Evaluate integral using substitution

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
5 replies · 2K views
Col Musstard
Messages
6
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


evaluate using substitution
Integral [cos^-1 x]/sqrt[1-x^2] dx

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


I am just starting with integration and I am getting frustrated with this problem. If someone could show me how to setup and start this problem so I could attempt to continue by reading instructions from my textbook it would be greatly appreciated
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Hint: What's the derivative of [itex]cos^{-1} x[/itex]?
 
that is -1/sqrt[1-x^2] isn't it
 
Yup. Note that it's the other part of the integrand, so that means you should use a substitution.
 
so u=cos^-1x. therefore du=-1/sqrt[1-x^2] dx
is this correct so far?

I got -[[cos^-1x]^2]/2 +c hope its right, thanks for the help
 
Last edited:
Yes, that's the correct answer. You can always differentiate what you got and see if you get back the integrand.