TECHNIQUES OF INTEGRATION

7.3
Trigonometric Integrals

In this section, we will learn:

How to use trigonometric identities to integrate
certain combinations of trigonometric functions.
TRIGONOMETRIC INTEGRALS

We start with
powers of sine and cosine.
SINE & COSINE INTEGRALS Example 1

Evaluate ∫ cos3x dx

▪ Simply substituting u = cos x isn’t helpful,

since then du = -sin x dx.

▪ In order to integrate powers of cosine, we

would need an extra sin x factor.

▪ Similarly, a power of sine would require

an extra cos x factor.
SINE & COSINE INTEGRALS Example 1

Thus, here we can separate one cosine factor

and convert the remaining cos2x factor to
an expression involving sine using the identity
sin2x + cos2x = 1:
cos3x = cos2x . cosx = (1 - sin2x) cosx
SINE & COSINE INTEGRALS Example 1
We can then evaluate the integral by
substituting u = sin x.
So, du = cos x dx and
SINE & COSINE INTEGRALS

In general, we try to write an integrand

involving powers of sine and cosine in
a form where we have only one sine factor.

▪ The remainder of the expression can be

in terms of cosine.
SINE & COSINE INTEGRALS

We could also try only one cosine

factor.

▪ The remainder of the expression can be

in terms of sine.
SINE & COSINE INTEGRALS

The identity
sin2x + cos2x = 1
enables us to convert back and forth
between even powers of sine and cosine.
SINE & COSINE INTEGRALS Example 2

5 2
Find ∫ sin x cos x dx

▪ We could convert cos2x to 1 – sin2x.

▪ However, we would be left with an expression

in terms of sin x with no extra cosx factor.
SINE & COSINE INTEGRALS Example 2

Instead, we separate a single sine factor

and rewrite the remaining sin4x factor in
terms of cos x.
So, we have:
SINE & COSINE INTEGRALS Example 2

Substituting u = cos x, we have du = sin x dx.

So,
SINE & COSINE INTEGRALS
The figure shows the graphs of the integrand
sin5x cos2x in Example 2 and its indefinite
integral (with C = 0).
SINE & COSINE INTEGRALS

In the preceding examples, an odd power of

sine or cosine enabled us to separate a single
factor and convert the remaining even power.

▪ If the integrand contains even powers of

both sine and cosine, this strategy fails.
SINE & COSINE INTEGRALS

In that case, we can take advantage

of the following half-angle identities:
SINE & COSINE INTEGRALS Example 3

Evaluate

▪ If we write sin2x = 1 - cos2x, the integral

is no simpler to evaluate.
SINE & COSINE INTEGRALS Example 3

However, using the half-angle formula

for sin2x, we have:
SINE & COSINE INTEGRALS Example 3

Notice that we mentally made

the substitution u = 2x when integrating
cos 2x.
SINE & COSINE INTEGRALS Example 4

Find
4
∫ sin x dx

▪ We could evaluate this integral using the reduction

formula for ∫ sinnx dx (Equation 7 in Section 7.2) together
with Example 3.
SINE & COSINE INTEGRALS Example 4

However, a better method is to write and use a

half-angle formula:
SINE & COSINE INTEGRALS Example 4

2
As cos 2x occurs, we must use another
half-angle formula:
SINE & COSINE INTEGRALS Example 4
This gives:
SINE & COSINE INTEGRALS

To summarize, we list guidelines

to follow when evaluating integrals
of the form

∫ sinmx cosnx dx

where m ≥ 0 and n ≥ 0 are integers.

STRATEGY A

If the power of cosine is odd (n = 2k + 1),

save one cosine factor.

▪ Use cos2x = 1 - sin2x to express the remaining

factors in terms of sine:

▪ Then, substitute u = sin x.

STRATEGY B
If the power of sine is odd (m = 2k + 1),
save one sine factor.

▪ Use sin2x = 1 - cos2x to express the remaining

factors in terms of cosine:

▪ Then, substitute u = cos x.

STRATEGIES

Note that, if the powers of both sine

and cosine are odd, either (A) or (B)
can be used.
STRATEGY C

If the powers of both sine and cosine are

even, use the half-angle identities

▪ Sometimes, it is helpful to use the identity

TANGENT & SECANT INTEGRALS

We can use a similar strategy to

evaluate integrals of the form

m n
∫ tan x sec x dx
TANGENT & SECANT INTEGRALS

2
As (d/dx)tan x = sec x, we can separate
2
a sec x factor.

▪ Then, we convert the remaining (even) power

of secant to an expression involving tangent using
the identity
sec2x = 1 + tan2x.
TANGENT & SECANT INTEGRALS

Alternately, as
(d/dx) sec x = sec x tan x,
we can separate a
sec x tan x
factor and convert the remaining (even)
power of tangent to secant.
TANGENT & SECANT INTEGRALS Example 5

Evaluate ∫ tan6x sec4x dx

▪ If we separate one sec2x factor, we can express

the remaining sec2x factor in terms of tangent
using the identity sec2x = 1 + tan2x.

▪ Then, we can evaluate the integral by substituting

u = tan x so that du = sec2x dx.
TANGENT & SECANT INTEGRALS Example 5

So we have:
TANGENT & SECANT INTEGRALS Example 6

5 7
Find ∫ tan θ sec θ

▪ If we separate a sec2θ factor, as in the preceding

example, we are left with a sec5θ factor.

▪ This isn’t easily converted to tangent.

TANGENT & SECANT INTEGRALS Example 6

However, if we separate a sec θ tan θ factor,

we can convert the remaining power of
tangent to an expression involving only
secant.

▪ We can use the identity tan2θ = sec2θ – 1.

TANGENT & SECANT INTEGRALS Example 6
We can then evaluate the integral by
substituting u = sec θ, so du = sec θ tan θ dθ:
TANGENT & SECANT INTEGRALS

The preceding examples demonstrate

strategies for evaluating integrals in the form
∫ tanmx secnx
for two cases—which we summarize here.
STRATEGY A

If the power of secant is even (n = 2k, k ≥ 2)

save sec2x.

▪ Then, use tan2x = 1 + sec2x to express

the remaining factors in terms of tan x:

▪ Then, substitute u = tan x.

STRATEGY B

If the power of tangent is odd (m = 2k + 1),

save sec x tan x.

▪ Then, use tan2x = sec2x – 1 to express

the remaining factors in terms of sec x:

▪ Then, substitute u = sec x.

OTHER INTEGRALS

For other cases, the guidelines are not

as clear-cut.
We may need to use:

▪ Identities
▪ Integration by parts
▪ A little ingenuity
TANGENT & SECANT INTEGRALS

We will need to be able to integrate tan x

by using the formula:
TANGENT & SECANT INTEGRALS Formula 1

We will also need the indefinite integral

of secant:
TANGENT & SECANT INTEGRALS

We could verify Formula 1

by differentiating the right side,
or as follows.
TANGENT & SECANT INTEGRALS

First, we multiply numerator and denominator

by sec x + tan x:
TANGENT & SECANT INTEGRALS

If we substitute u = sec x + tan x,

then
2
du = (sec x tan x + sec x).

▪ The integral becomes: ∫ (1/u) du = ln |u| + C

TANGENT & SECANT INTEGRALS

Thus, we have:
TANGENT & SECANT INTEGRALS Example 7

3
Find ∫ tan x dx

▪ Here, only tan x occurs.

▪ So, we rewrite a tan2x factor in terms of sec2x.

TANGENT & SECANT INTEGRALS Example 7

Hence, we use tan2x - sec2x = 1.

▪ In the first integral, we mentally substituted u = tan x

so that du = sec2x dx.
TANGENT & SECANT INTEGRALS

If an even power of tangent appears with an

odd power of secant, it is helpful to express
the integrand completely in terms of sec x.

▪ Powers of sec x may require integration by parts,

as shown in the following example.
TANGENT & SECANT INTEGRALS Example 8

3
Find ∫ sec x dx

▪ Here, we integrate by parts with

TANGENT & SECANT INTEGRALS Example 8

Then,
TANGENT & SECANT INTEGRALS Example 8

Using Formula 1 and

solving for the required integral,
we get:
TANGENT & SECANT INTEGRALS

Integrals such as the one in the example

may seem very special.

▪ However, they occur frequently in applications of

integration.
COTANGENT & COSECANT INTEGRALS

Integrals of the form

m n
∫ cot x csc x dx
can be found by similar methods.

▪ We have to make use of the identity

1 + cot2x = csc2x
OTHER INTEGRALS

Finally, we can make use of

another set of trigonometric identities,
as follows.
OTHER INTEGRALS Equation 2
In order to evaluate the integral, use
the corresponding identity.

Integral Identity
a ∫ sin mx cos nx dx

b ∫ sin mx sin nx dx

c ∫ cos mx cos nx dx
TRIGONOMETRIC INTEGRALS Example 9

Evaluate ∫ sin 4x cos 5x dx

▪ This could be evaluated using integration by parts.

▪ It’s easier to use the identity in Equation 2(a):