Integration Involving Trigonometric Functions and Trigonometric Substitution

Dr. Philippe B. Laval Kennesaw State University September 7, 2005

Abstract This handout describes techniques of integration involving various combinations of trigonometric functions. It also describes a technique known as trigonometric substitution. Students may want to review some basic trigonometric identities before reading further. The following trigonometric identities will be used: sin2 x + cos2 x = 1 1 + tan2 x = sec2 x 1 cos 2x sin2 x = 2 1 + cos 2x cos2 x = 2 sin 2x = 2 sin x cos x In addition, students need to remember the following: sin x is invertible when x . Its inverse is denoted sin1 x. 2 2 tan x is invertible when < x < . Its inverse is denoted tan1 x. 2 2 3 or x < . Its inverse is sec x is invertible when 0 x < 2 2 1 denoted sec x.

Powers of Sine and Cosine

Before we explain the technique, let us recall that we can integrate integrals of the form sinn x cos xdxor cosn x sin xdx where n is a positive integer, by using substitution. For example, to integrate sinn x cos xdx, we let u = sin x

then du = cos xdx. Therefore sinn x cos xdx = = un du

un+1 n+1 sinn+1 x = n+1

The other integral is done similarly. The technique used here depends on whether one of the powers is odd or both are even. We summarize the techniques, then do some examples. Proposition 1 Suppose we have an integral of the form sinm x cosn xdx.

1. If n is odd, that is n = 2k + 1, then save one cosine factor, and use the identity sin2 x + cos2 x = 1 to express the remaining factors in terms of sine. Then, use the substitution u = sin x. In other words sinm x cosn xdx = = = sinm x cos2k+1 xdx sinm x cos2k x cos xdx sinm x 1 sin2 x
k

cos xdx

2. If m is odd, that is m = 2k + 1, then save one sine factor, and use the identity sin2 x + cos2 x = 1 to express the remaining factors in terms of cosine. Then, use the substitution u = cos x. In other words sinm x cosn xdx = = = sin2k+1 x cosn xdx sin2k x cosn x sin xdx 1 cos2 x
k

cosn x sin xdx

3. If both m and n are even, we use the half-angle identities 1 cos 2x 2 1 + cos 2x 2 cos x = 2 sin2 x = as well as the identity sin x cos x = sin 2x 2

We illustrate the following techniques with some examples. Example 2 Find cos3 xdx This is the case where the power of cosine is odd. We save one cosine factor and write cos3 x = cos2 x cos x = 1 sin2 x cos x Therefore, cos3 xdx = = The rst integral is known cos xdx = sin x (2) 1 sin2 x cos xdx cos xdx sin2 x cos xdx (1)

The second integral can be evaluated using the substitution u = sin x = du = cos xdx and therefore sin2 x cos xdx = = u2 du (3)

u3 3 sin3 x = 3 sin3 x +C 3

Using equation 2 and equation 3 in equation 1 gives us cos3 xdx = sin x

Example 3 Find sin5 x cos2 xdx This is the case where the power of sine is odd. We save one sine factor and write sin5 x cos2 x = sin4 x cos2 x sin x = sin2 x
2

cos2 x sin x
2

= 1 cos2 x

cos2 x sin x

= 1 2 cos2 x + cos4 x cos2 x sin x = cos2 x sin x 2 cos4 x sin x + cos6 x sin x

Therefore, sin5 x cos2 xdx = cos2 x 2 cos4 x + cos6 x sin xdx

We then use the substitution u = cos x = du = sin xdx to get sin5 x cos2 xdx = = u2 2u4 + u6 du

u3 2u5 u7 + +C 3 5 7 cos3 x 2 cos5 x cos7 x + +C = 3 5 7

Example 4 Find sin2 xdx This is the case when the powers of sine and cosine are even (the power of cosine 1 cos 2x being 0). We use the half angle identity sin2 x = to obtain 2 sin2 xdx = 1 2 (1 cos 2x) dx

We use the substitution u = 2x = du = 2dx to get sin2 xdx = 1 (1 cos u) du 4 1 = (u sin u) + C 4 1 = (2x sin 2x) + C 4 x sin 2x +C = 2 4

Similar techniques can be applied to powers of tangent and secant. We will not cover them here. They can be found in most Calculus books.

Trigonometric Substitution

The techniques we are about to describe apply to integrals containing expressions of the form a2 x2 a2 + x2 x2 a2 for which the other techniques have failed. For example, if we were given x 1 x2 dx, the substitution u = 1 x2 would work. However, if we were 4

 given 1 x2 dx, it would be much more dicult to do. We will look at each case separately. Before we do this, it is important to keep in mind an important dierence between the substitution technique learned before and the one we are about to explain. In the traditional substitution, we dene the new variable in terms of the old. For example, u = 1 x2 . In trigonometric substitution, we redene the given variable. Remark 5 In order to be able to do this substitution successfully, you must be able to nd all the trigonometric functions, knowing one of them. This can be done either by using trigonometric identities or a triangle. This technique can be found in any book dealing with trigonometric functions. It can also be found on the handout linked to on the web site for the class.

2.1

Integral Containing

a2 x2

We use the substitution x = a sin , with and a > 0. We impose 2 2 this restriction on so that sin will have an inverse. This substitution is based on the identity 1 sin2 = cos2 and works as follows: x = a sin = x2 = a2 sin2 = a2 x2 = a2 a2 sin2 = a2 1 sin2 = a2 cos2 Therefore a2 x2 = a2 cos2 = |a cos | = |a| |cos | = a cos We were able to remove the absolute value because a > 0 and cos 0 when . We illustrate this with examples. 2 2 9 x2 dx Example 6 Find x2 We let x = 3 sin , with . Then dx = 3 cos . Also, as noted above, 2 2

 9 x2 = 3 cos . Therefore, 9 x2 dx = x2 = = =

3 cos 3 cos d 9 sin2 cos2 d sin2 cot2 d csc2 1 d

= cot + C We need to express our answer in terms of x. Since x = 3 sin , it follows that x = sin1 . Also, either using trigonometric identities, or a triangle, we nd 3 9 x2 that cot = . Therefore, x 9 x2 9 x2 x dx = sin1 + C 2 x x 3 2 Example 7 Find 0 4 x2 dx Method 1 We recognize that 4 x2 is the upper half circle of radius 2 centered at the origin. The integral of it between 0 and 2 corresponds to the area of the rst quadrant of this circle. Therefore
2 0

4 x2 dx =

1 (area of a circle of radius 2) 4 1 2 = 2 4 =

This method is very quick and easy. However, it would not work if the problem had been to nd an antiderivative. We show another technique, using trigonometric substitution. Method 2 According to what was explained above, we let x = 2 sin . Then, 4 x2 = 2 cos . Also, dx = 2 cos d. To nd the value of this integral, we will rst nd an antiderivative, then use the given limits of integration. Therefore, 4 x2 dx = 4 =4 cos cos d cos2 d

Remembering the techniques of the previous section, we use cos2 = Therefore, 4 x2 dx = 4 =2 1 + cos 2 d 2 (1 + cos 2) d

1 + cos 2 . 2

If we let u = 2, then du = 2d and we have 4 x2 dx = (1 + cos u) du

= u + sin u = 2 + sin 2 = 2 + 2 sin cos We obtained the last equality using the identity sin 2 = 2 sin cos . Now, we write everything back in terms of x. First, since x = 2 sin , we see that x sin = 2 and x = sin1 2 To express cos in terms of x, we use cos2 = 1 sin2 and since cos 0, we have cos = = 1 sin2 1

x2 4 4 x2 = 4 4 1 = (4 x2 ) 4 4 x2 = 2 Therefore 4 x2 dx = 2 sin
1

= 2 sin1

x x 4 x2 +2 2 2 2 x x 4 x2 + 2 2

We can now nd the denite integral

2 0

4 x2 dx = 2 sin1

x x 4 x2 + 2 2 2 0 = 2 sin1 1 + 2 = 2 + 0 (0 + 0) 2 =

2 sin

0 4 0+ 2

2.2

Integral Containing

a2 + x2

We use the substitution x = a tan , with a > 0 and < < . We impose 2 2 this restriction on so that tan will have an inverse. The substitution is based on the identity 1 + tan2 = sec2 and works as follows: a2 + x2 = a2 + a2 tan2 = a2 1 + tan2 = a2 sec2 a2 sec2 = a sec2 = a |sec | = a sec Because a > 0 and sec 0 if < < . 2 2 1 dx Example 8 Find x2 x2 + 4 We let x = 2 tan , dx = 2 sec2 d. Also, x2 + 4 = 2 sec . Therefore: a2 + x2 = x2 1 dx = x2 + 4 = Now, 1 sec cos = tan2 sin2 cos2 cos = sin2 8 1 4 2 sec2 d 4 tan2 (2 sec ) sec d tan2 Therefore

If we make the substitution u = sin , then du = cos d and we get: x2 1 1 cos dx = d 2 4 sin2 x +4 1 du = 4 u2 1 = u2 du 4 1 = +C 4u 1 +C = 4 sin x sin = 4 + x2 Therefore 4 + x2 1 dx = +C 4x x2 x2 + 4

We express sin in terms of x and obtain

2.3

Integral Containing

x2 a2

3 We use the substitution x = a sec , with a > 0 and 0 < or < . 2 2 We impose this restriction on so that sec will be invertible. This substitution is based on the identity sec2 1 = tan2 and works as follows: x2 a2 = a2 sec2 a2 = a2 sec2 1 = a2 tan2 Therefore x2 a2 = a2 tan2 = |a| |tan | = a tan because a > 0 and tan o when 0 < Example 9 Find 3 or < . 2 2

dx , where a > 0. 2 x a2 According to the explanation above, we let x = a sec . Then, dx = a sec tan d.

Also,

x2 a2 = a tan . Therefore dx = x2 a2 = a sec tan d a tan sec d

= ln |sec + tan | + C x (see homework 1). Now, we need to write everything in terms of x. sec = a x2 a2 and tan = . Therefore, a x x2 a2 dx = ln + +C a a x2 a2 = ln x + = ln x + x2 a2 ln a + C x2 a2 + C

Problems
1. Find sec d. sec + tan ) 2. Find 3. Find cos4 xdx (hint: multiply both numerator and denominator by

cos5 x sin5 xdx a2 x2 dx

4. Using the technique of example 7, nd 5. Find 6. Find 7. Find 8. Find x dx 1 x2 1 4x2 dx x dx 2 x +3 et 9 e2t dt

4
1. 2. 3.

Answers
sec d = ln |sec + tan | + C 1 6 sin x 6 3 1 cos4 xdx = x + sin 2x + 8 4 cos5 x sin5 xdx = 1 8 1 sin x + sin10 x + C 4 10 1 sin 4x 32 10

4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

x 2 a2 x a2 x2 dx = a x2 + sin1 + C 2 2 a x dx = 1 x2 + C 1 x2 1 1 1 4x2 dx = sin1 2x + x 1 4x2 + C 4 2 x dx = x2 + 3 + C x2 + 3 1 t et et 9 e2t dt = e 9 e2t + 9 sin1 +C 2 3

11