example 3 – Evaluating Inverse Trigonometric Functions

Find the exact value.

a. b. cos–1(–1)

c. arctan 0 d. tan–1(–1)

Solution:
a. Because cos( 4) = , and  4 lies in [0, ], it follows
that
Angle whose cosine is

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Example 3 – Solution cont’d

b. Because cos = –1 and  lies in [0, ] it follows that

cos–1(–1) = . Angle whose cosine is –1

c. Because tan 0 = 0, and 0 lies in (– 2,  2), it follows that

arctan 0 = 0. Angle whose tangent is 0s

d. Because tan(– 4) = –1 and – 4 lies in (– 2,  2), it

follows that
Angle whose tangent is –1

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Compositions of Functions

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Compositions of Functions
We have know that for all x in the domains of f and f –1,
inverse functions have the properties

f(f –1(x)) = x and f –1(f(x)) = x.

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Compositions of Functions
Keep in mind that these inverse properties do not apply for
arbitrary values of x and y. For instance,

In other words, the property

arcsin(sin y) = y

is not valid for values of y outside the interval [– 2,  2].

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Example 6 – Using Inverse Properties
If possible, find the exact value.

a. tan[arctan(–5)] b.

c. (cos–1 )

Solution:
a. Because –5 lies in the domain of the arctangent function,
the inverse property applies, and you have

tan[arctan(–5)] = –5.

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Example 6 – Solution cont’d

b. In this case, 5 3 does not lie within the range of the

arcsine function, – 2  y   2. However, 5 3 is
coterminal with

which does lie in the range of the arcsine function, and

you have

c. The expression cos(cos–1) is not defined because

cos–1 is not defined. Remember that the domain of the
inverse cosine function is [–1, 1].
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