Hyperbolic cosine ($\cosh$)

The hyperbolic cosine is the even functionIt has derivative $\sinh x$ and second derivative $\cosh x>0$, so it is a strictly convex function. Its unique global minimum is $\cosh 0=1$, and its image is $[1,\infty )$. For example, $\cosh (-1)=\cosh 1\approx 1.543081$. On the unit hyperbola, the hyperbolic cosine is the horizontal coordinate; as a graph against $x$, it is a symmetric bowl.

Its Taylor series beginsThe positive fourth-order term explains why the bowl resembles a parabola near its minimum yet differs from one away from it. Restricting to $x\ge 0$ gives the inverse hyperbolic cosine.

A catenary is the static shape of an ideal flexible, inextensible chain hanging under its own gravitational weight in a uniform gravitational field, with uniform linear mass density along its arc length. With the lowest point above $x=0$, one convenient vertical origin givesHere $a$ has units of length. The supports and the chain's arc length determine the scale and position; horizontal and vertical shifts give the general catenary. ^[ref]

For $a=1$, the three points at $x=-1,0,1$ have heights $\cosh 1\approx 1.543081$, $1$, and $\cosh 1\approx 1.543081$. If heights should instead be measured from the lowest point, subtract $a$:The same three heights are then approximately $0.543081$, $0$, and $0.543081$. The shift changes the vertical origin and preserves the catenary shape.

The scale also measures tension: if $H>0$ is its constant horizontal component, $\mu$ is the linear mass density, and $g$ is the magnitude of gravitational acceleration, then $a=H/(\mu g)$. A short force balance explains this. For the portion from the lowest point to $x\ge 0$, with arc length $s(x)$, vertical tension balances its gravitational weight and horizontal tension givesApplying differentiation yields $a{y}^{\prime \prime }=\sqrt{1+y^{\prime 2}}$. The proposed hyperbolic cosine solves this differential equation, because $y^{\prime }=\sinh (x/a)$ and $a{y}^{\prime \prime }=\cosh (x/a)=\sqrt{1+{\sinh }^2(x/a)}$. This is the mechanism behind the shape, under the stated ideal chain assumptions.

The same identity simplifies the arc length between symmetric supports at $x=\pm b$:For $a=b=1$, $L\approx 2.350402$, exceeding the horizontal span of two. A larger $a$ at fixed $b$ gives a shallower sag: the Taylor series gives $a(\cosh (x/a)-1)=x^2/(2a)+x^4/(24a^3)+\cdots$. Thus a parabola is a local approximation, while the exact ideal chain shape is a catenary. The useful connection is that the same hyperbolic Pythagorean identity controls its coordinates, force balance, and arc length.

For a fixed positive integer $q$, $\cosh (1/q)={\sum }_{k\ge 0}{q}^{-2k}/(2k)!$ is irrational. If it were rational with denominator $b$, choose $N$ large enough that $b\mid (2N)!$. After multiplication by $q^{2N}(2N)!$, the finite partial sum is an integer and the remaining positive tail is bounded by a geometric series whose ratio is at most $1/[q^2(2N+1)(2N+2)]$. For sufficiently large $N$, this tail is strictly between zero and one, contradicting its integer value. Only a finite integer partial sum is used; convergence of an infinite series of rationals does not itself prove irrationality.

For $x\ge 1$, the inverse hyperbolic cosine on its nonnegative real branch is $\mathrm{arcosh}x=\log (x+\sqrt{x^2-1})$. It is the real cosine member of the inverse hyperbolic functions.

For $a>0$ and $|x|>a$, the displayed real antiderivative equals $\mathrm{arcosh}(x/a)$ on the right component and $-\mathrm{arcosh}(-x/a)$ on the left, up to constants. Differentiating the absolute logarithm gives $1/\sqrt{x^2-a^2}$ on both components. The constants are independent because the domain is disconnected. The integrals from either finite singular boundary are improper integrals that converge, since their integrands diverge only like the inverse square root of distance to that boundary.