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Exercise 362Calculus › Single-variable calculus › Differentiation › Differentiable functionsL1Added 2 Nov 2026

Derivative of an inverse function

#inverse function#implicit differentiation#arcsine

Statement

  1. Let f(x)=x3+xf(x)=x^3+x. Show that ff is a bijection from R\mathbb{R} to R\mathbb{R} and compute (f−1)′(2)(f^{-1})'(2).
  2. Show that arcsin⁡′(y)=11−y2\arcsin'(y)=\dfrac1{\sqrt{1-y^2}} for y∈(−1,1)y\in(-1,1).
Hint

Differentiate the identity f(f−1(y))=yf(f^{-1}(y))=y. This gives (f−1)′(y)=1f′(f−1(y))(f^{-1})'(y)=\dfrac1{f'(f^{-1}(y))}.

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Solution

1. f′(x)=3x2+1>0f'(x)=3x^2+1>0, so ff is strictly increasing, and f(x)→±∞f(x)\to\pm\infty at ±∞\pm\infty, so ff is a continuous bijection onto R\mathbb{R}. We cannot easily write f−1f^{-1} explicitly, but we can find where it takes the value 22: f(1)=2f(1)=2, so f−1(2)=1f^{-1}(2)=1. Then
(f−1)′(2)=1f′(1)=14.(f^{-1})'(2)=\frac1{f'(1)}=\frac14.

2. Let x=arcsin⁡y∈(−π2,π2)x=\arcsin y\in(-\frac\pi2,\frac\pi2), so y=sin⁡xy=\sin x and cos⁡x>0\cos x>0. Then
arcsin⁡′(y)=1cos⁡x=11−sin⁡2x=11−y2.\arcsin'(y)=\frac1{\cos x}=\frac1{\sqrt{1-\sin^2x}}=\frac1{\sqrt{1-y^2}}.

Remark. The geometric meaning: the graph of f−1f^{-1} is the mirror image of that of ff across the line y=xy=x, so slopes are inverted.