Integration involving substitutions II

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the integration of the function \(\int\frac{du}{u\sqrt{16u^2-9}}\) using various substitution methods, including trigonometric and hyperbolic substitutions. Participants explore different approaches to solve the integral, analyze the correctness of each other's methods, and clarify the use of substitution techniques.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant proposes a substitution \( \acute{u} = 4u \) and derives an expression involving \( \sec^{-1} \), questioning its correctness.
  • Another participant suggests that using a different variable name would improve clarity and points out an error regarding the substitution of \( u \) outside the square root.
  • A different approach using hyperbolic substitution is introduced, leading to a series of transformations and integrals that culminate in an expression involving \( \arctan \).
  • Several participants discuss the use of trigonometric identities and substitutions, particularly focusing on the transformation of the integrand into a more manageable form.
  • One participant expresses confusion about the rules for trigonometric substitution and seeks clarification on the process.
  • Another participant explains the transformation of the expression under the square root, providing a clearer understanding of the substitution process.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants exhibit disagreement regarding the correctness of various substitution methods and the resulting expressions. There is no consensus on a single correct approach, as multiple methods are proposed and debated.

Contextual Notes

Some participants reference integral tables and identities, while others focus on the derivation of results through substitution. There are unresolved questions about the application of trigonometric identities and the clarity of variable substitutions.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in advanced integration techniques, particularly those involving substitutions in calculus, may find this discussion beneficial.

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\begin{align*}\displaystyle \int\frac{du}{u\sqrt{16u^2-9}}\\& let\,\acute{u} =\,4u\\&d\acute{u}=4du\\&du=\frac{1}{4}(d\acute{u})\\ &\frac{1}{4}\int\frac{d\acute{u}}{\acute{u}\sqrt{(\acute{u})^2-a^2}}\\ & =\frac{1}{12}sec^{-1}\frac{4}{3}u+c -->> is\, this\, correct?\end{align*}
 
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Re: Integration Inverse trig II

paulmdrdo said:
\begin{align*}\displaystyle \int\frac{du}{u\sqrt{16u^2-9}}\\& let\,\acute{u} =\,4u\\&d\acute{u}=4du\\&du=\frac{1}{4}(d\acute{u})\\ &\frac{1}{4}\int\frac{d\acute{u}}{\acute{u}\sqrt{(\acute{u})^2-a^2}}\\ & =\frac{1}{12}sec^{-1}\frac{4}{3}u+c -->> is\, this\, correct?\end{align*}

It's better to use a different letter for a new variable, I know you've changed the symbol slightly but it's difficult to read.

Anyway, it's not correct, as the u outside the square root should become [math]\displaystyle \begin{align*} \frac{u'}{4} \end{align*}[/math].
 
Re: Integration Inverse trig II

paulmdrdo said:
\begin{align*}\displaystyle \int\frac{du}{u\sqrt{16u^2-9}}\\& let\,\acute{u} =\,4u\\&d\acute{u}=4du\\&du=\frac{1}{4}(d\acute{u})\\ &\frac{1}{4}\int\frac{d\acute{u}}{\acute{u}\sqrt{(\acute{u})^2-a^2}}\\ & =\frac{1}{12}sec^{-1}\frac{4}{3}u+c -->> is\, this\, correct?\end{align*}

My approach for this question would be to use hyperbolic and trigonometric substitution. Let [math]\displaystyle \begin{align*} 4u = 3\cosh{(t)} \implies du = \frac{3}{4}\sinh{(t)}\,dt \end{align*}[/math] and the integral becomes

[math]\displaystyle \begin{align*} \int{\frac{du}{u \,\sqrt{ \left( 4u \right) ^2 - 9 } } } &= \int{\frac{\frac{3}{4}\sinh{(t)}\,dt}{\frac{3}{4} \cosh{(t)}\sqrt{ \left[ 3\cosh{(t)} \right] ^2 - 9 }}} \\ &= \int{ \frac{\sinh{(t)}\,dt}{\cosh{(t)}\sqrt{9\cosh^2{(t)} - 9}} } \\ &= \int{ \frac{\sinh{(t)}\,dt}{\cosh{(t)}\sqrt{9 \left[ \cosh^2{(t)} - 1 \right] }} } \\ &= \int{\frac{\sinh{(t)}\,dt}{\cosh{(t)}\sqrt{9\sinh^2{(t)}}}} \\ &= \int{\frac{\sinh{(t)}\,dt}{3\cosh{(t)}\sinh{(t)}}} \\ &= \frac{1}{3} \int{ \frac{dt}{\cosh{(t)}} } \\ &= \frac{1}{3} \int{ \frac{\cosh{(t)}\,dt}{\cosh^2{(t)}} } \\ &= \frac{1}{3} \int{ \frac{\cosh{(t)}\,dt}{1 + \sinh^2{(t)}} } \end{align*}[/math]

Now let [math]\displaystyle \begin{align*} \sinh{(t)} = \tan{(\theta)} \implies \cosh{(t)}\,dt = \sec^2{(\theta)} \,d\theta \end{align*}[/math] and the integral becomes

[math]\displaystyle \begin{align*} \frac{1}{3} \int{ \frac{\cosh{(t)}\,dt}{1 + \sinh^2{(t)}} } &= \frac{1}{3} \int{ \frac{\sec^2{(\theta)} \,d\theta}{1 + \tan^2{(\theta)}} } \\ &= \frac{1}{3} \int{ \frac{\sec^2{(\theta)}\,d\theta}{\sec^2{(\theta)}} } \\ &= \frac{1}{3} \int{ 1\,d\theta} \\ &= \frac{1}{3} \theta + C \\ &= \frac{1}{3}\arctan{ \left[ \sinh{(t)} \right] } + C \\ &= \frac{1}{3} \arctan{ \left[ \sqrt{ \cosh^2{(t)} - 1 } \right] } + C \\ &= \frac{1}{3} \arctan{ \left[ \sqrt{ \left( \frac{4u}{3} \right) ^2 - 1 } \right] } + C \\ &= \frac{1}{3} \arctan{ \left[ \frac{\sqrt{16u^2 - 9}}{3} \right] } + C \end{align*}[/math]
 
Re: Integration Inverse trig II

Prove It said:
It's better to use a different letter for a new variable, I know you've changed the symbol slightly but it's difficult to read.

Anyway, it's not correct, as the u outside the square root should become [math]\displaystyle \begin{align*} \frac{u'}{4} \end{align*}[/math].
\begin{align*}\displaystyle \int\frac{du}{u\sqrt{16u^2-9}}\\& let\,\acute{u} =\,4u\\&d\acute{u}=4du\\& a = 3 \\& du=\frac{1}{4}(d\acute{u} )\\ &\frac{1}{4}\int\frac{d\acute{u}}{\acute{u}\sqrt{({u'})^2-a^2}}\\ & =\frac{1}{12}sec^{-1}\frac{4}{3}u+c\end{align*}

this is the other part of my solution

\begin{align*}\displaystyle\frac{1}{4}(\frac{1}{a}sec^{-1}\frac{u'}{a}) + c\end{align*}

since a = 3 and u' = 4u i substituted it to have

\begin{align*}\displaystyle\frac{1}{4}(\frac{1}{3}sec^{-1}\frac{4u}{3}) + c\\ \frac{1}{12}sec^{-1}\frac{4}{3}u+c\end{align*}
can you tell me what did i do wrong. please.
 
It appears to me that you are using a table of integrals, such as:

$$\int\frac{dx}{x\sqrt{x^2-a^2}}=\frac{1}{a}\sec^{-1}\left(\frac{x}{a} \right)+C$$

Applying this to your problem, you should write:

$$\int\frac{du}{u\sqrt{16u^2-9}}=\int\frac{4\,du}{4u\sqrt{(4u)^2-3^2}}=\frac{1}{3}\sec^{-1}\left(\frac{4u}{3} \right)+C$$

You should be able to demonstrate that this is equivalent to the result posted by Prove It.
 
I will try to walk you through how I would approach this problem using a trigonometric substitution. We are given to evaluate:

$$\int\frac{1}{u\sqrt{16u^2-9}}\,du=\int\frac{1}{u\sqrt{(4u)^2-3^2}}\,du$$

Now, when I look at the radicand in the denominator, I think of the Pythagorean identity:

$$\tan^2(\theta)=\sec^2(\theta)-1$$

So, this leads me to make the substitution:

$$4u=3\sec(\theta)\,\therefore\,4\,du=3\sec(\theta) \tan(\theta)\,d\theta$$

and this transforms the indefinite integral to:

$$\int\frac{\frac{3}{4}\sec(\theta)\tan(\theta)}{ \frac{3}{4}\sec(\theta)\sqrt{3^2\sec^2(\theta)-3^2}}\,d\theta=\int\frac{\sec(\theta)\tan(\theta)}{3\sec(\theta)\tan(\theta)}\,d\theta= \frac{1}{3}\int\,d\theta=\frac{1}{3}\theta+C$$

Now, using our substitution, we may solve for $\theta$:

$$4u=3\sec(\theta)$$

$$\theta=\sec^{-1}\left(\frac{4u}{3} \right)$$

and so we may conclude:

$$\int\frac{1}{u\sqrt{16u^2-9}}\,du=\frac{1}{3}\sec^{-1}\left(\frac{4u}{3} \right)+C$$
 
MarkFL said:
I will try to walk you through how I would approach this problem using a trigonometric substitution. We are given to evaluate:

$$\int\frac{1}{u\sqrt{16u^2-9}}\,du=\int\frac{1}{u\sqrt{(4u)^2-3^2}}\,du$$

Now, when I look at the radicand in the denominator, I think of the Pythagorean identity:

$$\tan^2(\theta)=\sec^2(\theta)-1$$

So, this leads me to make the substitution:

$$4u=3\sec(\theta)\,\therefore\,4\,du=3\sec(\theta) \tan(\theta)\,d\theta$$

and this transforms the indefinite integral to:

$$\int\frac{\frac{3}{4}\sec(\theta)\tan(\theta)}{ \frac{3}{4}\sec(\theta)\sqrt{3^2\sec^2(\theta)-3^2}}\,d\theta=\int\frac{\sec(\theta)\tan(\theta)}{3\sec(\theta)\tan(\theta)}\,d\theta= \frac{1}{3}\int\,d\theta=\frac{1}{3}\theta+C$$

Now, using our substitution, we may solve for $\theta$:

$$4u=3\sec(\theta)$$

$$\theta=\sec^{-1}\left(\frac{4u}{3} \right)$$

and so we may conclude:

$$\int\frac{1}{u\sqrt{16u^2-9}}\,du=\frac{1}{3}\sec^{-1}\left(\frac{4u}{3} \right)+C$$

i'm still confused about trigonometric substitution. i only use table of integrals leading to inverse trig functions. please enlighten me with trig substitution. what are the rules for that?
 
I am trying my best to do just that...at what point in my post do I lose you?
 
MarkFL said:
I am trying my best to do just that...at what point in my post do I lose you?

\begin{align*}\displaystyle tan^2(\theta)=\sec^2(\theta)-1\end{align*} you used this identities.

and you \begin{align*}\displaystyle let\, 4u=3sec(\theta)\, where\, did\, tan^2(\theta)+1\, go? why\, only\, use\, sec(\theta)\end{align*}
 
Last edited:
  • #10
paulmdrdo said:
\begin{align*}\displaystyle \tan^2(\theta)=\sec^2(\theta)-1\end{align*} you used this identities.

and you let 4u=3sec where did tan2-1 go? why only use sec?

We see that we want to transform:

$$(4u)^2-3^2$$

and given that:

$$3^2\tan^2(\theta)=3^2\sec^2(\theta)-3^2$$

we then see that if we let:

$$4u=3\sec(\theta)$$

then we will have:

$$(4u)^2-3^2=(3\sec(\theta))^2-3^2=3^2\sec^2(\theta)-3^2=3^2\tan^2(\theta)=(3\tan(\theta))^2$$

Now we have transformed this expression into a square, and since it is under a square root, we can get rid of the radical.
 
  • #11
Mark already did in one of your http://www.mathhelpboards.com/f10/integration-involving-trigonometric-substitutions-5545/.
 
  • #12
MarkFL said:
We see that we want to transform:

$$(4u)^2-3^2$$

and given that:

$$3^2\tan^2(\theta)=3^2\sec^2(\theta)-3^2$$

we then see that if we let:

$$4u=3\sec(\theta)$$

then we will have:

$$(4u)^2-3^2=(3\sec(\theta))^2-3^2=3^2\sec^2(\theta)-3^2=3^2\tan^2(\theta)=(3\tan(\theta))^2$$

Now we have transformed this expression into a square, and since it is under a square root, we can get rid of the radical.

now it's clear! thanks! this is the explanation I'm waiting for.
 

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