Another Trigonometric Integral Problem Help Me

afcwestwarrior
Messages
453
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


∫sec^2 (x) * tan (x) dx


Homework Equations


sec^2 (x)= 1+tan^2(x)


The Attempt at a Solution


=∫(1+tan^2 (x) or tan (x) tan (x)) tan (x) dx u=tan x, du=sec^2 dx

∫ (1+u^2) u du

= ∫u+u^2)du
= u^2/2 + u^3/3 = 1/2 tan^2(x)+ 1/3 tan^3 (x) +c

the answer in the back of the book is 1/2 tan^2(x)+c

what did i do wrong
 
Physics news on Phys.org
You didn't need to use this identity: sec2 (x)= 1+tan2(x)

u=tan x, du=sec^2 dx <-- This is an ideal start

\int tan(x) (sec^2(x) dx)



Do you see where to replace your tan(x) as u and so on now?
 
There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...
Back
Top