Skip to main content
Ch. 3 - Derivatives
Briggs - Calculus: Early Transcendentals 3rd Edition
Briggs3rd EditionCalculus: Early TranscendentalsISBN: 9780136847243Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 3, Problem 3.R.37

9–61. Evaluate and simplify y'.


y = tan (sin θ)

Verified step by step guidance
1
First, identify the function y in terms of θ. Here, y = tan(sin(θ)).
To find y', the derivative of y with respect to θ, apply the chain rule. The chain rule states that if you have a composite function f(g(x)), the derivative is f'(g(x)) * g'(x).
In this case, let u = sin(θ), so y = tan(u). The derivative of tan(u) with respect to u is sec²(u).
Next, find the derivative of u = sin(θ) with respect to θ, which is cos(θ).
Combine these results using the chain rule: y' = sec²(sin(θ)) * cos(θ). This is the derivative of y with respect to θ.

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
Video duration:
3m
Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Derivative

The derivative of a function measures how the function's output changes as its input changes. It is a fundamental concept in calculus, representing the slope of the tangent line to the curve of the function at any given point. In this context, we need to apply the rules of differentiation to find the derivative of the function y = tan(sin θ).
Recommended video:
05:44
Derivatives

Chain Rule

The chain rule is a formula for computing the derivative of a composite function. It states that if a function y is composed of two functions u and v, then the derivative of y with respect to x can be found by multiplying the derivative of y with respect to u by the derivative of u with respect to x. In this case, we will use the chain rule to differentiate tan(sin θ) by first differentiating the outer function (tan) and then the inner function (sin).
Recommended video:
05:02
Intro to the Chain Rule

Trigonometric Derivatives

Trigonometric derivatives are the derivatives of trigonometric functions, which are essential for solving problems involving angles and periodic functions. For instance, the derivative of tan(x) is sec²(x), and the derivative of sin(x) is cos(x). Understanding these derivatives is crucial for evaluating y' in the given function, as we will need to apply these specific derivatives during the differentiation process.
Recommended video:
06:35
Derivatives of Other Inverse Trigonometric Functions