Q.Write , in the simplest form.
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Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →The key idea is to rewrite the inverse cotangent in terms of inverse secant using a right-triangle substitution. For , the simplest form is .
We are asked to simplify for . The expression inside the inverse function looks like a ratio that could come from a right triangle. Let’s see why.
The domain ensures that is real and positive, and the fraction is positive. So the angle lies in — the principal branch of for positive arguments.
Now, recall that . If we set , then we can imagine a right triangle where the side adjacent to is and the side opposite is . The hypotenuse then becomes .
So we have a triangle with:
- adjacent =
- opposite =
- hypotenuse =
From this triangle, . Therefore .
That’s the entire simplification. Let’s walk through it step by step.
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Set up the angle.
Let . Then , and since , .
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Interpret as a triangle ratio.
. So take adjacent = , opposite = .
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Find the hypotenuse. …
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