MHB Pillar of Autumn's question at Yahoo Answers regarding an indefinite integral

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The discussion focuses on evaluating the indefinite integral of (sin(θ) - 1)/cos²(θ) dθ. The integral is rewritten as the difference of sec(θ)tan(θ) and sec²(θ), leading to the solution I = sec(θ) - tan(θ) + C. An alternative method involves using substitution for the first integral, where u = cos(θ) simplifies the calculation. The thread provides detailed steps for both approaches to solving the integral. This discussion highlights effective techniques for tackling complex integrals in calculus.
MarkFL
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Here is the question:

What is this indefinite integral?


at 0 (angle)

(sin0 - 1)/cos^2(0) d0

Can you please list the steps

I have posted a link there to this thread so the OP can see my work.
 
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Hello Pillar of Autumn,

we are given to evaluate:

$$I=\int\frac{\sin(\theta)-1}{\cos^2(\theta)}\,d\theta$$

I think the most straightforward method I can think of is to rewrite this as:

$$I=\int \sec(\theta)\tan(\theta)-\sec^2(\theta)\,d\theta$$

Now, given that:

$$\frac{d}{d\theta}\left(\sec(\theta) \right)=\sec(\theta)\tan(\theta)$$

$$\frac{d}{d\theta}\left(\tan(\theta) \right)=\sec^2(\theta)$$

we obtain:

$$I=\sec(\theta)-\tan(\theta)+C$$
 
MarkFL said:
Hello Pillar of Autumn,

we are given to evaluate:

$$I=\int\frac{\sin(\theta)-1}{\cos^2(\theta)}\,d\theta$$

I think the most straightforward method I can think of is to rewrite this as:

$$I=\int \sec(\theta)\tan(\theta)-\sec^2(\theta)\,d\theta$$

Now, given that:

$$\frac{d}{d\theta}\left(\sec(\theta) \right)=\sec(\theta)\tan(\theta)$$

$$\frac{d}{d\theta}\left(\tan(\theta) \right)=\sec^2(\theta)$$

we obtain:

$$I=\sec(\theta)-\tan(\theta)+C$$

Or if you're like me, and never remember the derivative of \displaystyle \begin{align*} \sec{(\theta)} \end{align*}, it can be written as \displaystyle \begin{align*} -\int{ \frac{-\sin{(\theta)}}{\cos^2{(\theta)}} \,d\theta} - \int{\sec^2{(\theta)} \,d\theta} \end{align*} and the first integral can be solved with the substitution \displaystyle \begin{align*} u = \cos{(\theta)} \implies du = -\sin{(\theta)} \, d\theta \end{align*}.
 
Here is a little puzzle from the book 100 Geometric Games by Pierre Berloquin. The side of a small square is one meter long and the side of a larger square one and a half meters long. One vertex of the large square is at the center of the small square. The side of the large square cuts two sides of the small square into one- third parts and two-thirds parts. What is the area where the squares overlap?

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