Inverse Trig Derivatives

paulxzt

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2006
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65
For inverse trigs such as f(t) = arcsint^2, y' would be 2t / sqrt[1-t^4] ?

How would I do a problem like this

f(x) = arctan (x/a)
find the derivative.

thanks
 
\(\displaystyle \L\\\frac{d}{dx}\left[tan^{-1}(\frac{x}{a})\right]=\frac{a}{x^{2}+a^{2}}\)
 
galactus said:
\(\displaystyle \L\\\frac{d}{dx}\left[tan^{-1}(\frac{x}{a})\right]=\frac{a}{x^{2}+a^{2}}\)
Yes that is the answer I have but could you please be kind enough to show me how you got to that answer? Thanks
 
\(\displaystyle \L\\y=tan^{-1}(\frac{x}{a})\)

and

\(\displaystyle \L\\\frac{x}{a}=tan(y)\)


\(\displaystyle \L\\\frac{d}{dx}\left[\frac{x}{a}\right]=sec^{2}(y)\frac{dy}{dx}\)


\(\displaystyle \L\\\frac{1}{a}=sec^{2}(y)\frac{dy}{dx}\)

\(\displaystyle \L\\\frac{1}{asec^{2}(\underbrace{y}_{\text{arctan(x/a)}})}=\frac{dy}{dx}\)

\(\displaystyle \L\\\frac{1}{asec^{2}(tan^{-1}(\frac{x}{a}))}=\frac{x^{2}+a^{2}}{a}\)

Therefore, \(\displaystyle \L\\=\frac{a}{x^{2}+a^{2}}\)
 
it's no necessary to do it implicitly; it all depends on if you are more comfortable with trig or derivatives.

y = arctan(x/a)

differentiate, don't forget chain rule

dy/dx = (1 / (1 + x²/a²)) * 1/a

multiply by a/a to simplify fully

dy/dx = a / (a² + x²)

done
 
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