Derivatives of Tangent, Cotangent, Secant, and Cosecant
We can get the derivatives of the other four trig functions by
applying the quotient rule to sine and cosine. For instance,
\begin{eqnarray*} \frac{d }{dx}\big( \tan(x)\big) & = &
\left (\frac{\sin(x)}{\cos(x)} \right )' \cr & = &
\frac{\cos(x) (\sin(x))' - \sin(x) (\cos(x))'}{\cos^2(x)} \cr
& = & \frac{\cos^2(x) + \sin^2(x)}{\cos^2(x)} \cr & =
& \frac{1}{\cos^2(x)} \cr &=& \sec^2(x).
\end{eqnarray*}
Before watching the video, try one yourself:
DO: Using the
reciprocal trig relationships to turn the secant into a function
of sine and/or cosine, and also use the derivatives of sine
and/or cosine, to find $\displaystyle\frac{d}{dx}\sec x$.
You must know all of the following
derivatives. Notice that you really
need only learn the left four, since the derivatives of the
cosecant and cotangent functions are the negative
"co-" versions of the derivatives of secant and
tangent. Notice also that the derivatives
of all trig functions beginning with "c" have negatives.