Section 7.3 The Graphs of the Tangent, Cosecant, Secant, and Cotangent
Functions.
OBJECTIVE 1:
Understanding the Graph of the Tangent Function and its Properties
sin x
. Recall also that division by zero is never
cos x
allowed. Therefore, the domain of f (x)  tan x is not the set of all real numbers.
Recall that y  tan x can equivalently be written y 
Complete
the tables below.



2
0
x
y  tan x

3
4

4
x
2




3
2

7
4
5
4
y  tan x





Using information above and the graph of f (x)  tan x , write the characteristics of the Tangent Function:







The domain is ___________________
The range is _____________________(interval notation)

The function is periodic with a period of P = ________________.
The principal cycle (includes 0) of the graph occurs on the interval ___________________
The function has infinitely many vertical asymptotes with equations ___________________
The y-intercept is ___________
For each cycle there is one center point. The x-coordinates of the center points are also the
x-intercepts or zeros are of the form ______ where n is ___________
 For each cycle there are two halfway points. The halfway point to the left of the x-intercept has a
y-coordinate of ________, and the halfway point to the right of the x-intercept has a y-coordinate
of ___________
 The function is __________ (odd or even or neither), which means tan(x) __________.
The
graph is symmetric about ______________________.
 The graph of each cycle of y  tan x is one-to-one (this will take on more meaning in 7.4)

Draw a set of axes. Determine appropriate tic marks for x and y, plot points, dash and label vertical
 0 ) and sketch the graph of f (x)  tan x .
asymptotes (where cos x 


OBJECTIVE 2:
Sketching Functions of the Form y  Atan(Bx  C)  D
Steps for Sketching Functions of the Form y  Atan  Bx  C   D

Step 1: If B  0 , rewrite the function in an equivalent form such that B  0 . Use the odd property of the
tangent function.
We now use this new form to determine A, B, C, and D.
Step 2: Determine the interval and the equations of the vertical asymptotes of the principal cycle. The interval
for the principal cycle can be found by solving the inequality 

2
 Bx  C 

2
. The vertical asymptotes of the
principal cycle occur at the “endpoints” of the interval of the principal cycle.
Step 3: The period is P 

B
.
Step 4: Determine the center point of the principal cycle of y  A tan  Bx  C   D . The x-coordinate of the
center point is located midway between the vertical asymptotes of the principal cycle. The y-coordinate of the
center point is D. Note that when D  0 , the x- coordinate of the center point is the x-intercept.
Step 5: Determine the coordinates of the two halfway points of the principal cycle of y  A tan  Bx  C   D .
Each x-coordinate of a halfway point is located halfway between the x-coordinate of the center point and a
vertical asymptote. The y-coordinates of these points are A times the y-coordinate of the corresponding halfway
point of y  tan x plus D.
Step 6: Sketch the vertical asymptotes, plot the center point, and plot the two halfway points. Connect these
points with a smooth curve. Complete the sketch showing appropriate behavior of the graph as it approaches
each asymptote.
For each example, determine the interval for the principal cycle. Then for the principal cycle, determine
the equations of the vertical asymptotes, the coordinates of the center point, and the coordinates of the
halfway points. Sketch the graph.
7.3.12
7.3.16
OBJECTIVE 3:
Understanding the Graph of the Cotangent Function and its Properties
cos x
. Recall also that division by zero is never
sin x
allowed. Therefore, the domain of f (x)  cot x is not the set of all real numbers.
Recall that y  cot x can equivalently be written y 
Complete
the tables below.



2
0
x
y  cot x

3
4

4
x
2




3
2

7
4
5
4
y  cot x





Using information above and the graph of f (x)  cot x , write the characteristics of the Cotangent
Function:





The domain is ___________________

The range is _____________________(interval notation)
The function is periodic with a period of P = ________________.
The principal cycle (includes 0) of the graph occurs on the interval ___________________
The function has infinitely many vertical asymptotes with equations ___________________





The y-intercept is ___________
For each cycle there is one center point. The x-coordinates of the center points are also the
x-intercepts or zeros are of the form ______ where n is ___________
For each cycle there are two halfway points. The halfway point to the left of the x-intercept has a
y-coordinate of ________, and the halfway point to the right of the x-intercept has a y-coordinate
of ___________
The function is __________ (odd or even or neither), which means cot(x) __________.
The
graph is symmetric about ______________________.
The graph of each cycle of y  tan x is one-to-one (this will take on more meaning in 7.4)

Draw a set of axes. Determine appropriate tic marks for x and y, plot points, dash and label vertical
asymptotes (where sin x 
 0 ) and sketch the graph of f (x)  cot x .

OBJECTIVE 4:

Sketching Functions of the Form y  Acot(Bx  C)  D
Steps for Sketching Functions of the Form y  Acot(Bx  C)  D
form such that B  0 . Use the odd property of the
Step 1: If B  0 , rewrite the function in an equivalent
tangent function.

We now use this new form to determine A, B, C, and D.
Step 2: Determine the interval and the equations of the vertical asymptotes of the principal cycle. The interval
for the principal cycle can be found by solving the inequality 0  Bx  C   . The vertical asymptotes of the
principal cycle occur at the “endpoints” of the interval of the principal cycle.
Step 3: The period is P 

B
.

Step 4: Determine the center point of the principal cycle of y  Acot(Bx  C)  D . The x-coordinate of the
center point is located midway between the vertical asymptotes of the principal cycle. The y-coordinate of the
center point is D. Note that when D  0 , the x- coordinate of the center point is the x-intercept.
Step 5: Determine the coordinates of the two halfway
points of the principal cycle of y  Acot(Bx  C)  D .

Each x-coordinate of a halfway point is located halfway between the x-coordinate of the center point and a
vertical asymptote. The y-coordinates of these points are A times the y-coordinate of the corresponding halfway
point of y  cot x plus D.

Step 6: Sketch the vertical asymptotes, plot the center point, and plot the two halfway points. Connect these
points with a smooth curve. Complete the sketch showing appropriate behavior of the graph as it approaches
 each asymptote.
7.3.35 Given the function ______________ determine the interval for the principal cycle. Then for the
principal cycle, determine the equations of the vertical asymptotes, the coordinates of the center point,
and the coordinates of the halfway points. Sketch the graph.
OBJECTIVE 5:
Properties
Understanding the Graphs of the Cosecant and Secant Functions and Their
Rewrite y  csc x as y 
1
and use knowledge of the graph of the sine function to graph the cosecant
sin x
function.
For f (x)  csc x ,









The domain is ___________________
The range is _____________________(interval notation)
The function is periodic with a period of P = ________________.
The function has infinitely many vertical asymptotes with equations ___________________
The function obtains a relative maximum at ________________ where n is a _____________
o The relative maximum value is ________________
The function obtains a relative minimum at ________________ where n is a _____________
o The relative minimum value is ________________
The function is __________ (odd or even or neither), which means csc(x)  __________.
The
graph is symmetric about ______________________.
Draw a set of axes. Determine appropriate tic marks for x and y, plot points, dash and label vertical

asymptotes (where sin x  0 ) and sketch the graph of f (x)  csc x .


Rewrite y  sec x as y 
1
and use knowledge of the graph of the cosine function to graph the secant
cos x
function.
For f (x)  sec x ,









The domain is ___________________
The range is _____________________(interval notation)
The function is periodic with a period of P = ________________.
The function has infinitely many vertical asymptotes with equations ___________________
The function obtains a relative maximum at ________________ where n is a _____________
o The relative maximum value is ________________
The function obtains a relative minimum at ________________ where n is a _____________
o The relative minimum value is ________________
The function is __________ (odd or even or neither), which means sec(x)  __________.
The
graph is symmetric about ______________________.
Draw a set of axes. Determine appropriate tic marks for x and y, plot points, dash and label vertical

asymptotes (where cos x  0 ) and sketch the graph of f (x)  sec x .


To sketch functions of the form y  Acsc  Bx  C   D and y  Asec  Bx  C   D , first sketch the
graph of the corresponding reciprocal function.
Steps for Sketching Functions of the Form y  Acsc  Bx  C   D and y  Asec  Bx  C   D
Step 1: Lightly sketch at least two cycles of the corresponding reciprocal function using the process outlined in
Section 7.2. If D  0 , lightly sketch two reciprocal functions, one with D  0 and one with D  0 .
Step 2: Sketch the vertical asymptotes. The vertical asymptotes will correspond to the x-intercepts of the
reciprocal function y  A sin  Bx  C  or y  A cos  Bx  C  .
Step 3: Plot all maximum and minimum points on the graph of y  Asin  Bx  C   D or
y  Acos  Bx  C   D .
Step 4: Draw smooth curves through each point from Step 3, making sure to approach the vertical asymptotes.
In the examples below, determine the equations of the vertical asymptotes and all relative maximum and
relative minimum points of two cycles of each function and then sketch its graph.
7.3.45
7.3.46
7.3.49