Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Inverse Functions
Inverse functions are pairs of functions that 'undo' each other. For a function f and its inverse f⁻¹, the property f(f⁻¹(x)) = x holds true for all x in the domain of f⁻¹, and f⁻¹(f(x)) = x for all x in the domain of f. This means that applying a function and then its inverse returns the original input, which is crucial for evaluating expressions involving inverse trigonometric functions.
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Inverse Trigonometric Functions
Inverse trigonometric functions, such as cot⁻¹, sec⁻¹, and csc⁻¹, are used to find angles when given a trigonometric ratio. For example, cot⁻¹(x) gives the angle whose cotangent is x. Understanding these functions is essential for solving problems that involve finding angles from given trigonometric values, as seen in the expression cot(cot⁻¹(9π)).
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Cotangent Function
The cotangent function, denoted as cot(x), is the reciprocal of the tangent function, defined as cot(x) = 1/tan(x) or cot(x) = cos(x)/sin(x). It is important to recognize that cot(cot⁻¹(x)) simplifies directly to x, provided x is within the appropriate range of the cotangent function. This property is key to evaluating expressions involving cotangent and its inverse.
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