The Derivative & Its Rules · Topic 12 of 23
Inverse Functions and Inverse Trigonometric Derivatives
Every inverse trig derivative is algebraic: , , , and the three co-functions are the negatives of these. More generally, inverse slopes are reciprocals: if and then .
Key ideas
5 things to remember- 1
One-to-one is what buys you an inverse
is invertible on an interval exactly when no horizontal line meets its graph twice. The usable certificate: throughout (or throughout) forces strictly monotone, hence one-to-one.
- 2
Inverse slopes are reciprocals
Reflecting across sends to and slope to . So whenever and — you never need a formula for .
- 3
Transcendental functions, algebraic derivatives
Implicit differentiation of , , produces purely algebraic derivatives. The three co-functions (, , ) are exactly the negatives of their partners.
- 4
The principal branch decides the answer
returns an angle in , in , in . So always, but only for already inside the branch.
- 5
Zero derivative means constant on one interval
on an interval makes constant there — the MVT corollary behind . Across a gap in the domain the constant may change.
Formulas
What to have memorisedDerivative of an inverse
Needs one-to-one on an interval and ; if the inverse has a vertical tangent.
Second derivative of an inverse
Differentiate with the chain rule; same with .
and
Valid where ; the derivative blows up at .
and
No domain restriction: is never zero.
and
Valid where . The bars come from — never drop them.
Principal ranges
Check every exact value lands in this interval before you write it.
Cofunction identities
Differentiate these and the minus signs on the co-derivatives explain themselves.
Find the derivative of an inverse at a point
The steps, in order- 1
Justify invertibility: show for all in the interval (or ), bounding any trig term with .
- 2
Find the input with by inspection — try small integers. One-to-one means it is the only one.
- 3
Check . If , stop: does not exist, the inverse has a vertical tangent.
- 4
Write and evaluate — never differentiate a formula for .
- 5
For a tangent line to , the point is : .
Watch out
The mistakes that cost marks✗ Wrong
✓ Right
, where is the input with .
Why: must be fed the input , not the output .
✗ Wrong
✓ Right
— the chain-rule factor is not optional.
✗ Wrong
✓ Right
: the inside function goes into the radical too.
✗ Wrong
✓ Right
— keep the absolute value.
Why: Without the bars the slope is negative at , yet increases there.
✗ Wrong
✓ Right
, so the value is .
Why: The output must land in .
✗ Wrong
✓ Right
; the reciprocal is .
Why: The marks an inverse function, not an exponent.
Quick check
Commit to an answer before you reveal one- Q1easy
Evaluate exactly, using the principal branches:
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e)
Hint
Write the required output interval down first, then find the angle in it with the right trig value.
Show answer
Answer
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e)
Steps
(a) Need with : .
(b) Need with : , not .
(c) means ; in that is .
(d) , and — cancellation fails because is outside the branch.
(e) With , , and on the branch, so .
- Q2easy
Differentiate, and state the interval on which your formula is valid:
(a) (b) (c)
Hint
Identify , compute , and put — not — inside the formula.
Show answer
Answer
(a) on . (b) for all . (c) on .
Steps
(a) , : , needing .
(b) , : , and is never zero.
(c) , , , and carries a minus sign:
which needs (for ) and (for the radical).
- Q3medium
Let .
(a) Explain why is invertible on . (b) Find an equation of the tangent line to at .
Hint
Bound using . For (b) you need both the point on the inverse's graph and the slope there.
Show answer
Answer
(a) , so is strictly increasing. (b) .
Steps
(a) for every , so is strictly increasing on the interval , hence one-to-one; it is continuous and differentiable everywhere.
(b) Find with : , so and the point of tangency is . Then , so
Check by reflection: the tangent to at has slope , and its mirror image has slope .
- Q4medium
Differentiate and simplify. On what interval is your formula valid? Evaluate and say what it means geometrically.
Hint
Product rule; the first term collapses to 1.
Show answer
Answer
on ; , so the graph crosses the origin tangent to .
Steps
Product rule with and , so and :
Both and need , so the formula holds on ; at the quotient runs to and the graph meets the axis vertically.
and .
- Q5medium
Differentiate , using the branch with range . Simplify the absolute value, state the domain of , and evaluate .
Hint
Keep exactly as the formula demands before simplifying .
Show answer
Answer
for ; .
Steps
With , :
using . The formula needs , i.e. .
At : .
Sign check: dropping the bars would give , but is increasing at , so the slope must be positive.
- Q6hard
Let for .
(a) Compute and simplify . (b) Is constant on its whole domain? Determine explicitly.
Hint
Zero derivative forces constant only on an interval — look hard at the shape of the domain.
Show answer
Answer
(a) for every . (b) Not constant overall: for and for .
Steps
(a) With , , and multiplying the second fraction top and bottom by :
(b) The domain is not an interval, so the zero-derivative corollary of the MVT gives one constant on each piece only. Test each: , and . The constants genuinely differ.
On the exam
How this topic is markedInverse-derivative questions are marked in two halves: one sentence justifying one-to-one from the sign of , then the number . Solving by inspection is expected, not lucky.
Chain-rule marks live in and in putting inside the radical. If the question says "state where this is valid", the domain is worth its own mark.
Exact-value parts are graded on the branch: write the required range first, and keep the bars in and .
Keep going
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