Understanding the Derivative of the Cosine Function | Chain Rule and Graph Interpretation

derivative of cosine

The derivative of the cosine function is found by applying the chain rule

The derivative of the cosine function is found by applying the chain rule. The derivative of the cosine function with respect to an independent variable, usually denoted as x, is equal to the negative sine of x.

So, mathematically, if f(x) = cos(x), then the derivative of f(x) with respect to x is given by:

f'(x) = -sin(x)

The negative sign in front of the sine function indicates that the rate of change of the cosine function is in the opposite direction to that of the sine function. In other words, as the angle increases, the cosine function decreases, and vice versa.

To understand this concept visually, the graph of the cosine function has its peaks at the points where the derivative (sine) crosses zero. At these points, the slope of the cosine function is changing from positive to negative or from negative to positive, resulting in a maximum or minimum point on the graph.

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