Trigonometric Substitutions - help

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the integration of functions involving trigonometric substitutions, specifically focusing on integrals like $\int \frac{\sqrt{1-4x^2}dx}{x}$ and $\int \frac{dx}{\sqrt{16-x^2}}$. Participants are exploring various substitution techniques and the challenges that arise during the integration process.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the necessity of replacing all instances of x during trigonometric substitution. There are attempts to derive antiderivatives and concerns about correctness. Some participants express confusion about the steps involved in substitutions and the resulting forms of the integrals.

Discussion Status

There is an ongoing exploration of different substitution methods and their implications on the integrals. Some participants have provided guidance on how to approach the problems, while others are still grappling with the correct application of trigonometric identities and substitutions.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working within the constraints of homework assignments, which may limit the information available or the methods they can use. There is a focus on ensuring that substitutions are correctly applied to avoid errors in the integration process.

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Homework Statement


[tex]$\int \frac{\sqrt{1-4x^2}dx}{x}$[/tex]


Homework Equations




The Attempt at a Solution


im stuck and i have no idea why I am getting the wrong answer.

let 2x = sin[tex]\phi[/tex]
dx = cos[tex]\phi[/tex] d[tex]\phi[/tex] / 2
[tex]$\int \frac{\sqrt{1-(2x)^2}dx}{x}$[/tex]=[tex]$\int \frac{\sqrt{1-(sin\phi)^2}dx}{x}$[/tex]=[tex]$\int \frac{\sqrt{cos\phi^2}dx}{x}$[/tex]=[tex]$\int \frac{cos\phi dx}{x}$[/tex]=

[tex]$\int \frac{cos\phi^2 d\phi}{2x}$[/tex]= [tex]$ .5\int \frac{cos\phi^2 d\phi}{x}$ =[/tex] [tex]$ .5\int \frac{.5(1+cos(2\phi)) d\phi}{x}$=[/tex]
[tex]$ (1/4) \int 1/x+cos(2\phi)/x d\phi $[/tex]

am i even on the right truck?
 
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When you do your trig substitution, replace every x in your original integral. x is still appearing in the denominator.
 
[tex]$\int \frac{cos\phi dx}{2sin\phi}$ =[/tex]
[tex]$.5 \int \frac{cos\phi dx}{sin\phi}$ =[/tex]
[tex]$.5 lnsin\phi + C$[/tex]

but i don't think that's right is it..
 
Nope. Start again from the beginning, and exchange x and dx for phi and dphi all in one step.
 
so i did the same thing over again and i got this:
[tex]$ (1/4) \int 1/sin\phi - sin\phi d\phi $[/tex]
which =
[tex]$ (1/4)[ \int 1/sin\phi d\phi + cos\phi]$[/tex]
right? now what..
 
dx = (1/2)cos t dt, and x = (1/2) sint -- t being short for theta

The dx in the numerator and the x in the denominator cause the (1/2)'s to cancel.

So you should have
[tex]\int \left[\frac{1}{sin t} - sin t\right]dt[/tex]
[tex]=\int \frac{1}{sin t}dt - \int sin t dt[/tex]

For the first you need the antiderivative of csc t. The second is easy.

Does you book show you a trick for antidifferentiating sec t? It involves multiplying by 1 in the form of sec t + tan t over itself. There's a similar trick for working with the integral of csc t.
 
olympics distracted me for a while lol

yeah i got that antiderivative after googling it hhh.. my book didnt say anything about it.

now I am stuck on this question:
[tex]$\int \frac{dx}{\sqrt{16-x^2}}$[/tex]

i let x = 4sint
dx= 4cost dt

so
[tex]$\int \frac{dx}{\sqrt{16-16sin^2}}$[/tex] =[tex]$\int \frac{4cost dt}{\sqrt{16(1-sin^2 t)}}$[/tex] =[tex]$\int \frac{4cost dt}{\sqrt{16cos^2 t}}$[/tex]=[tex]$\int \frac{4cost dt}{4cost}$[/tex] =[tex]$\int dt$[/tex]

i don't see why I am getting a total wrong answer :S
 
Slimsta said:
olympics distracted me for a while lol

yeah i got that antiderivative after googling it hhh.. my book didnt say anything about it.

now I am stuck on this question:
[tex]$\int \frac{dx}{\sqrt{16-x^2}}$[/tex]

i let x = 4sint
dx= 4cost dt

so
[tex]$\int \frac{dx}{\sqrt{16-16sin^2}}$[/tex] =[tex]$\int \frac{4cost dt}{\sqrt{16(1-sin^2 t)}}$[/tex] =[tex]$\int \frac{4cost dt}{\sqrt{16cos^2 t}}$[/tex]=[tex]$\int \frac{4cost dt}{4cost}$[/tex] =[tex]$\int dt$[/tex]

i don't see why I am getting a total wrong answer :S
= t + C

Now undo your substitution. You had x = 4sint ==> x/4 = sint ==> t = ?
 
Mark44 said:
= t + C

Now undo your substitution. You had x = 4sint ==> x/4 = sint ==> t = ?

oh that's what it is. so the answer would be [tex]$\arcsin (x/4)+C$[/tex]

now my problems get more complicated, [tex]$\int \sqrt{5+4x-x^2}dx$[/tex]
my textbook shows a simpler question and it works there but this question is a bit different.
i know that the first step is putting it like this: [tex]$\int \sqrt{5+(4x-x^2)}dx$[/tex]
then something has to come out and then the substitution comes in..
whats my next step though?
 
  • #10
Write the part in the radical as 5 - (x^2 - 4x). Then complete the square so that you get something that looks like a - u^2 in the radical. Use a trig substitution on that.
 
  • #11
Mark44 said:
Write the part in the radical as 5 - (x^2 - 4x). Then complete the square so that you get something that looks like a - u^2 in the radical. Use a trig substitution on that.

i was thinking about this 5 - (x2 - 4x) and i was thinking, if i let y2 = x then
5 - (x2 - (2y)2)

would that work? because now I am on x2−a2
im not sure though
 
  • #12
I don't think that would work. Try what I suggested. If you had sqrt{3 + 2x - x^2)}, you would do this:
sqrt{3 + 2x - x^2)} = sqrt{3 - (x^2 - 2x)}
= sqrt{3 - (x^2 - 2x + 1) + 1} = sqrt{4 - (x - 1)^2}

If you let u = x - 1, you have sqrt{4 - u^2} and you're ready to do a trig substitution.

For my example, draw a right triangle with the hypotenuse labeled 2, the opposite side labeled u, and the adjacent side labeled sqrt{4 - u^2}. One acute angle would be labeled theta or t or whatever (but not x or u, since those are already in use).

Do the same on your problem.
 
  • #13
thats the exact same example from my textbook..
so what i tried is, 5 - (x^2 - 4x +1) + 1
= 6 - (x^2 - 4x +1)
how do you make it ^2?
 
  • #14
okay so i got
9 - (x-2)^2

now i substitute u=x-2, du=dx
i get [tex]$\int \sqrt{9 - u^2}du$[/tex]

then u=3sint
du = 3cost dt
[tex]$\sqrt{5+4x-x^2}dx$[/tex] = 3cost
so [tex]$\int 3costdu$[/tex]

am i right so far?
 

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