Chapter 2

Hyperbolic Functions

After completing this section the student should be able to:

 Use hyperbolic functions on a calculator to solve simple equations
and evaluate expressions.
 Draw the graphs of sinh x , cosh x and tanh x .
 Use hyperbolic identities to simplify expressions.
 Differentiate and integrate expressions containing hyperbolic
functions.

2.1 Definitions
The combinations of ex and e-x in engineering, mathematics and physics are
called hyperbolic functions. They are used to describe waves in elastic solids, the
shapes of elastic power lines, temperature distributions in metals, etc.

sinh u = 1
2
(e u  e  u ) (1)

cosh u = 1
2
(e u  e  u ) (2)

We build other identities from (1) and (2):

sinhu e u  e u
tanh u = = u
cosh u e  e u

cosh u e u  e u
coth u = = u
sinh u e  e u
1 1 2
sech u = = = u
cosh u 1 u
2
e  e u 
e  e u
1 1 2
cosech u = = = u
sinh u 1 u
2
e  eu 
e  e u 

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2.2 Basic Identities:
Osborne’s rule is used to deduce the hyperbolic identities from the trigonometric
identities, by following a two-step process:
1) Replace all trigonometric functions with hyperbolic functions.
2) Replace all occurrences (explicit and implicit) of sin 2 x with  sinh 2 x .

The following identities result:

1. cosh 2 u  sinh 2 u  1
2. 1  tanh 2 u  sech 2 u
3. coth 2 u  1  cosech 2 u
4. cosh u  sinh u  e u
5. cosh u  sinh u  e u

2.3 Graphs of Hyperbolic Functions

By choosing a few t-values and calculating the corresponding y-values of the hyperbolic
functions we obtain the following graphs.
y  sinh t y  cosh t

N
Note: The minimum value of y  cosh t is 1.
y  tanh t

Note: The graph of y  tanh t approaches +1 as t

becomes more positive and approaches –1 as t
becomes more negative.

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2.5 Calculations:
Example 1
Evaluate or determine sinh 3 (using your calculator and giving answer correct to
3 decimal places)
Press hyp sin 3= 10,018 or 3 hyp sin = 10,018
You can also use the definition:
e 3  e 3
sinh 3 =
2
20,0855  0,0498
=  10,018
2
Example 2
Find tanh( x 2  4) if x = 1 (by using a calculator):

tanh( x 2  4) = tanh((1) 2  4)
= tanh 5  1
Example 3
Evaluate sech 0,5 :
1
sech 0,5 =
cosh 0,5
1
  0,887
1,127625
Example 4
 6,3 d 
The speed v of waves in shallow water is given by v2 = 1,8L tanh  where d is the
 L 
depth and the wavelength is L. If d = 30 and L = 270, find v.
 6,3 d 
Solution: v2 = 1,8L tanh 
 L 
 6,3  30 
= 1,8  270  tanh 
 270 
= 293,72
 v =  17,13

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Example 5
Simplify the following expression:
t sinh t  sin t
= , if t = 1 and  = 1,075
2 cosh t  cos t

Solution:
1,075 sinh 1,075  sin 1,075
=
2 cosh 1,075  cos 1,075

1,075  1,294  0,879

= = 0,812
2  1,636  0,476

Example 6
Bt

2
2 Be
If the number of individuals in a population y is given by y = Bt
, where t is
Cosh 2

measured in years, determine the value of y after 5 years if it is given that B = 200 and
 = 2,5  10-3.
2 , 5  103  200  5
2  200e 2
Solution y= = 60,68 or approximately 61 individuals.
 2,5  10 3  200  5 
cosh  
 2 

2.6 Inverse Hyperbolic Functions

2.6.1 Logarithmic Formulae
sinh 1 x is defined for all real x values and can be written as:


sinh 1 x = ln x  x2  1 
cosh 1 x is only defined for x 1 values and can be written as :


cosh 1 x = ln x  x2  1 
tanh 1 x is only defined for x  1 and can be written as:

1 1  x
tanh 1 x  ln  
2  1  x 

2.6.2 Problems and Definitions:

Example 1
Evaluate cosh-1 3,5 using:

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 i) logarithmic formula
ii) calculator
Solution

i)  x  1
cosh 1 x = ln x  2

 cosh 3,5 = ln 3,5  3,5  1

-1 2

 1,924
ii) Use Hyp inv or 2ndF cos
cosh 1 3,5  1,924
Example 2

i) sinh 1 15  ln(15  15 2  1)
 3,402

(ii) sinh 1 15  3,402

2.6.3 Applications:
Example 1
x
The curve assumed by a heavy chain or cable is y = C cosh . If C = 50, calculate the value of:
C
a) y when x = 109
b) x when y = 75
Solution:
 109 
a) y = 50 cosh    223,98
 50 
x
b) y = C cosh
C
y x
 = cosh
C C
y
 x = C cosh-1
C
 75 
= 50  cosh-1    48,12
 50 

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Example 2

 x
If the tension T at a point in the wire is given by T = 0,13 a 1  sinh 2   , where a = 300
a
m, determine the tension where x = 10 m.

 10 m 
Solution: T = (0,13  300 m). 1  sinh 2  
 300 m 

 1 
= 39 cosh    39,02
 30 

2.7 Differentiation of Hyperbolic Functions

Examples
d
1. sinh 2 x  2 sinh x cosh x
dx
= sinh 2 x
d
2. cosh 2 x 2  sinh 2 x 2 4 x = 4 x sinh 2 x 2
dx
d sinh x
3. e  e sinh x . cosh x
dx

Tutorial: Find the derivatives of:

 1  tanh x 
a) y  ln  
 1  tanh x 

b) y  cosh 2 1  x 2

2.8 Differentiation of Inverse Hyperbolic Functions

Examples:
1. y  sinh 1 5x
dy 1 5
  .5 =
dx 5x 2 1 25 x 2  1

2. y  cosh 1 e 2 x

dy 1 2e 2 x
  2e 2 x =
dx e 
2x 2
1 e4x  1

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Exercise 2.1

1. Determine the first derivative of the following functions:

x
a) y  sinh b) y  sinh 2 x
2
c) y  cosh 3 x d) y  sinh(ax  b)

e) y  cosh 2 x 2 f) y  sinh n (ax)

g) y  sinh x cosh x h) y  sinh 2 x
x
i) y  cosh j) y  tanh(ax)
3
x 1
k) y  tanh l) y  sinh
4 x
m) y  sin(ax)  cosh(ax) n) y  sinh 2 x  cosh 2 x

o) y  tan 2 x p) y  sinh x

 1  tanh x 
q) y  ln   r) y  e tanh x
 1  tanh x 
x x
s) y  sinh 1 t) y  cosh 1
2 5

Exercise 2.2
1. Determine the first derivative of the following functions:
a) y  ln sinh x  b) y  ln(tanh 2 x)

c) y  e tanh x d) y  tanh(sin x)

e) y  sin 2 x sinh 3x f) y  ln cosh x

g) y  cosh 2 3x  sinh 2 3x h) y  tanh(sin 1 x)

i) y  sinh x j) y  x sech x 2

k) y  3cosh x
2
l) 
y  cosh x 2  2

2. Determine the first derivative of the following functions:

a) y  sinh 1 (3x) b) y  cosh 1 (e x )
1
c) y  tanh 1 (tan x) d) y  coth 1 ( )
x
e) y  tanh 1 (sech x) f) y  tanh 1 (sin x)

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 x
g) y  tanh 1 (tanh ) h) y  cosech 1 (tan x)
2

i) y  cosh 1 (cos 1 x) j) y  x 1  x 2  sin 1 1  x 2

k) y  tanh 1 1  x 2 l) y  x cosh 1 x

m) y  ln(tanh 1 x) n) y  sinh 1 (ln x)

5x
o) y  cosh 1 p) y  sin 1 (tanh x)
2
2x
q) y  cosh 1 (sec x) r) y  tanh 1 ( )
1 x2
s) y  cosh 1 (4 x  1)

Exercise 2.3
Integrate:
a)  sinh 2 xdx b)  cosh(5x 1) dx
c)  cosech 2 x coth 2x dx d)  tanh 2 3x dx

 tanh  sinh x cosh x dx

2
e) 5 x sech 2 5 x dx f)

1
 sinh  cosh
2
g) 3x cosh 3x dx h) 2
dx
5x
cosh(ln x) sech 2 x
i)  x
dx j)  1  3 tanh x
dx

 sech (4 x  1) dx
2
k)

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