AQA Core 3 Trigonometry

Section 2: Differentiating trigonometric functions

Notes and Examples
These notes contain subsections on
The derivative of sin x
The derivative of cos x
The derivative of tan x
Differentiating functions involving sine, cosine and tangent

The derivative of sin x

You can trace out the derivatives of sin x and cos x using the Geogebra
resource Differentiating sin x and cos x.
What does the derivative of y sin x look like?
It is clearly a periodic function, with period 2, as the values of the
gradient of the function must repeat itself every 2 just as y does;
The gradient is zero here
1

The gradient takes its largest

positive values here

2
The gradient takes its largest
negative value here

-1

Using this information, you can sketch the graph of the derivative of sin x:

-1

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This suggests that y cos x might fit the picture, and this is in fact the case,
although you need to know more about trig functions to prove this.
Note: It is important to remember that this result is only true if x is measured in
radians!

You can see why radians are the natural choice when differentiating
trigonometric functions by using the Geogebra resource Why radians are the
natural choice.

The derivative of cos x

What about the derivative of cos x? The graph of cos x is that of sin x
translated

to the left, so the gradient function will be that of sin x translated

2

to the left:
2

y = cos x
1

gradient of y = cos x

-1

This looks like the reflection of y = sin x in the x-axis, which is y = sin x. So:
d
d
(sin x) cos x ,
(cos x) sin x
dx
dx

You can see the full justification for these results in the Differentiating sine
and cosine from first principles video.

The derivative of tan x

What about the derivative of tan x?
You can do this by applying the quotient rule to trig functions. This is shown in
the textbook.

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This gives another result which you should remember and may be quoted.
d
(tan x) sec2 x
dx

Differentiating functions involving sine, cosine and tangent

You can now apply all the differentiation techniques you have learned to
functions involving sines, cosines and tangents.
Functions of the form y sin kx , y cos kx and y tan kx , where k is a
constant, can be differentiated using the chain rule.

Example 1
Differentiate y sin 2 x
Solution
Using the chain rule with u 2 x :
du
u 2x
2
dx
dy
y sin u
cos u
du
dy dy du

dx du dx
cos u 2
2 cos 2 x

The result from Example 1 can be generalised:

d
d
d
(sin kx) k cos x ,
(cos kx) k sin x ,
(tan kx) k sec2 x
dx
dx
dx

You can use these results directly, without having to write out the chain rule.
Here are some more examples.

Example 2
Differentiate:
(i) cos2 x

(ii) sin x

(iii) e x tan x

(iv)

sin x
,
1 cos x

Solution
(i)

Using the chain rule: u cos x

du
sin x
dx

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dy
2u
du
dy dy du

dx du dx
2u ( sin x)
2 cos x sin x
y u2

(ii)

You can only differentiate trig

functions when they are measured
in radians, so convert to radians
by multiplying by

x
y sin x sin

180
dy

cos

dx 180
180

180

180

Using the standard result for

differentiating cos kx

cos x

(iii)

Using the product rule:

du
u ex
ex
dx
dv
v tan x
sec 2 x
dx
dy
dv
du
u v
dx
dx
dx
x
2
e sec x e x tan x

(iv)

Using the quotient rule:

du
u sin x
cos x
dx
dv
v 1 cos x
sin x
dx
du
dv
v u
dy
dx 2 dx
dx
v
(1 cos x) cos x sin x( sin x)

(1 cos x) 2

cos x cos 2 x sin 2 x

(1 cos x) 2
cos x 1

(1 cos x) 2
1

1 cos x

Notice the use of

trigonometric identities to
simplify results.

The Chain Rule hexagonal puzzle involves differentiation of functions

involving exponential, logarithmic and trigonometric functions using the chain
rule.

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