Integration Problem: Is My Book Wrong?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around an integration problem involving the integral of the function \( \int \tan^3(4x) \sec^4(4x) \, dx \). Participants are exploring different approaches to solve the integral and are questioning the correctness of their solutions in comparison to a textbook answer.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to solve the integral using substitution and integration by parts, expressing the integral in terms of secant and tangent functions. Other participants suggest alternative methods, including rewriting the integral in terms of sine and cosine. Questions arise regarding the notation used in one participant's solution and the meaning of certain terms.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively discussing their different approaches to the problem. Some express confidence in their methods while others raise questions about terminology and notation. There is no explicit consensus on the correctness of the solutions, but multiple interpretations and methods are being explored.

Contextual Notes

There is some confusion regarding the notation used for tangent, with participants questioning the term "tg" and its equivalence to "tan." Additionally, there are references to potential discrepancies between the original poster's solution and the textbook answer, which may involve a constant of integration.

mad
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I have this integration problem that I did but it doesn't give me the right answer. But there are like 3 other similar exercices I did the same way and I got all the right answers.. maybe it is my book (I don't think so ... :p)

It's an integration problem:

\int tg^3(4x) sec^4(4x)dx

heres what I did:

\int (sec^2(4x)-1)(tg(4x))(sec^4(4x))dx
= \int (sec^6(4x) - sec^4(4x)) (tg4x) dx

u= sec 4x
du = 4(sec4x)(tg4x)dx --> dx = du/(4(sec4x)(tg4x))

=\int \frac{(u^6 - u^4) du}{4u}

(replaced the sec(4x) at denom. with u since u=sec4x)

=\frac{1}{4}\int u^5 - \frac{1}{4}\int u^3
= \frac{1}{24}sec^6(4x) - \frac{1}{16} sec^4(4x) +C


Add anything you want! Thanks everyone

BTW the answer in my book is
(1/16) tg^4 (4x) + (1/24) tg^6(4x)
I tried it in my calc with an x and it doesn't give the same answer.
 
Last edited:
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Actually, those aer the same answers (up to that constant, if you put it directly into your calculator, they differ already by a constant that doesn't matter in this type of integration...add 1/48 to your answer to get the other). They just went another direction in the integration.
 
What the hell is tg(x)?
 
Here's another way.Denote the integral by I and write everything in terms of sine a cosine...

I=\int \left(\frac{\sin^{3}4x}{\cos^{7}4x}\right) \ dx

4x=u \Rightarrow 4dx=du

I=\frac{1}{4}\int \left(\frac{\sin^{4}u}{\cos^{7}u}\right) \ du <br /> =-\frac{1}{4}\int \left(\frac{1-\cos^{2}u}{\cos^{7}u}\right) \ d(\cos u) =-\frac{1}{4}\left[\frac{(\cos u)^{-6}}{-6}-\frac{(\cos u)^{-4}}{-4}\right] +\mathcal{C}

Therefore,reversing the substitution made

I=\frac{1}{24}\frac{1}{\cos^{6}4x}-\frac{1}{16}\frac{1}{\cos^{4}4x}+\mathcal{C}

Daniel.
 
whozum said:
What the hell is tg(x)?

Tangent of (x),what else? :rolleyes:

Daniel.
 
dextercioby said:
Here's another way.Denote the integral by I and write everything in terms of sine a cosine...

I=\int \left(\frac{\sin^{3}4x}{\cos^{7}4x}\right) \ dx

4x=u \Rightarrow 4dx=du

I=\frac{1}{4}\int \left(\frac{\sin^{4}u}{\cos^{7}u}\right) \ du <br /> =-\frac{1}{4}\int \left(\frac{1-\cos^{2}u}{\cos^{7}u}\right) \ d(\cos u) =-\frac{1}{4}\left[\frac{(\cos u)^{-6}}{-6}-\frac{(\cos u)^{-4}}{-4}\right] +\mathcal{C}

Therefore,reversing the substitution made

I=\frac{1}{24}\frac{1}{\cos^{6}4x}-\frac{1}{16}\frac{1}{\cos^{4}4x}+\mathcal{C}

Daniel.


Thanks for your help, Daniel.
I see my solution was okay. We had to do the problem by exponents of sec and tg. (sorry I don't know what the method is called in english)

However, what does d(cos u) means in your solution? and I know you replaced a sin^4 (u) by (1-cos^2 (u)), but where is the other sin^2 (x)
Surely it is the d(cos u) you used, but I'm not familiar with this notation
 
Last edited:
dextercioby said:
Tangent of (x),what else? :rolleyes:

Daniel.

What happened to tan(x)?
 
whozum said:
What happened to tan(x)?

Skin cancer you know...the poor devil.
 

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