Integration - two sin functions

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the integration of two sine functions, specifically focusing on the transition between steps in an integration process. Participants are exploring methods to simplify the integration and evaluate the resulting expressions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts integration by parts and substitution but encounters difficulties with simplification. Some participants suggest using product-to-sum formulas and question the treatment of constants during integration. Others raise concerns about limits in integrals and the correctness of substitutions.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the problem, providing guidance on potential methods and clarifying the importance of limits in integration. There is a recognition of the challenges faced, and some progress is noted, though no consensus has been reached on a definitive solution.

Contextual Notes

There are indications of missing information and potential misunderstandings regarding the treatment of constants and limits in the integration process. Participants are also questioning the applicability of certain trigonometric identities in their attempts.

exidez
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Homework Statement



I have the answer I just don't know how he got it! I want to know how he got from the second line to the third line in the image below.


Homework Equations



eq0010MP.gif


The Attempt at a Solution



I have used integration by part and the u substitution method.

When substituting with u i am still left with the other terms in the other sine function.
When integrating by parts, it just doesn't simplify..

Is there another method i don't know about? There doesn't seem to be any trig identities either.
 
Last edited:
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Hi & welcome to PF!

Use the product to sum formulae:

img1.gif


Regards.
 
ok, that seems to be the way to go (i must remember these)
but i am still having problems evaluating it...

[tex]\frac{1}{2a^2}[/tex][tex]\int cos(at-2a\tau) d\tau - \int cos(at) d\tau[/tex]

[tex]\frac{1}{2a^2}[\frac{sin(at-2a\tau)}{-2a}][/tex]from t to 0 [tex]- [cos(at)\tau][/tex] from t to 0

im going to stop there because something is wrong already...
 
Are a and t constants?

Obviously [itex]\int cos(x)dx = sin(x)[/itex].

Regards.
 
Last edited:
[tex]\sin(at-a\tau)\sin(a\tau) = ?[/tex]
 
[tex]sin(at-a\tau)sin(a\tau) = \frac{1}{2}(cos(at-a\tau-a\tau) - cos(at-a\tau+a\tau)) = \frac{1}{2}(cos(at-2a\tau) - cos(at))[/tex]
subbing this into the integral and taking the half outside:

[tex]\frac{1}{2a^2}( \int cos(at-2a\tau) d\tau - \int cos(at) d\tau )[/tex]

i treated cos(at) as a constant because we are integrating with respect to tau, not t...
or is this where i am going wrong?
 
Last edited:
exidez said:
[tex]sin(at-a\tau)sin(a\tau) = \frac{1}{2}(cos(at-a\tau-a\tau) - cos(at-a\tau+a\tau)) = \frac{1}{2}(cos(at-2a\tau) - cos(at))[/tex]
subbing this into the integral and taking the half outside:

[tex]\frac{1}{2a^2}( \int cos(at-2a\tau) d\tau - \int cos(at) d\tau )[/tex]

i treated cos(at) as a constant because we are integrating with respect to tau, not t...
or is this where i am going wrong?

Actually, you forgot the limits. So your integral would be:

[tex]\frac{1}{2a^2}( \int_{0}^{t} cos(at-2a\tau) d\tau - \int_{0}^{t} cos(at) d\tau)[/tex]

Now make a substitution,

- for the first integral [itex]w=at-2a\tau[/itex]

- for the second integral treat cos(at) as constant, so that:


[tex]\frac{1}{2a^2}( \int_{0}^{t} cos(at-2a\tau) d\tau - cos(at)\int_{0}^{t} d\tau)[/tex]

Now find dw but do not forget the limits of the integral. You need to substitute 0, t for tau, in w.

Regards.
 
Ok here's another attempt

[tex]\frac{1}{2a^2}( \int_{0}^{t} cos(at-2a\tau) d\tau - cos(at)\int_{0}^{t} d\tau)[/tex]

let [tex]u = at-2a\tau[/tex]
[tex]\frac{du}{d\tau} = -2a[/tex]
[tex]\frac{du}{-2a} = d\tau[/tex]

[tex]\frac{1}{2a^2}( \int_{0}^{t} cos(u) \frac{du}{-2a} - cos(at)\int_{0}^{t} d\tau)[/tex][tex]\frac{1}{2a^2}(\frac{1}{-2a} \int_{0}^{t} cos(u) du - cos(at)\int_{0}^{t} d\tau)[/tex]

[tex]\frac{1}{2a^2}(\frac{1}{-2a} \int_{0}^{t} cos(u) du - cos(at)(t-0))[/tex]

[tex]\frac{1}{2a^2}(\frac{1}{-2a} \int_{0}^{t} cos(u) du - tcos(at))[/tex]

substituting u back in and evaluating

[tex]\frac{1}{2a^2}(\frac{1}{-2a} (sin(at-2at) - sin(at)) - tcos(at))[/tex][tex]\frac{1}{2a^2}(\frac{sin(at-2at)}{-2a} - \frac{sin(at)}{-2a} - tcos(at))[/tex][tex]\frac{1}{2a^3}(\frac{sin(at-2at)}{-2} - \frac{sin(at)}{-2} - atcos(at))[/tex]

[tex]-\frac{1}{4a^3}(sin(at-2at) - sin(at)} + 2atcos(at))[/tex]im stuck again, somehow i don't think that 4 is suppose to be in front there and the coefficient of 2 in front of the cos shouldn't be there either... is there another trig identity i should know?
 
Last edited:
As I said, again you missed the limit.

[tex]\frac{1}{2a^2}( \int_{0}^{t} cos(at-2a\tau) d\tau - cos(at)\int_{0}^{t} d\tau)[/tex]

let [tex]u = at-2a\tau[/tex]
[tex]\frac{du}{d\tau} = -2a[/tex]
[tex]\frac{du}{-2a} = d\tau[/tex]

Now, for [itex]\tau=0[/itex], u=at and for [itex]\tau=t[/itex], u = at-2at=-at

So your integral should look like: [tex] \frac{1}{2a^2}(\frac{1}{-2a} \int_{at}^{-at} cos(u) du - cos(at)\int_{0}^{t} d\tau) [/tex]

Be careful with those limits!

Regards.
 
Last edited:
  • #10
Oh, i now realize what you ment!
i always forget about those when i substitute u!
thanks will try again
 
  • #11
That help! Thankyou! You don't know how long i have been trying to figure this out.

you posted the limits the wrong way round, but you probably mixed them up when you typed it into the brackets {}{}..


[tex]\frac{1}{2a^2}(\frac{1}{-2a} \int_{at}^{-at} cos(u) du - cos(at)\int_{0}^{t} d\tau)[/tex]

[tex]\frac{1}{2a^2}(\frac{1}{-2a} \int_{at}^{-at} cos(u) du - cos(at)(t-0))[/tex]

[tex]\frac{1}{2a^2}(\frac{1}{-2a} \int_{at}^{-at} cos(u) du - tcos(at))[/tex]

[tex]\frac{1}{2a^2}(\frac{1}{-2a} (sin(-at) - sin(at)) - tcos(at))[/tex]

[tex]\frac{1}{2a^2}(\frac{1}{-2a} (- sin(at) - sin(at)) - tcos(at))[/tex]

[tex]\frac{1}{2a^2}(\frac{1}{a} (sin(at) - tcos(at))[/tex]

[tex]\frac{1}{2a^3}(sin(at) - atcos(at)[/tex]

Thanks again. I can now sleep knowing how he does it now! ;)
 
  • #12
Yep, you did it right. :smile:

Regards.
 

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