Math  /  Trigonometry

QuestionWhat is the range of y=sec1(x)?y=\sec ^{-1}(x) ? [π2,0)\left[-\frac{\pi}{2}, 0\right) and (0,π2]\left(0, \frac{\pi}{2}\right] [π2,0]\left[-\frac{\pi}{2}, 0\right] and [0,π2]\left[0, \frac{\pi}{2}\right] [0,π2)\left[0, \frac{\pi}{2}\right) and (π2,π]\left(\frac{\pi}{2}, \pi\right] [0,π2]\left[0, \frac{\pi}{2}\right] and [π2,π]\left[\frac{\pi}{2}, \pi\right]

Studdy Solution

STEP 1

What is this asking? What are all the possible output values when we plug *any* allowed xx into the inverse secant function, sec1(x)\sec^{-1}(x)? Watch out! Remember the inverse secant function has a restricted domain *and* range, unlike the regular secant function!
Don't mix them up!

STEP 2

1. Define the range of inverse secant.
2. Relate secant and cosine.
3. Analyze the range.

STEP 3

Alright, let's **define** our function!
The inverse secant, written as y=sec1(x)y = \sec^{-1}(x), is the *inverse* function of the secant function.
This means it essentially "undoes" what the secant function does.
So, if sec(θ)=x\sec(\theta) = x, then sec1(x)=θ\sec^{-1}(x) = \theta.

STEP 4

But there's a catch!
The secant function isn't one-to-one, meaning different angles can give you the same secant value.
To make the inverse secant a *function*, we have to **restrict its range**.
This is a standard restriction, not something we make up on the fly!

STEP 5

The **range** of sec1(x)\sec^{-1}(x) is [0,π2)[0, \frac{\pi}{2}) and (π2,π](\frac{\pi}{2}, \pi].
Notice that π2\frac{\pi}{2} is carefully excluded!
This is because sec(π2)\sec(\frac{\pi}{2}) is undefined.

STEP 6

Let's think about how secant and cosine are related.
Remember, the secant of an angle is the reciprocal of the cosine of that same angle.
Mathematically, this means sec(θ)=1cos(θ)\sec(\theta) = \frac{1}{\cos(\theta)}.

STEP 7

Since sec(θ)=x\sec(\theta) = x, we can also write 1cos(θ)=x\frac{1}{\cos(\theta)} = x.
This means cos(θ)=1x\cos(\theta) = \frac{1}{x}.
This relationship is super helpful because it connects the inverse secant to the more familiar cosine function.

STEP 8

We know the range of sec1(x)\sec^{-1}(x) is [0,π2)[0, \frac{\pi}{2}) and (π2,π](\frac{\pi}{2}, \pi].
Let's **think** about what this means for the cosine.
When θ\theta is between 00 and π2\frac{\pi}{2} (excluding π2\frac{\pi}{2}), cos(θ)\cos(\theta) is positive.
When θ\theta is between π2\frac{\pi}{2} and π\pi (excluding π2\frac{\pi}{2}), cos(θ)\cos(\theta) is negative.

STEP 9

This makes sense!
Since cos(θ)=1x\cos(\theta) = \frac{1}{x}, xx can be *any* number greater than or equal to 1, or any number less than or equal to -1.
This corresponds perfectly to the range of sec1(x)\sec^{-1}(x) that we defined earlier.

STEP 10

The range of y=sec1(x)y = \sec^{-1}(x) is [0,π2)[0, \frac{\pi}{2}) and (π2,π](\frac{\pi}{2}, \pi].
So the correct answer is [0,π2)\left[0, \frac{\pi}{2}\right) and (π2,π]\left(\frac{\pi}{2}, \pi\right].

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