Integrating $\sin^3\left({x}\right)\cos\left({x}\right)dx$: Solution

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SUMMARY

The integral of $\sin^3(x)\cos(x)dx$ can be approached using substitution methods. The discussion highlights two methods: the first involves letting $u=\cos(x)$, leading to the integral $\int(u-u^3)du$, which simplifies to $\frac{\sin^4(x)}{4}+C$. The second method utilizes the identity $\sin^2(x) = \frac{1}{2}(1 - \cos(2x))$, transforming the integral into $\frac{1}{8} \int(1 - \cos(2x)) \, 2\sin(2x) \, dx$. Both methods yield valid results, showcasing different approaches to solving the integral.

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$\int\sin^3\left({x}\right)\cos\left({x}\right)dx$
$u=\cos\left({x}\right) du=\sin\left({x}\right)dx$
$\int\left(u-u^3\right)du$
I continued but didn't get the answer
 
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Since $$\frac{d}{dx}\left(\sin(x)\right)=\cos(x)$$, let:

$$u=\sin(x)\implies du=\cos(x)\,dx$$
 
So then...

$\int {u}^{3}du\implies \frac{u^4}{4}\implies\frac{\sin^4\left({x}\right)}{4}+C$

that's too easy!
 
Too easy? How about this then?

$\displaystyle \begin{align*} \int{\sin^3{(x)}\cos{(x)}\,\mathrm{d}x} &= \int{ \sin^2{(x)}\sin{(x)}\cos{(x)}\,\mathrm{d}x} \\ &= \int{ \frac{1}{2}\left[ 1 - \cos{(2x)} \right] \frac{1}{2}\sin{(2x)}\,\mathrm{d}x} \\ &= \frac{1}{8} \int{ \left[ 1 - \cos{(2x)} \right] \,2\sin{(2x)}\,\mathrm{d}x } \end{align*}$

Now let $\displaystyle \begin{align*} u = 1 - \cos{(2x)} \implies \mathrm{d}u = 2\sin{(2x)}\,\mathrm{d}x \end{align*}$...

What other alternate forms can you come up with?
 
Why doing the second step?

Since $$\dfrac{d}{dx}{{\sin }^{2}}x=2\cos (x)\sin(x)$$
 
Krizalid said:
Why doing the second step?

Since $$\dfrac{d}{dx}{{\sin }^{2}}x=2\cos (x)\sin(x)$$

Because I wanted it written in terms of (2x) :P
 

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