2.

4 Differentiation Of Trigonometric
Functions

2.4a Derivatives of the functions sin x, cos x, tan x,

sec x, cot x, and cosec x.
 d
a) d (sin x)  cos x d) (cot x)   cos ec 2 x
dx dx
d
b) d (cos x)   sin x e) (sec x)  sec x tan x
dx dx
d
c) (tan x)  sec 2 x f) d (cos ecx)   cos ec x cot x
dx dx

Note : Differentiation of the above formulae are only

true for angles which are measured in radians.
Example 1:
Prove that :
a.) d b.) d
( sin x )  cos x (tan x )  sec 2 x
dx dx
Solution:
a.)
d sin (x  h )  sin x
( sin x )  lim
dx = h 0 h
sin x cos h  cos x sin h  sin x
lim
h 0 h
= lim sin x (cos h  1)  cos x sin h
h 0 h h
= cos x ( Proved )
Note:
cos h 1 sin h
lim  0 and lim 1
h 0 h h  0 h
b) d ( tan x ) = sec2 x
dx
Let, y = tan x

 y = sin x
cos x
d d
cos x (sin x )  sin x ( cos x )
dy dx dx

dx (cos 2 x )
cos x cos x  sin x (  sin x )
=
cos 2 x
2 2
= cos x  sin x 1
=
cos 2 x cos 2 x

= sec2 x (Proved)
Example 2:

Differentiate with respect to x.

a) 2 sin x – 3 cos x
5
b) 4 tan x -
x
c) 4 cos x + 3 tan x

d) 4 sin x – 5 – 6 cos x
Solution :
d
a) (2 sin x - 3 cos x)  2 cos x  3 ( sin x)
dx
 2 cos x  3 sin x

d -1 2 5
b) (4 tan x - 5 x )  4 sec x 
dx x2

d
c) ( 4 cos x  3 tan x )   4 sin x  3 sec 2 x
dx
 3 sec 2 x  4 sin x

d
d) ( 4 sin x - 5 - 6 cos x )  4 cos x  6 sin x
dx
Example 3:

Find the gradient of each of the following curves at the

given point on the given curve:

a) y = x – sin x, x=
2

b) y = 2 sin x – x2, x= 
c) y = - 4 cos x, x= 
2
Solution :
a) d ( x - sin x )  1  cos x b) d ( 2 sin x - x 2 )  2 cos x  2 x
dx dx

When x = When x =  
2
dy  dy
 1  cos  2 cos (  π)  2(- π )
dx 2 dx
,   2  2
1  2 (   1)
c) d ( - 4 cos x )  4 sin x
dx

When x =,
2
dy 
 4 sin ( )
dx 2
4
2.4b Derivatives of the functions sin u, cos u, tan
u, sec u, cot u, and cosec u.
If u = f(x)
a) d (sin u )  cos u du b) d du
(cos u )   sin u
dx dx dx dx

c) d (tan u )  sec 2 u du d) d 2 du
dx dx (cot u )   cos ec u
dx dx

e) d (sec u )  sec u tan u du f) d du

dx dx (cos ecu )   cos ec u cot u
dx dx
Example 1:
Find the derivatives of :
a) cos ( 5x + 4 ) b) sin ( ln x )

c) tan( 1   3 x ) d) sec ( 2x + 3 )
6
Solution:

a) d ( cos ( 5x  4 ) )   sin (5 x  4 ) d( 5 x  4 )
dx dx
= - 5 sin ( 5x + 4 )
b) d (sin ( ln x ) )  cos (ln x ) d( ln x )
dx dx

= cos ( ln x )
x
c) d ( tan 1   3x )  sec 2 ( tan 1   3x ) d ( tan 1   3x )
dx 6 6 dx 6
1
=-3 sec 2 (   3 x )
6

d) d ( sec ( 2x  3 ) )  sec ( 2x  3 ) tan ( 2x  3 ) d ( 2 x  3 )

dx dx
 2 sec ( 2x  3 ) tan ( 2x  3 )
2.4c Derivatives of sinn u, cosn u, tann u (Change Rule)
If u = f(x),
d n n 1 d
a) ( sin u )  n sin u (sin u )
dx dx

d n n 1 d
b) ( cos u )  n cos u (cos u )
dx dx
d n n 1 d
c) (tan u )  n tan u (tan u )
dx dx
d) d (cos ec n u )  n cos ec n 1 u d (cos ec u )
dx dx

e) d (sec n u )  n sec n 1 u d (sec u )

dx dx
d n 1 d
f) (cot u )  n cot u
n
(cot u )
dx dx
Example 1:
Differentiate each of the following functions with respect to x.
a) y = sec2 x b) y = sin2 ( x2 + 1 )

c) y = cosec2 x d) y = cot2 x

Solution:

a) dy d
 2 sec x ( sec x)
b) dy  2 sin ( x 2  1) d  sin( x 2  1) 
dx dx
dx dx
 2 sec x sec x tan x  2 sin ( x 2  1) cos ( x 2  1) (2 x)
 
 2 sec 2 x tan x  4 x sin ( x 2  1) cos ( x 2  1)
c) dy d) dy d
= 2 cosec x d (cosec x)  2 cot x ( cot x)
dx dx dx dx
= 2 cosec x (-cosec x cot x)  2 cot x ( cos ec 2 x)
= -2 cosec2 x cot x   2 cot x cos ec 2 x

Miscellaneous Examples:

Find the derivatives of the following functions and expressions

a) y = x 2  sec (2 x  3) b) cosec2 ( x2 + 1 ) c) sin x cos3 x