Are These Trigonometric Integral Solutions Equivalent?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the integration of the expression $\displaystyle\int\sqrt{1+\cos\theta}d\theta$. Participants explore various techniques and identities to simplify the integral and question the equivalence of different forms of the resulting solutions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses difficulty in integrating the function and seeks assistance.
  • Another suggests using a trigonometric identity to simplify the integral.
  • A participant proposes the half-angle identity $\cos(2a)=2\cos^2(a)-1$ as a potential method for simplification.
  • Another participant provides a derivation using the identity $\cos^2\!\tfrac{\theta}{2} = \frac{1+\cos\theta}{2}$, leading to the integral $\sqrt{2}\int \cos\tfrac{\theta}{2}\,d\theta$.
  • A participant shares their solution as $2\sqrt{2}\sin\left(\frac{\theta}{2}\right)+C$ and questions the equivalence of this result with another form they obtained, $2\sqrt{1-\cos\theta}+C$.
  • One participant asserts that the two forms of the answers are equivalent, providing a series of trigonometric identities to support this claim.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

There is no clear consensus on the equivalence of the different forms of the answers, as one participant claims they are equivalent while others have not explicitly agreed or disagreed with this assertion.

Contextual Notes

Participants have not fully resolved the question of equivalence between the two forms of the integral solutions, and the discussion includes various assumptions and identities that may not be universally accepted.

paulmdrdo1
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i was thinking hard how to integrate this, but none of the techniques I know did work.
please kindly help with this matter. thanks!

$\displaystyle\int\sqrt{1+\cos\theta}d\theta$
 
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You should get rid of the root . A useful trigonometric identity might work here .
 
what trig identity? i only know few basic identities. none of them did work.
 
you can use this identity $\cos(2a)=2\cos^2(a)-1$ it's called half-angle indentity.

or simply, you can multiply and divide the integrand to $\sqrt{1-\cos\theta}$

good luck sa'yo!
 
Hello, paulmdrdo!

$\displaystyle\int\sqrt{1+\cos\theta}\,d\theta$
Identity: .\cos^2\!\tfrac{\theta}{2} \:=\:\frac{1+\cos\theta}{2} \quad \Rightarrow \quad 1 + \cos\theta \:=\:2\cos^2\!\tfrac{\theta}{2}

. . Hence: .\sqrt{1+\cos\theta} \:=\:\sqrt{2}\cos\tfrac{\theta}{2}The integral becomes: .\displaystyle \sqrt{2}\int \cos\tfrac{\theta}{2}\,d\theta

Got it?
 
soroban said:
Hello, paulmdrdo!


Identity: .\cos^2\!\tfrac{\theta}{2} \:=\:\frac{1+\cos\theta}{2} \quad \Rightarrow \quad 1 + \cos\theta \:=\:2\cos^2\!\tfrac{\theta}{2}

. . Hence: .\sqrt{1+\cos\theta} \:=\:\sqrt{2}\cos\tfrac{\theta}{2}The integral becomes: .\displaystyle \sqrt{2}\int \cos\tfrac{\theta}{2}\,d\theta

Got it?

soroban, i solved it on paper but i don't have time to post the solution,

here's my answer.. $\displaystyle 2\sqrt{2}\sin\left(\frac{\theta}{2}\right)+C$ is this correct?

and also, i tried to solve by rationalizing the integrand the result is $2\sqrt{1-\cos\theta}+C$

By any chance are my answers equivalent? how do I know that the different forms of my answers were the same?
 
paulmdrdo said:
soroban, i solved it on paper but i don't have time to post the solution,

here's my answer.. $\displaystyle 2\sqrt{2}\sin\left(\frac{\theta}{2}\right)+C$ is this correct?

and also, i tried to solve by rationalizing the integrand the result is $2\sqrt{1-\cos\theta}+C$

By any chance are my answers equivalent? how do I know that the different forms of my answers were the same?

Yes they are equivalent.

\displaystyle \begin{align*} \cos{ \left( 2\theta \right) } &\equiv 1 - 2\sin^2{(\theta)} \\ \cos{ \left( x \right) } &\equiv 1 - 2\sin^2{ \left( \frac{x}{2} \right) } \textrm{ if } x = 2\theta \\ 2\sin^2{ \left( \frac{x}{2} \right) } &\equiv 1 - \cos{ \left( x \right) } \\ \sin^2{ \left( \frac{x}{2} \right) } &\equiv \frac{1 - \cos{ \left( x \right) } }{2} \\ \sin{ \left( \frac{x}{2} \right) } &\equiv \frac{ \sqrt{ 1 - \cos{(x)} } }{ \sqrt{2} } \\ 2\sqrt{2}\sin{ \left( \frac{x}{2} \right) } &\equiv 2\sqrt{ 1 - \cos{(x)}} \end{align*}
 

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