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Let $$f(x)=\sin^{-1}(2x\sqrt{1-x^2})$$

I found out $f'(x)$ in three methods and got three different answers !

1) Putting $x=\cos\theta$, we get $f(x)=2\cos^{-1}x$, on differentiating this we get

$$f'(x)=\frac{-2}{\sqrt{1-x^2}}$$

2) Putting $x=\sin\theta$, we get $f(x)=2\sin^{-1}x$, on differentiating we get $$f'(x)=\frac{2}{\sqrt{1-x^2}}$$

This is contradicting with the previous result that we arrived at by substituting $x=\cos\theta$. Can someone help me out with the correct solution for this problem!

Milind Hegde
  • 3,914

2 Answers2

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One should, before starting differentiating, check where the expression is defined. The function $f$ is defined where $-1\le 2x\sqrt{1-x^2}\le1$, that is, $$ 4x^2(1-x^2)\le 1 $$ which is satisfied for all $x$. Thus the function $f$ is defined in $[-1,1]$ because of the square root.

Apply the chain rule; the derivative of $t\mapsto\arcsin t$ is $1/\sqrt{1-t^2}$; the derivative of $2x\sqrt{1-x^2}$ is

$$ 2\left(\sqrt{1-x^2}+x\cdot\frac{-x}{\sqrt{1-x^2}}\right) =\frac{2(1-2x^2)}{\sqrt{1-x^2}} $$

For $t=2x\sqrt{1-x^2}$ we have $$ 1-t^2=1-4x^2(1-x^2)=1-4x^2+4x^4=(1-2x^2)^2 $$ so $$ \frac{1}{\sqrt{1-t^2}}=\frac{1}{|1-2x^2|} $$ and doing the product gives $$ f'(x)=\frac{1}{|1-2x^2|}\frac{2(1-2x^2)}{\sqrt{1-x^2}} =\begin{cases} \frac{2}{\sqrt{1-x^2}} &\text{if $1-2x^2>0$}\\[2ex] -\frac{2}{\sqrt{1-x^2}} &\text{if $1-2x^2<0$} \end{cases} $$ Thus your seemingly contradictory results are “explained”. The function is not differentiable where $x^2=1/2$.

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You can use the derivative for simplifying the expression of $f$. For instance, when $-\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}<x<-\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}$, you know that $$ f(x)=C_1+2\arcsin x $$ and you can determine that $C_1=0$ by computing $f(0)=0$ and $2\arcsin0=0$. For $-1<x<-\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}$, you have $$ f(x)=C_2-2\arcsin x $$ and computing in $-1$ tells $f(-1)=0$, $-2\arcsin(-1)=\pi$, so $C_2=-\pi$. For $\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}<x<1$, again $$ f(x)=C_3-2\arcsin x $$ and $f(1)=0$, $-2\arcsin1=-\pi$, so $C_3=\pi$. Hence $$ f(x)=\begin{cases} -\pi-2\arcsin x & \text{for }x\in[-1,-1/\sqrt{2})\\ 2\arcsin x & \text{for }x\in[-1/\sqrt{2},1/\sqrt{2}]\\ \pi-2\arcsin x & \text{for }x\in(1/\sqrt{2},1] \end{cases} $$ You can check that $$ -\pi-2\arcsin\frac{-1}{\sqrt{2}}=-\pi+\frac{\pi}{2} =-\frac{\pi}{2}=2\arcsin\frac{-1}{\sqrt{2}} $$ and $$ \pi-2\arcsin\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}=\pi-\frac{\pi}{2}=\frac{\pi}{2} =2\arcsin\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}} $$ confirming that $f$ is everywhere continuous.

egreg
  • 238,574
1

HINT:

As the principal value of $\sin^{-1}x$ lies $\in [-\frac\pi2, \frac\pi2]; \pi\le 2\sin^{-1}x\le \pi$

So, $$\sin^{-1}(2x\sqrt{1-x^2})=\begin{cases} 2\sin^{-1}x &\mbox{if } -\frac\pi4\le \sin^{-1}x\le \frac\pi4 \\ -\pi-2\sin^{-1}x & \mbox{if } -\frac\pi2\le \sin^{-1}x< -\frac\pi4 \\ \pi-2\sin^{-1}x & \mbox{if } \frac\pi4< \sin^{-1}x\le \frac\pi2 \end{cases} $$

As the principal values of $\cos^{-1}x$ lies $\in [0,\pi], 0\le 2\cos^{-1}x\le 2\pi,$

So, $$\sin^{-1}(2x\sqrt{1-x^2})=\begin{cases} 2\cos^{-1}x &\mbox{if } 0\le \cos^{-1}x< \frac\pi4 \iff \frac\pi4< \sin^{-1}x\le \frac\pi2 \\ 2\cos^{-1}x-2\pi & \mbox{if } \frac\pi4\le \cos^{-1}x< \frac{3\pi}4\iff -\frac\pi2\le \sin^{-1}x< -\frac\pi4\\ \pi-2\cos^{-1}x & \mbox{if } \frac{3\pi}4\le \cos^{-1}x\le \frac\pi2\iff -\frac\pi4\le \sin^{-1}x\le \frac\pi4 \end{cases} $$

Now differentiate for each region