Inverse Hyperbolics


© 2001 by Karl Hahn
KCT logo

In the main text we found that the inverse hyperbolic functions, hyperbolic arcsine and hyperbolic arccosine, can appear as part of the integrals of certain quadratic-under-the-radical type of integrands. Here you have an opportunity to get more familiar with these functions. We also found a useful way of expressing the related function, hyperbolic arctangent, in terms of logs.

Hyperbolic Arctangent

We have already seen that with a little algebra we can derive


   arctanh(x)  =


  1
    ln
  2



1 + x
     
1 - x


and we observed that this has as its domain only the interval,  -1 < x < 1.  At  x = 1  the above formula gives you a division by zero. At  x = -1  it gives you the log of zero. And everywhere else outside the domain it gives you the log of a negative number.

To illuminate what hyperbolic arctangent is all about, we take its derivative. This is easier if we apply the log-of-a-quotient identity first.

                  1               1
   arctanh(x)  =    ln(1 + x)  -    ln(1 - x)                     eq. 11.6b-1
                  2               2
When we take the derivative of that we get

   darctanh(x)
                =
        dx
      1            1
            +          
  2(1 + x)     2(1 - x)
which we can put over a common denominator to
get

   darctanh(x)
                =
        dx
   1 - x + 1 + x
                   =
  2(1 + x)(1 - x)
     1
                             eq. 11.6b-2
  1 - x2
Clearly the domain of a function's derivative cannot extend beyond the domain of the original function. But in this case, the expression we have arrived at for the derivative of  arctanh(x)  does appear to be extensible to a larger domain that includes all real numbers except  x = 1  and  x = -1.  The question is, can we extend the definition of the hyperbolic arctangent itself to include x greater than 1 and x less than -1?

Recall that when we looked at finding an antiderivative of  1/x,  we discovered that  ln(x)  worked just fine for positive x, but for negative x, we had to take the absolute value before applying the log. The same thing works for finding an antiderivative of  1/(1 - x2).  So for an extended definition of hyperbolic arctangent, let


   arctanh(x)  =


  1
    ln
  2



1 + x
     
1 - x



     1               1
  =    ln|1 + x|  -    ln|1 - x|     eq. 11.6b-3
     2               2
This too has a domain of all real numbers except  x = ±1.  At all other points, its derivative is exactly

   darctanh(x)
                =
        dx
     1
        
  1 - x2
The extended domain makes our new definition of hyperbolic arctangent much more satisfying and useful than just the inverse function of hyperbolic tangent.

Plot of Extended arctanh(x)

Here is a plot of the extended definition of  arctanh(x)  that we developed above. That plot is shown in blue. The green function is its derivative. Since  arctanh(x)  is an odd function, its derivative is an even function.

Observe the behavior of each of these functions near the points  x = ±1

Look also at the blue plot between plus and minus 1. Observe that if you turned that on its side and took its mirror image, you would have the exact plot of hyperbolic tangent that you saw in the main text, indicating that this branch is indeed the inverse of hyperbolic tangent.

This extended version of hyperbolic arctangent can be used for integrating functions that have a quadratic with real roots in the denominator, but no radical. There is, however, another way of doing these, which you will see in the section on partial fractions. And although using hyperbolic arctangent is just as valid a method for integrating such functions, most instructors will prefer you use the partial fraction method.

Hyperbolic Arccosine

As we observed from the main text, using the formula


   arccosh(x)  =  arctanh



 ______
√x2 - 1
       
   x


already gives hyperbolic arccosine a wider domain than it would have if you defined it strictly as the inverse of the hyperbolic cosine function. If you look at the
graph, you can see that even using the inverse function definition, you would still have to restrict that to only the first quadrant branch of hyperbolic cosine.

You can simplify the log-expression for hyperbolic arccosine simply by using a little algebra. We start with expanding it in terms of the hyperbolic arctangent.


                  1
   arccosh(x)  =    ln
                  2


     ______
    √x2 - 1
1 +        
        x



     1
  -    ln
     2


     ______
    √x2 - 1
1 −        
        x




         eq. 11.6b-4a

From there, using log identities and algebra, we get

   1
     ln
   2


     ______
    √x2 - 1
1 +        
        x



     1
  -    ln
     2


     ______
    √x2 - 1
1 −        
        x



     1
  =    ln
     2


     ______
x + √x2 - 1
     ______
x - √x2 - 1




  =


  1
    ln
  2



 x2 - (x2 - 1)
      ______  
(x - √x2 - 1)2




  =  ln




     1
     ______
x - √x2 - 1




  =  ln



      ______
 x + √x2 - 1
             
x2 - (x2 - 1)




  =

                           ______
                   ln|x + √x2 - 1|                                eq. 11.6b-4b
To take the derivative of the simplified expression, use the chain rule.

   darccosh(x)
                =
        dx

  

     1
     ______
x + √x2 - 1





       x
1 +  ______
    √x2 - 1



        1
  =   ______        eq. 11.6b-5
     √x2 - 1
In the right-hand pair of parentheses, put the 1 over a common denominator with the fraction and then add. You will see then that the numerator in the right-hand pair of parentheses cancels with the denominator in the left-hand pair of parentheses.

Even though the inverse of the hyperbolic cosine does not include in its domain any x less than 1, this derivative is easily extensible to include values of x that are less than or equal to -1. Our formula for using the hyperbolic arctangent to generate the hyperbolic arccosine also extends to this domain. Observe that the derivative, as we have extended it, is an even function. Hence the extended definition of hyperbolic arccosine must be an odd function.

Plot of Extended arccosh(x)

Here is a plot of the extended definition of  arccosh(x)  that we developed above. That plot is shown in blue. The green function is its derivative.

Observe the behavior of each of these functions near the points  x = ±1.  Notice also that neither the function nor its derivative are defined in the interval  -1 < x < 1

It is a bit startling that with hyperbolic cosine being an even function, this extended definition of its inverse should be an odd function. But that is the way it works out.

The extended version of hyperbolic arccosine often appears in the integrals of functions that have a quadratic with real roots under the radical, and where the x2 term is positive. Such functions will always have two branches. With the definition of hyperbolic arccosine extended as shown here, integral solutions that contain this function will always apply to both branches of the function.

Hyperbolic Arcsine

This one is well-behaved compared with the other two. That is, the inverse of the hyperbolic sine naturally has as its domain all real numbers. It is also continuous and differentiable everywhere. Hence there is no need to extend it. Based upon what we've already developed on this page, it should be clear that

                  1
   arcsinh(x)  =    ln
                  2



       x
1 +  ______
    √x2 + 1



     1
  -    ln
     2



       x
1 -  ______
    √x2 + 1




        eq. 11.6b-6a

Observe that you don't even need the absolute value signs here because the expressions inside the logs are always positive.

This one also simplifies with the help of log identities and some algebra

   1
     ln
   2



       x
1 +  ______
    √x2 + 1



     1
  -    ln
     2



       x
1 -  ______
    √x2 + 1



     1
  =    ln
     2


 ______
√x2 + 1 + x
 ______    
√x2 + 1 - x




  =


  1
    ln
  2



 (x2 + 1) - x2
  ______      
(√x2 + 1 - x)2




  =  ln




     1
 ______    
√x2 + 1 - x




  =  ln



  ______
 √x2 + 1 + x
             
(x2 + 1) - x2




  =

                       ______
                   ln|√x2 + 1 + x|                                eq. 11.6b-6b
I am going to let you take the derivative of this one yourself for practice. Look at how I did the derivative of the hyperbolic arccosine and do this one analogously. In the end you should
get

   darcsinh(x)        1
                =   ______                                       eq. 11.6b-7
        dx         √x2 + 1

Plot of arcsinh(x)

Here is a plot of  arcsinh(x).  There's not a whole lot to say about it because it is so well-behaved.

Hyperbolic arcsine often appears in the integrals of functions that have a quadratic under the radical that has no real roots.


Return to Main Text

You can email me by clicking this button:

  Use your own emailer     Use form