Differential calculus
32
Differentiation of hyperbolic functions
32.1 Standard differential coefficients of
hyperbolic functions
From Chapter 5,
d
dx
(sinhx)=
d
dx
(
ex−e−x
2
)
=
[
ex−(−e−x)
2
]
=
(
ex+e−x
2
)
=coshx
If y=sinhax, where ‘a’ is a constant, then
dy
dx
=acoshax
d
dx
( coshx)=
d
dx
(
ex+e−x
2
)
=
[
ex+(−e−x)
2
]
=
(
ex−e−x
2
)
=sinhx
If y=coshax, where ‘a’ is a constant, then
dy
dx
=asinhax
Using the quotient rule of differentiation the deriva-
tives of tanhx, sechx, cosechxand cothxmay be
determined using the above results.
Problem 1. Determine the differential coeffi-
cient of: (a) thx(b) sechx.
(a)
d
dx
(thx)=
d
dx
(
shx
chx
)
=
(chx)(chx)−(shx)(shx)
ch^2 x
using the quotient rule
=
ch^2 x−sh^2 x
ch^2 x
=
1
ch^2 x
=sech^2 x
(b)
d
dx
(sechx)=
d
dx
(
1
chx
)
=
(chx)(0)−(1)(shx)
ch^2 x
=
−shx
ch^2 x
=−
(
1
chx
)(
shx
chx
)
=−sechxthx
Problem 2. Determine
dy
dθ
given
(a)y=cosechθ (b)y=cothθ.
(a)
d
dθ
(cosecθ)=
d
dθ
(
1
shθ
)
=
(shθ)(0)−(1)(chθ)
sh^2 θ
=
−chθ
sh^2 θ
=−
(
1
shθ
)(
chθ
shθ
)
=−cosechθcothθ
(b)
d
dθ
( cothθ)=
d
dθ
(
chθ
shθ
)
=
(shθ)(shθ)−(chθ)(chθ)
sh^2 θ
=
sh^2 θ−ch^2 θ
sh^2 θ
=
−(ch^2 θ−sh^2 θ)
sh^2 θ
=
− 1
sh^2 θ
=−cosech^2 θ
Summary of differential coefficients
yorf(x)
dy
dx
orf′(x)
sinhax acoshax
coshax asinhax
tanhax asech^2 ax
sechax −asechaxtanhax
cosechax −acosechaxcothax
cothax −acosech^2 ax