How Does Integration by Factors Relate to the Product Rule and FTC?

  • #1
Delta2
Insights Author
Gold Member
6,002
2,625
Homework Statement
if ##f(x)## has period ##2\pi## and it is positive and differentiable, prove that $$\int_0^{2\pi} (f(x)\cos x)(f(x)\sin x)'dx=\frac{1}{2}\int_0^{2\pi}f^2(x)dx$$
Relevant Equations
integration by factors ##\int f(x)g'(x)=[f(x)g(x)]-\int f'(x) g(x)##.
I tried to prove this but I fall into a loop when I try to apply integration by factors, that is I prove that the integral is equal to itself.

Any helpfull tips?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Im on my phone, so I cannot see anything past the f2. Sine and cosine derivatives are related. You'll likely need that. Maybe use product rule to expand (f * sin)' first
 
  • #3
Is it true? Try ##f(x) = \cos x##.
 
  • Like
Likes scottdave and Delta2
  • #4
PeroK said:
Is it true? Try ##f(x) = \cos x##.
I forgot to say that ##f(x)## is positive in ##[0,2\pi]##. And of course ##f## is differentiable.
 
  • #5
@PeroK let me ask you the dual problem , it holds that $$\int_0^{2\pi} (f(x)\cos x)(f(x)\cos x)'=0$$ right?

But yeah i am not 100% sure if the original problem is true or not .
 
  • #6
Delta2 said:
I forgot to say that ##f(x)## is positive in ##[0,2\pi]##. And of course ##f## is differentiable.
Try ##f(x) = \cos^2 x##.
 
  • #7
PeroK said:
Try ##f(x) = \cos^2 x##.
Don't see any light in the tunnel, I tried expanding the derivative but it goes a mess, hold on while I try better.

About the other integral you agree it is zero?
 
  • #8
Delta2 said:
Don't see any light in the tunnel, I tried expanding the derivative but it goes a mess, hold on while I try better.

About the other integral you agree it is zero?
I think you can't prove it because it isn't true!
 
  • Skeptical
Likes Delta2
  • #9
PeroK said:
I think you can't prove it because it isn't true!
Ok, the other integral is not equal to zero either?
 
  • #10
Where it goes wrong for the other I set $$g(x)=f(x)\cos x$$ so it goes $$\int_0^{2\pi}g(x)g'(x)dx=\frac{1}{2}[g^2(2\pi)-g^2(0)]=0$$ since ##g(2\pi)=g(0)## from the periodicity of f(x) and cosx.
 
  • #11
Forgot a factor of ##\frac{1}{2}## in the initial problem, I ll try to edit it.
 
  • #12
Delta2 said:
Ok, the other integral is not equal to zero either?
Plug in ##f(x) = \cos^2 x## and see whether the equality holds.
 
  • #13
PeroK said:
Plug in ##f(x) = \cos^2 x## and see whether the equality holds.
yes I tried this and by expanding the derivative and with the help of wolfram it gives zero indeed.
 
  • #14
I tried the other too (initial problem) and wolfram says that it is true! (for ##f(x)=cos^2(x)## (with the 1/2 factor correction). Beware I am not asking for the indefinite integrals but for the definite integrals within the period interval ##[0,2\pi]## .
 
  • #15
Tried ##f(x)=\sin^2 x## and it works again wolfram says the integrals are equal to ##3\frac{\pi}{8}##.
 
  • #16
Delta2 said:
Tried ##f(x)=\sin^2 x## and it works again wolfram says the integrals are equal to ##3\frac{\pi}{8}##.
Including an additional factor of ##1/2##!
 
  • Haha
Likes Delta2
  • #17
Er yes the integral on the left is ##\frac{3\pi}{8}## and on the right ##\frac{3\pi}{4}##.
 
  • #18
So it seems to be true after all, but I fall into an infinite loop if I try to use integration by factors to prove it.
 
  • #19
Tried ##f(x)=\cos x## and again it is true, (integrals are now equal to ##\pi## and ##\pi/2##.) so not sure if the requirement for f being positive is of any use.
 
  • #20
Proved it by considering ##f## as Fourier series $$f(x)=\sum a_n \sin(nx)+b_n\cos(nx)$$.

Since we are taking the definite integrals over the period interval, many integrals in the resulting sums become zero and only some crucial integrals survive that equal to multiples of pi. The equality to prove goes down to $$\sum (a_n^2+b_n^2)\frac{\pi}{2}$$ in both sides.

Not so easy not so hard either, maybe there is a clever shortcut with integration by factors? Come to think of it I should 've named this thread Fourier series, unless someone can find a clever shortcut using integration by factors.
 
Last edited:
  • #21
Delta2 said:
Homework Statement: if ##f(x)## has period ##2\pi## and it is positive and differentiable, prove that $$\int_0^{2\pi} (f(x)\cos x)(f(x)\sin x)'dx=\frac{1}{2}\int_0^{2\pi}f^2(x)dx$$
There's no need for ##f(x)## to be positive:
$$\int_0^{2\pi} (f(x)\cos x)(f(x)\sin x)' \ dx = \int_0^{2\pi} (f(x)\cos x)(f'(x)\sin x + f(x)\cos x) \ dx$$$$= \int_0^{2\pi} f^2(x)\cos^2 x + f(x)f'(x)\cos x\sin x \ dx$$$$= \int_0^{2\pi} f^2(x)\cos^2 x + \frac 1 2 \int_0^{2\pi} (f^2(x))'\cos x\sin x \ dx$$$$= \int_0^{2\pi} f^2(x)\cos^2 x - \frac 1 2 \int_0^{2\pi} (f^2(x))(\cos x\sin x)' \ dx \ \ (\text{by parts})$$$$= \dots$$
 
  • Love
Likes Delta2
  • #22
Well done @PeroK you found the clever shortcut, there was a solution with integration by parts as my meta-intuition suggested but for some reason I couldn't find it, I thought expanding the derivative is the first step towards hell e hehe.

But kind of fool you too for another reason, you initially thought it was wrong.
 
  • #23
Delta2 said:
Homework Statement: if ##f(x)## has period ##2\pi## and it is positive and differentiable, prove that $$\int_0^{2\pi} (f(x)\cos x)(f(x)\sin x)'dx=\frac{1}{2}\int_0^{2\pi}f^2(x)dx$$
Also, there's no requirement for ##f## to be be periodic.
 
  • Like
Likes Delta2
  • #24
PeroK said:
Also, there's no requirement for ##f## to be be periodic.
There is : you cant set to zero that "thing" (the first term from integration by parts) if f is not periodic but ye just $$f(0)=f(2\pi)$$ is enough if that's what you mean.
 
  • #25
Oops yeah you right there is ##\sin(0)=\sin(2\pi)=0## there :D.
 
  • #26
I think a huge part of this is to use double angle identities and power reduction formulas. Let me know if I did anything wrong.

##\int_{0}^{2 \pi} \left[ f\left(x\right) \cos x \right] \left[ f\left(x\right) \sin x \right]' \, dx##

##= \int_{0}^{2 \pi} \left[ f\left(x\right) \cos x \right] \left[ f'\left(x\right) \sin x + f\left(x\right) \cos x\right] \, dx##

## = \int_{0}^{2 \pi} f\left(x \right) f' \left(x \right) \cos x \sin x + f^2 \left(x\right) \cos^2 x \,dx##

I'm going to use a double identity ##\sin 2x = 2 \sin x \cos x## and power reduction formula ##\cos^2 x = \frac{1 + \cos 2x}{2}##

## = \int_{0}^{2 \pi} f\left(x \right) f' \left(x \right) \frac{\sin 2x}{2} + f^2 \left(x\right) \frac{1 + \cos 2x}{2} \,dx##

## = \frac{1}{2} \int_{0}^{2 \pi} \left(f'\left(x\right) f\left(x\right) \sin 2x + f^2 \left(x\right) \cos 2x\right) \,dx + \frac{1}{2} \int_{0}^{2 \pi} f^2\left(x\right)\,dx##

Recognize the first integrand (rather the first two) as a derivative of ##\frac{1}{4} f^2 \left( x \right) \sin 2x## by the product rule

##= \frac{1}{4} \int_{0}^{2 \pi} \frac{d}{dx} \left(f^2 \sin 2x \right)\,dx + \frac{1}{2} \int_{0}^{2 \pi} f^2 \left(x \right) \, dx##

Use the fundamental theorem of calculus on the first integral

## = \frac{1}{4} \left. f^2 \left(x\right) \sin 2x \right|_{0}^{2 \pi} + \frac{1}{2} \int_{0}^{2 \pi} f^2 \left(x \right) \, dx##

## = 0 + \frac{1}{2} \int_{0}^{2 \pi} f^2 \left(x \right) \, dx##

##= \frac{1}{2} \int_{0}^{2 \pi} f^2 \left(x \right) \, dx##
 
  • Like
Likes PeroK and Delta2
  • #27
@PhDeezNutz looks correct to me well done and you didn't use Integration by Factors, just well known trig identities and the FTC. Thanks!
 
  • Like
Likes PhDeezNutz
  • #28
Delta2 said:
@PhDeezNutz looks correct to me well done and you didn't use Integration by Factors, just well known trig identities and the FTC. Thanks!

Did the problem statement explicitly ask to use integration by factors? If so I might have another go at it later today.
 
  • #29
PhDeezNutz said:
Did the problem statement explicitly ask to use integration by factors? If so I might have another go at it later today.
Nope, I just thought that was the most straightforward way to do it.
 
  • Like
Likes PhDeezNutz
  • #30
PhDeezNutz said:
Did the problem statement explicitly ask to use integration by factors? If so I might have another go at it later today.
Note that your method is an alternative way to do integration by parts. One of my grumbles about maths teaching is that integration by parts is presented as some exotic formula. Whereas, I would call it the inverse product rule, which is more self explanatory. From the product rule we have:
$$(f(x)g(x))' = f'(x)g(x) + f(x)g'(x)$$Integrating that equation gives:
$$\int(f(x)g(x))'\ dx= \int f'(x)g(x) \ dx + \int f(x)g'(x) \ dx$$And, applying the FTC gives:
$$f(x)g(x) = \int f'(x)g(x) \ dx + \int f(x)g'(x) \ dx$$And, finally, the parts formula:
$$\int f'(x)g(x) \ dx = f(x)g(x) - \int f(x)g'(x) \ dx$$Note that as long as you remember the product rule, you can forget integration by parts entirely.

PS note that because we have an indefinite integral on both sides of the equation, we do not need an explicit constant of integration.
 
  • Like
Likes PhDeezNutz
  • #31
PeroK said:
Note that as long as you remember the product rule, you can forget integration by parts entirely.
Exactly! IBF is actually product rule +FTC.
 
  • Like
Likes PhDeezNutz

1. How does integration by parts relate to the product rule?

Integration by parts is essentially the reverse of the product rule in differentiation. In the product rule, you differentiate one function while integrating another. In integration by parts, you integrate one function while differentiating another. This relationship allows us to handle more complex integrals by breaking them down into simpler parts.

2. How does integration by parts relate to the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus (FTC)?

Integration by parts is a technique used to evaluate integrals, while the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus establishes a connection between differentiation and integration. By using integration by parts, we can solve definite integrals that are not easily evaluated using other methods, thus making use of the FTC to find the area under a curve.

3. Can the product rule be used to derive the formula for integration by parts?

Yes, the formula for integration by parts can be derived using the product rule for differentiation. By applying the product rule to the product of two functions u(x) and v(x), and then rearranging the terms, we arrive at the formula for integration by parts.

4. How does integration by factors differ from integration by parts?

Integration by factors is a technique used to integrate rational functions by factoring the denominator, while integration by parts is a technique used to integrate the product of two functions. Integration by factors is typically used when dealing with rational functions, while integration by parts is used for more general integrals.

5. How can integration by factors be used in conjunction with the product rule and FTC?

Integration by factors can be used in conjunction with the product rule and FTC by simplifying integrals involving rational functions before applying integration by parts or the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. By factoring the denominator and breaking down the integral into simpler parts, we can then apply other techniques to evaluate the integral more easily.

Similar threads

  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
9
Views
964
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
553
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
9
Views
1K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
12
Views
2K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
4
Views
1K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
13
Views
1K
Replies
1
Views
773
Back
Top