Integral Involving Trigonometric Functions with Varying Arguments

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around solving an integral involving trigonometric functions with varying arguments, specifically the integral of cos(ωt)sin(ωt - δ) with respect to time. The context is set within an Intermediate Mechanics course where the original poster is struggling with the mathematical aspects of the problem.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to apply a trigonometric identity to simplify the integral but finds it complicates the expression instead. They express difficulty in finding substitutions and consider using an integral table without success. Other participants suggest splitting the integral and using known identities to facilitate integration.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the problem, offering suggestions on how to rewrite the integral and apply trigonometric identities. There is a collaborative effort to clarify the steps involved, with some participants confirming the validity of the proposed approaches without reaching a consensus on a complete solution.

Contextual Notes

The original poster indicates that the added value in the argument of the sine function is a source of confusion, and there is an acknowledgment of potential redundancy in the discussion as multiple participants address similar points.

Joshk80k
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Homework Statement



I'm in an Intermediate Mechanics course right now, and while the Physics itself isn't giving me too much trouble, I am lagging behind in the Math department. I am trying to solve the integral:

\int cos(\omega t) sin(\omega t - \delta) dt


Homework Equations



sin(A-B) = sin(A)cos(B) - sin(B)cos(A)


The Attempt at a Solution



The first thing I recognized is that the trig functions had the same argument, plus a value, so I figured I could apply the above equation to the integral. However, that really just made things look more complicated.

\int cos(\omega t)sin(\omega t)cos(\delta) -sin(\delta)cos^2(\omega t) dt

I stared at this for a while, but I couldn't find any substitutions (Which is what I was expecting.) I then thought that maybe I should try an integral table, to see if this was listed somewhere, but I couldn't find any functions that might have made sense. The added value in the argument of the "Sin" function is what's tripping me up.

Can anyone give me a push in the right direction?
 
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sin(wt)cos(wt) is easy enough to integrate; just use u=sin(wt). For cos^2(wt), the standard way of integrating this is to use the identity cos(2x)=2cos^2(x) - 1.
 
Joshk80k said:
The first thing I recognized is that the trig functions had the same argument, plus a value, so I figured I could apply the above equation to the integral. However, that really just made things look more complicated.

\int cos(\omega t)sin(\omega t)cos(\delta) -sin(\delta)cos^2(\omega t) dt

I stared at this for a while, but I couldn't find any substitutions (Which is what I was expecting.) I then thought that maybe I should try an integral table, to see if this was listed somewhere, but I couldn't find any functions that might have made sense. The added value in the argument of the "Sin" function is what's tripping me up.

Can anyone give me a push in the right direction?

Looks good so far, now just split the integral into two and pull the constants out front:

\int \left[\cos(\omega t)\sin(\omega t)\cos(\delta) -\sin(\delta)\cos^2(\omega t)\right]dt= \cos(\delta)\int\sin(\omega t)\cos(\omega t)dt-\sin\delta\int\cos^2(\omega t)dt

The first integral can be easily done by substituting u=\sin(\omega t) the second integral can be evaluated by using another trigonometric identity, \cos^2(x)=\frac{1}{2}\left(\cos(2x)+1\right)
 
So I am able to rewrite

\int cos(\omega t)sin(\omega t)cos(\\delta) -sin(\delta)cos^2(\omega t) dt

as

\int cos(\omega t)sin(\omega t)cos(\\delta)dt - \int sin(\delta)cos^2(\omega t) dt

?

I guess that does make it really easy - thanks =)
 
Sorry for the redundant information - I posted at nearly the same time as you did.

Thanks very much for your help =).
 
Joshk80k said:
So I am able to rewrite

\int cos(\omega t)sin(\omega t)cos(\\delta) -sin(\delta)cos^2(\omega t) dt

as

\int cos(\omega t)sin(\omega t)cos(\\delta)dt - \int sin(\delta)cos^2(\omega t) dt

?

I guess that does make it really easy - thanks =)

Sure, one of the fundamental rules of calculus is that \int\left[f(x)+g(x)\right]dx=\int f(x)dx+\int g(x)dx.
 

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