Trigonometric substitution, What am i doing wrong?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the application of trigonometric substitution in solving integrals, specifically addressing a common mistake in factoring. The participant initially divided terms under the radical by 4 instead of factoring it out, leading to an incorrect answer of 1/24 instead of the correct 1/12. The key takeaway is the importance of proper factoring in trigonometric substitution to avoid losing critical factors that affect the final result.

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  • Familiarity with integral calculus
  • Knowledge of algebraic manipulation, specifically factoring
  • Experience with evaluating definite and indefinite integrals
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  • Practice factoring techniques in algebra to enhance accuracy
  • Review integral calculus problems involving radical expressions
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Students studying calculus, particularly those focusing on integral techniques, as well as educators looking to clarify common mistakes in trigonometric substitution.

AMan24
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Homework Statement


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Homework Equations


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The Attempt at a Solution


Here is my answer, i get 1/24

For my first step i divided both terms under the radical by 4, then split 1/4 into (1/2)2, i saw something very similar in my book so i did the same thing, but i just realized this has to be wrong. Whatever was in my book looked like this, but i guess there must be more to it

I finally figured it out, was supposed to factor out the 4, not divide by it

qPJmbw2.jpg


Here is the books answer, it's 1/12
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I realize I am doing it differently than the books, but i just don't understand why my way is wrong. I've done it 3 times, very slowly and carefully. So there must be something I am not aware of. Please help me!
 

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In your very first step you factored out the 4 in the radical, which becomes 2 outside the radical which... disappears.
You lost that factor of 2. Your second integral is 1/2 the original so your answer is 1/2 the correct answer.
 
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