Show that the tangent to f(x) = sinx at x=1 and the tangent to g(x) = sin^-1x at y=1 are equally inclined to y=x?
1 Answer
It should be intuitive that this is true of any functions that fit this criteria as the functions are inverses and so reflected in the line
In this specific case we can prove the result:
f(x) = sinx
Differentiating wrt
f'(x) = cosx
When
And for the inverse:
g(x) = sin^-1(x)
When
:. sin^-1(x) = 1
:. x = sin1
Differentiating wrt
g'(x) = 1/sqrt(1-x^2)
And so, when
g'(sin1) = 1/sqrt(1-sin^2 1)
g'(sin1) = 1/sqrt(cos^2 1)
g'(sin1) = 1/cos 1
We can now calculate the inclinations of the tangents, Suppose:
the tangent line at
x=1 forf(x) is at an inclination ofalpha
the tangent line aty=1 forg(x) is at an inclination ofbeta
the tangent line ofy=x is at an inclination ofpi/4
Then (by definition of the tangent and relation to the derivative), at those points;
tan alpha = cos1 ;tan beta = 1/cos1 andtan (pi/4) = 1
So our aim is to show that the angle between one tangent and #y=x is the same as the other. ie that:
beta - pi/4 = pi/4 - alpha => alpha + beta = pi/2
Using
tan(alpha+beta) = (tanalpha+tanbeta)/(1-tanalphatanbeta)
" " = (cos1 +1/cos1)/(1-cos1 1/cos1)
" " = (cos1 +1/cos1)/0
" " = oo
:. alpha + beta = pi/2 QED
Or if you prefer, using
tan(beta-pi/4) = (tanbeta+tan(pi/4))/(1-tanbetatan(pi/4))
" " = (1/cos1-1)/(1+1/cos1)
" " = ((1-cos1)/cos1) / ((cos1+1)/cos1)
" " = (1-cos1) / (cos1+1)
tan(pi/4-alpha) = (tan(pi/4)-tanalpha)/(1+tan(pi/4)tanalpha)
" " = (1-cos1)/(1+cos1)
" " = tan(beta-pi/4) QED