Inverse trig integration (1 Viewer)

lychnobity

Active Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2008
Messages
1,292
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2009
let x = 3sina, dx = 3cosa da
So this: turns into this:

=∫3cosa.3cosa da
=∫9cos2a da
=9/2∫1 + cos2a da
= 9a/2 + 9sin2a/4+ c

my bad, fixed.
 
Last edited:

kaz1

et tu
Joined
Mar 6, 2007
Messages
6,960
Location
Vespucci Beach
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2009
Uni Grad
2018
How do you know when to make a trigonometric substitution?
 

lyounamu

Reborn
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
Messages
9,998
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
How do you know when to make a trigonometric substitution?
some questions just appear that way and if you have a question like that you usually are expected to make that sub anyway.
 

Trebla

Administrator
Administrator
Joined
Feb 16, 2005
Messages
8,392
Gender
Male
HSC
2006
How do you know when to make a trigonometric substitution?
Because no other substitution works as nicely. Alternatively, you could try integration by parts which gives a recurrence of integral if you know how to manipulate it properly.
 

Aquawhite

Retiring
Joined
Jul 14, 2008
Messages
4,946
Location
Gold Coast
Gender
Male
HSC
2010
Uni Grad
2013
You will often notice that almost all trig substituions have either different of two squares or something with perfect squares in them to make them a lot easier (thus making them a bit easier to identify...)
 

clintmyster

Prophet 9 FTW
Joined
Nov 12, 2007
Messages
1,067
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
Uni Grad
2015
Because no other substitution works as nicely. Alternatively, you could try integration by parts which gives a recurrence of integral if you know how to manipulate it properly.
my teacher told us something similar

as a last resort you always use either trig sub, t sub or integration by parts.
 

Aerath

Retired
Joined
May 10, 2007
Messages
10,169
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
How do you know when to make a trigonometric substitution?
Generally, when you see f(a^2-x^2), use substitution x = asin@ (or acos@)
f(a^2 + x^2) use x = atan@
f(x^2-a^2) use x = asec@

I generally try to avoid using substitutions...cause it can get very messy, so watch out for the quarter or semicircles, cause they appear often.
 

clintmyster

Prophet 9 FTW
Joined
Nov 12, 2007
Messages
1,067
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
Uni Grad
2015
Generally, when you see f(a^2-x^2), use substitution x = asin@ (or acos@)
f(a^2 + x^2) use x = atan@
f(x^2-a^2) use x = asec@

I generally try to avoid using substitutions...cause it can get very messy, so watch out for the quarter or semicircles, cause they appear often.
provided there are limits ofcourse. This method however is very useful for avoiding the necessary trig sub in volumes questions.
 

tehrobzorz

Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2009
Messages
48
Gender
Male
HSC
2010
when you have a difference of two squares under a squareroot
also simply when there is a fraction involving squares

like 1/(x^2+a^2)^3 dx

or when you need to rationalise

like sqrt[(5-x)/(x-1)] dx

but usually it involves a square root. BUT! becareful cause ive come across questions where you think you need to complete the square and then trig sub.. but it ends up simply ending up as f'(x)/f(x) = ln(x) so yeah =X
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top