Chapter 6: Problem 64
In Exercises 49-68, evaluate each expression exactly, if possible. If not possible, state why. $$ \csc ^{-1}\left[\csc \left(\frac{7 \pi}{6}\right)\right] $$
Short Answer
Expert verified
\( \csc^{-1}\left[ \csc\left(\frac{7\pi}{6}\right) \right] = -\frac{\pi}{6} \).
Step by step solution
01
Understand the function \( \csc^{-1}(x) \)
The function \( \csc^{-1}(x) \), also known as the inverse cosecant function, returns the angle \( \theta \) such that \( \csc(\theta) = x \) and \( \theta \) is within the range \([-\frac{\pi}{2}, \frac{\pi}{2}] \), excluding zero since \( \csc \) is undefined at zero.
02
Simplify \( \csc\left( \frac{7\pi}{6} \right) \)
Calculate \( \csc\left( \frac{7\pi}{6} \right) \). The angle \( \frac{7\pi}{6} \) is in the third quadrant of the unit circle where the sine function is negative. The reference angle for \( \frac{7\pi}{6} \) is \( \frac{\pi}{6} \), so \( \sin\left( \frac{7\pi}{6} \right) = - \frac{1}{2} \). Thus, \( \csc\left( \frac{7\pi}{6} \right) = -2 \).
03
Solve \( \csc^{-1}(-2) \)
We need to find the angle \( \theta \) such that \( \csc(\theta) = -2 \) and \( \theta \) is within the range \([-\frac{\pi}{2}, \frac{\pi}{2}] \). The angle that satisfies \( \sin(\theta) = -\frac{1}{2} \) within this range is \( \theta = -\frac{\pi}{6} \).
04
Verify the result
Verify that \( \csc(-\frac{\pi}{6}) = -2 \). Since \( \sin(-\frac{\pi}{6}) = -\frac{1}{2} \), it follows that \( \csc(-\frac{\pi}{6}) = -2 \), confirming the solution to the inverse function problem.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Cosecant Function
The cosecant function is the reciprocal of the sine function. It's a trigonometric function that can create a bit of confusion because its definition is tied to the sine: \( \csc(\theta) = \frac{1}{\sin(\theta)} \). Thus, it is undefined when \( \sin(\theta) = 0 \), which is why cosecant is not defined for angles where sine is zero, such as \( 0, \pi, 2\pi, \) and so on.
To understand cosecant, keep in mind that:
To understand cosecant, keep in mind that:
- It is always greater than or equal to 1 or less than or equal to -1.
- It switches signs based on the sign of sine.
- Its moving positive and negative signs mirror those of the sine function, which are determined by the quadrants in the unit circle.
Unit Circle
The unit circle is a helpful tool in trigonometry. It is a circle with a radius of 1, centered at the origin of a coordinate plane. The unit circle allows you to easily determine the sine and cosine values for various angles. Each angle on the unit circle corresponds to a point \((x, y)\), where \(\cos(\theta) = x \) and \(\sin(\theta) = y \).
Important features to note about the unit circle include:
Important features to note about the unit circle include:
- Angles are typically measured in radians.
- Standard positions on the circle are \(\frac{\pi}{2} \), \(\pi \), \(\frac{3\pi}{2} \), and \(2\pi \), corresponding to angles of 90°, 180°, 270°, and 360° respectively.
- The unit circle can reveal the periodic nature of trigonometric functions.
Angle Evaluation
Angle evaluation, especially with inverse trigonometric functions, assesses the angle that corresponds to a given trigonometric value. Inverse trigonometric functions, such as \( \csc^{-1}(x) \), find the angle whose cosecant is \(x\). However, it is limited to a specific range because trigonometric functions are periodic. For example, the range of \( \csc^{-1} \) is \(\left[-\frac{\pi}{2}, \frac{\pi}{2}\right]\), except where it’s undefined.
When dealing with \( \csc^{-1}(-2) \), we look for the angle whose sine is \(-\frac{1}{2}\). Within the restricted range, \( \theta = -\frac{\pi}{6} \) is the correct evaluation.
Key considerations for angle evaluation include:
When dealing with \( \csc^{-1}(-2) \), we look for the angle whose sine is \(-\frac{1}{2}\). Within the restricted range, \( \theta = -\frac{\pi}{6} \) is the correct evaluation.
Key considerations for angle evaluation include:
- Ensuring the angle is within the principal value range.
- Finding the reference angle helps determine the correct angle in different quadrants.
- Verification by substituting back into the original function confirms correctness.