MHB Integration of tan(x^2), is it possible?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Saitama
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Integration
Click For Summary
The integral of tan(x^2) cannot be expressed in terms of elementary functions, but the definite integral from 0 to √(π)/2 can be approximated using a Maclaurin series expansion. This expansion reveals that the integral converges quickly when evaluated at the specified limits. The series involves Bernoulli numbers, which may complicate the understanding for some users. Overall, while a straightforward solution may not exist, numerical methods or series approximations can provide useful evaluations.
Saitama
Messages
4,244
Reaction score
93
This is not a homework problem but something I saw on an another forum. Though the actual problem doesn't require the integral but I am interested to know if it possible to evaluate it.

The indefinite integral cannot be found in terms of elementary functions but is it possible to evaluate:
$$\int_{0}^{\sqrt{\pi}/2} \tan(x^2)dx$$
? (or with different limits?)
I couldn't find anything over the internet and I don't have any idea about the definite integral.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
Pranav said:
This is not a homework problem but something I saw on an another forum. Though the actual problem doesn't require the integral but I am interested to know if it possible to evaluate it.

The indefinite integral cannot be found in terms of elementary functions but is it possible to evaluate:
$$\int_{0}^{\sqrt{\pi}/2} \tan(x^2)dx$$
? (or with different limits?)
I couldn't find anything over the internet and I don't have any idea about the definite integral.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

The McLaurin expasion of the function is...

$\displaystyle \tan x^{2} = x^{2} + \frac{1}{3}\ x^{6} + \frac{2}{15}\ x^{10} + ... + \frac{B_{2 n}\ (-4)^{n}\ (1-4^{n})}{(2 n)!}\ x^{2 (2n+1)} + ...\ (1)$

... where the $B_{2 n}$ are the so called 'Bernoulli Numbers'. From (1) You derive...

$\displaystyle \int_{0}^{x} \tan \theta^{2}\ d \theta = \frac{1}{3}\ x^{3} + \frac{1}{21}\ x^{7} + \frac{2} {165}\ x^{11} + ... + \frac{B_{2 n}\ (-4)^{n}\ (1-4^{n})}{\{2 (2 n+1)+ 1 \}\ (2 n)!}\ x^{2 (2n + 1) +1} + ...\ (2)$

For $x= \frac{\sqrt{\pi}}{2}$ the (2) should converge fast enough...

Kind regards

$\chi$ $\sigma$
 
chisigma said:
The McLaurin expasion of the function is...

$\displaystyle \tan x^{2} = x^{2} + \frac{1}{3}\ x^{6} + \frac{2}{15}\ x^{10} + ... + \frac{B_{2 n}\ (-4)^{n}\ (1-4^{n})}{(2 n)!}\ x^{2 (2n+1)} + ...\ (1)$

... where the $B_{2 n}$ are the so called 'Bernoulli Numbers'. From (1) You derive...

$\displaystyle \int_{0}^{x} \tan \theta^{2}\ d \theta = \frac{1}{3}\ x^{3} + \frac{1}{21}\ x^{7} + \frac{2} {165}\ x^{11} + ... + \frac{B_{2 n}\ (-4)^{n}\ (1-4^{n})}{\{2 (2 n+1)+ 1 \}\ (2 n)!}\ x^{2 (2n + 1) +1} + ...\ (2)$

For $x= \frac{\sqrt{\pi}}{2}$ the (2) should converge fast enough...

Kind regards

$\chi$ $\sigma$

Ah, that is quite above my current level so I have no idea what are those Bernoulli Numbers but anyways, thanks chisigma! :)

I thought there could be a simpler solution to this but it doesn't look so. :P
 
Thread 'Problem with calculating projections of curl using rotation of contour'
Hello! I tried to calculate projections of curl using rotation of coordinate system but I encountered with following problem. Given: ##rot_xA=\frac{\partial A_z}{\partial y}-\frac{\partial A_y}{\partial z}=0## ##rot_yA=\frac{\partial A_x}{\partial z}-\frac{\partial A_z}{\partial x}=1## ##rot_zA=\frac{\partial A_y}{\partial x}-\frac{\partial A_x}{\partial y}=0## I rotated ##yz##-plane of this coordinate system by an angle ##45## degrees about ##x##-axis and used rotation matrix to...

Similar threads

  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Replies
4
Views
3K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
1K
  • · Replies 29 ·
Replies
29
Views
4K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Replies
2
Views
3K
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
4K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
3K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
1K