Trigonometric functions and integrals

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
5 replies · 2K views
Any Help
Messages
79
Reaction score
2

Homework Statement


I'm searching for the integral that gives arcosu

Homework Equations


as we know : ∫u'/[1-u^2]^0.5 dx = arcsinu
derivative of arccosu = -u'/[1-u^2]^0.5 + C
derivative of arcsinu= u'/[1-u^2]^0.5

The Attempt at a Solution


when I type the -u'/[1-u^2]^0.5 on the online integral calculator it always gives me -arcsinu +C
Why it doesn't gives arccosu
is the arccosu=-arcsinu?!
and what is the integral that gives arcosu?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Any Help said:

Homework Statement


I'm searching for the integral that gives arcosu

Homework Equations


as we know : ∫u'/[1-u^2]^0.5 dx = arcsinu
derivative of arccosu = -u'/[1-u^2]^0.5 + C
derivative of arcsinu= u'/[1-u^2]^0.5

The Attempt at a Solution


when I type the -u'/[1-u^2]^0.5 on the online integral calculator it always gives me -arcsinu +C
Why it doesn't gives arccosu
is the arccosu=-arcsinu?!
and what is the integral that gives arcosu?
cos-1u= -sin-1u+90°.
Sine and cosine functions have a phase difference of 90°.
 
cnh1995 said:
cos-1u= -sin-1u+90°.
Sine and cosine functions have a phase difference of 90°.

No, they differ by ##\pi/2## radians. It is a great mistake to mix trigonometric integrals with degree measurements; the calculus of trig functions is in radian units only!
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: cnh1995
Ray Vickson said:
No, they differ by π/2π/2\pi/2 radians. It is a great mistake to mix trigonometric integrals with degree measurements; the calculus of trig functions is in radian units only!
then what's the integral that gives arccos u?
 
Any Help said:
then what's the integral that gives arccos u?

There are two antiderivatives of ##1/\sqrt{1-x^2}##; they are ##\arcsin(x)+C## and ##-\arccos(x)+C##. Typically, sources like tables of integrals, or computer algebra packages, give only ONE of the two, and those seem to always be the ##\arcsin(x)## version. When you do it manually you are certainly allowed to give ##-\arccos(x) + C## as an answer; it is absolutely correct, because it is the same as ##\arcsin(x) + K## for some constant ##K## that is different from the constant ##C##.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Any Help and cnh1995