How do you simplify arctan (-1)?

1 Answer
Alan P.
Nov 10, 2015

arctan(-1) = -pi/4

Explanation:

If theta = arctan(-1)
then
color(white)("XXX")tan(theta)=-1

rArr for a triangle in standard trigonometric position
color(white)("XXX")("opposite")/("adjacent") = -1

and since arctan is defined as having a limited range of (-pi/2,+pi/2]

theta = -pi/4

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