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Differentiate Inverse Cos – Proof

January 8th, 2009

How to differentiate cos-1x

y=cos-1x
Bring the cos across
cosy = x
Differentiate both sides, remember when differentiating y time by dy/dx
-sin(y) dy/dx = 1
dy/dx = -1/siny

However we want to get the differential in terms of x, to do this we can use the identity
sin2t+cos2t = 1
so
sint = √(1 – cos2t)

putting this into our expression for dy/dx we get

dy/dx = -1/√(1-cos2y)
but cosy = x so

dy/dx =- 1/√(1-x2)

Comments Left

  1. Denaya Lesa
    January 14th, 2009 at 09:20 | #1

    He he he, I think you must take the following conclusions:

    the differentiate of cos-1(x) is dy/dx = – 1/√(1-x2)

    while

    the differentiate of sin-1(x) is dy/dx = 1/√(1-x2)

    How about you all?

  2. Denaya Lesa
    January 14th, 2009 at 09:42 | #2

    Hmm, if you want to know an application of both cos-1(x) and sin-1(x) simultaneously, please read rohedi’s comment on

    http://unapologetic.wordpress.com/2008/10/10/the-exponential-differential-equation/.

  3. Nadya Fermega
    January 14th, 2009 at 09:52 | #3

    @Denaya

    No no no, you are wrong Denaya, rohedi’s comment corresponds to your purpose is at this address

    http://unapologetic.wordpress.com/2008/10/13/sine-and-cosine/

    when Mr. Rohedi solves f”+f=0

    I think you have done big blunder, huahuahau…

  4. Nadya Fermega
    January 14th, 2009 at 09:53 | #4

    @Denaya

    No no no, you are wrong Denaya, rohedi’s comment corresponds to your purpose is at this address

    http://unapologetic.wordpress.com/2008/10/13/sine-and-cosine/

    when Mr. Rohedi solves f”+f=0

    I think you have done big blunder, huahuahau…sorry honey.

  5. Barbara
    February 8th, 2009 at 22:07 | #5

    You’ve missed the minus!!!
    d/dy(arccos) = – 1/ sq(1-x^2)

  6. February 9th, 2009 at 17:51 | #6

    oops sorry thanks for pointing it out
    dave

  7. No
    May 7th, 2012 at 00:16 | #7

    Oh Come on!!! I got it all the way till “dy/dx = -1/√(1-cos2y)” but then you said “but cosy = x so… dy/dx =- 1/√(1-x2)”, Not clear on how and why it is. You didn’t explain how you went from that to this dy/dx =- 1/√(1-x2)????
    Thanks

  8. admin
    May 8th, 2012 at 12:11 | #8

    @No
    Look back at the start:
    We are trying to differentiate the function y = cos-1(x) but this is equivalent to cosy = x (by definition of cos-1)
    So then where we ave cos^2(y) in the line above it becomes x^2 by substitution