2.

2 Trigonometric Substitution

The problem of evaluating certain types of integrals involving algebraic expressions

may be transformed into a problem of evaluating trigonometric integrals. The transformation
is affected by appropriate trigonometric substitutions for the original variable of integration.
These trigonometric substitutions which lead to integrable forms are given below.

TS1. When the integrand contains a2 – u2, use the substitution u = asin .

TS2. When the integrand contains a2 + u2, use the substitution u = tan .

TS3. When the integrand contains u2 - a2 , use the substitution u = asec .

For simplicity, we assume that is an acute angle, u is a differentiable function of x

and a is any number.

xdx
EXAMPLE 1 Evaluate
√4−x2

SOLUTION The integrand contains 4 – x2 which is of the form a2 – u2. That is a=2
u=x. Hence by TS1, we have

x = 2sin (1)
dx = 2cos d (2)

From (1) we also have

sin = x (3)
2
Using (2), draw the triangle as shown in Figure 1. From this figure, we
read

cos = √4 − x 2 (4)
2

or √4 − x 2 = 2cos (5)

2
x

√4 − x 2

FIG. 1
 Substituting (1), (2), and (5) in the given integral, we get

xdx 2sin 2cos d_

=
√4−x2 2cos

=2 sin d

= - 2cos + C

= -2 . √4 − x 2 + C
2
= - √4 − x 2 + C

EXAMPLE 2 Evaluate dx__

4x2 + 9

SOLUTION 4x2 + 9 takes the form u2 + a2 where u=2x and a = 3. Hence, by TS2,

2x = 3tan (1)
or
3
x = tan (2)
2
and dx = 3 sec2 d (3)
2
Form (1), we also get

tan = 2x (4)
3
Using (4), draw the triangle as shown in Figure 2. From this figure,
we read

sec = 4x2 + 9__ (5)

3
or 4x2 + = 9sec 2
(6)

Substituting (3) and (6) in the given integral, we have

FIG. 2