WTW 164

Unit 2.4: Trigonometric

substitution (part 2)
Dr HR (Maya) Thackeray
<maya.thackeray@up.ac.za>
Trigonometric substitutions (from previous
lecture)
The following substitutions are sometimes useful.
• For an integral involving , substitute x = a sin θ where θ is in the
interval [–π/2, π/2]; the expression becomes a cos θ (use the identity
1 – sin2θ = cos2θ).
• For an integral involving , substitute x = a tan θ where θ is in the
interval (–π/2, π/2); the expression becomes a sec θ (use the identity
1 + tan2θ = sec2θ).
• For an integral involving , substitute x = a sec θ where θ is in the
interval [0, π/2) (for x > 0) or θ in the interval [π, 3π/2) (for x < 0); the
expression becomes a tan θ (use sec2θ – 1 = tan2θ).
Questions: Trigonometric substitutions
(page 1)
• Find in three different ways.
Solution 1. = = .
Let x = 4 tan θ; we have dx = 4 sec2θ dθ. The integral is
= 128
= 128 = –128 (letting u = cos θ; we have du = –sin θ dθ)
= + C = + C = + C = (16 + x2)3/2 + C
(since x = 4 tan θ; think of a right-angled triangle with leg x opposite θ
and leg 4 adjacent to θ).
Questions: Trigonometric substitutions
(page 2)
Solution 2. As in solution 1, the integral is .
Let u = 16 + x2; we have du = 2x dx. The integral is
= u3/2 + C = (16 + x2)3/2 + C.
Solution 3. Instead of u = 16 + x2, let u = ; we have u2 = 16 + x2, so
2u du = 2x dx. The integral is
= = u3 + C = (16 + x2)3/2 + C.
(An alternative way to obtain u du = x dx for solution 3: we have u = ,
so du = = ; multiplying by u gives u du = x dx.)
Questions: Trigonometric substitutions
(page 3)
• Find .
Solution. We have x2 + 12x + 27 = (x + 6)2 – 9.
Let x + 6 = 3 sec θ; we have dx = 3 sec θ tan θ dθ. The integral is
= = ln|sec θ + tan θ| + C0
= ln + C0 (think of a right-angled triangle with hypotenuse x + 6 and leg
3 adjacent to θ)
= ln|x + 6 + | – ln 3 + C0
= ln|x + 6 + | + C (letting C = –ln 3 + C0).
Questions: Trigonometric substitutions
(page 4)
• Find .
Solution. 4x2 + 4x – 3 = (2x + 1)2 – 4, so 3 – 4x – 4x2 = 4 – (2x + 1)2.
Let 2x + 1 = 2 sin θ; we have dx = cos θ dθ. The integral is
= = cos θ – θ + C
= – arcsin + C (think of a right-angled triangle with hypotenuse 2 and
leg 2x + 1 opposite θ).
Tangent half-angle substitution (not part of
WTW 164)
Let t = tan(θ/2) with θ in (–π/2, π/2).
By the double-angle formula for tan, we have tan θ = ,
so cos θ = = = and sin θ = tan θ cos θ = .
(Think of a right-angled triangle with hypotenuse 1 + t2 and legs 2t and
1 – t2, with the leg 2t opposite the angle θ.)
We have θ = 2 arctan t, so dθ = .
We can use this to integrate rational functions of sin θ and cos θ.
Question: Tangent half-angle (not part of
WTW 164)
• Find .
Solution. Applying the tangent half-angle substitution, we see that the
integral is = =
= = ln – ln.