TRIGONOMETRIC SUBSTITUTIONS (i think)

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the integration of the function (x^2)/((36-x^2)^(3/2)) using trigonometric substitution. Participants explore the steps involved in solving this integral, including the substitution x=6sin(θ) and subsequent integration techniques. The scope includes homework-related queries and mathematical reasoning.

Discussion Character

  • Homework-related, Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses difficulty with the integral and seeks help after attempting the substitution x=6sin(θ).
  • Another participant confirms the correctness of the substitution and suggests that the integral can be simplified using the identity tan^2(θ) = sec^2(θ) - 1.
  • A later reply indicates that the integration of tan^2(θ) is straightforward and hints at a familiar function whose derivative is sec^2(θ).
  • One participant shares their result after performing the integration, asking if it is correct.
  • Another participant provides a detailed breakdown of the integration process, including the use of integration by parts and further substitutions, ultimately arriving at a similar expression involving arcsin.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the substitution method and the approach to solving the integral, but there is no explicit consensus on the correctness of the final results presented.

Contextual Notes

Some steps in the integration process are complex and may depend on the participants' interpretations of trigonometric identities and integration techniques. There are unresolved aspects regarding the correctness of the final expressions derived by different participants.

ineedhelpnow
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my prof. gave us a bunch of homework questions and i can't seem to get around this one.

integrate (x^2)/((36-x^2)^(3/2) dx (sorry. I am new to this website and i couldn't really understand how to use the commands. don't have much experience with coding. (Speechless)

so i started out using the trig substitution x=6sintheta but i ended totally messing up and i don't know where i went wrong

pleeease help me! thanks
 
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ineedhelpnow said:
my prof. gave us a bunch of homework questions and i can't seem to get around this one.

integrate (x^2)/((36-x^2)^(3/2) dx (sorry. I am new to this website and i couldn't really understand how to use the commands. don't have much experience with coding. (Speechless)

so i started out using the trig substitution x=6sintheta but i ended totally messing up and i don't know where i went wrong

pleeease help me! thanks
Hi ineedhelpnow, and welcome to MHB!

You have made the correct substitution $x=6\sin\theta$, and I expect that you also substituted $dx = 6\cos\theta\,d\theta$. If so, you should have found yourself looking at the integral of some multiple of $\tan^2\theta$. To continue from there, remember that $\tan^2\theta = \sec^2\theta - 1.$

For help with LaTeX coding, see http://mathhelpboards.com/latex-tips-tutorials-56/mhb-latex-guide-pdf-1142.html. But you have been very careful to use parentheses to make that integral easy to read, even without the LaTeX code! (Clapping)
 
yeah that's where I am at. i know this part is simple but I am kinda stuck
 
Last edited:
ineedhelpnow said:
yeah that's where I am at. i know this part is simple but I am kinda stuck
So $$\int\tan^2\theta\,d\theta = \int(\sec^2\theta - 1)\,d\theta.$$ Can you think of a function (a very familiar one) whose derivative is $\sec^2\theta$ ?
 
tan

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oooh ok now i get what to do. super simple...kinda embarrassing that i asked but thanks!
 
i got (x/(sqrt(36-x^2)) - sin^-1 (x/6) + C

does that sound right?
 
ineedhelpnow said:
my prof. gave us a bunch of homework questions and i can't seem to get around this one.

integrate (x^2)/((36-x^2)^(3/2) dx (sorry. I am new to this website and i couldn't really understand how to use the commands. don't have much experience with coding. (Speechless)

so i started out using the trig substitution x=6sintheta but i ended totally messing up and i don't know where i went wrong

pleeease help me! thanks

$\displaystyle \begin{align*} \int{\frac{x^2}{\left( 36 - x^2 \right) ^{\frac{3}{2}}}\,\mathrm{d}x } &= -\frac{1}{2}\int{ x \left[ -\frac{2x}{ \left( 36 - x^2 \right) ^{\frac{3}{2}}} \right]\,\mathrm{d}x} \end{align*}$

Now applying integration by parts with $\displaystyle \begin{align*} u = x \implies \mathrm{d}u = \mathrm{d}x \end{align*}$ and $\displaystyle \begin{align*} \mathrm{d}v = -\frac{2x}{\left( 36 - x^2 \right) ^{\frac{3}{2}}} \, \mathrm{d}x \end{align*}$. Making the substitution $\displaystyle \begin{align*} w = 36 - x^2 \implies \mathrm{d}w =-2x \, \mathrm{d}x \end{align*}$ giving $\displaystyle \begin{align*} \mathrm{d}v = w^{-\frac{3}{2}}\,\mathrm{d}w \implies v = \frac{w^{-\frac{1}{2}}}{-\frac{1}{2}} = -\frac{2}{w^{\frac{1}{2}}} = -\frac{2}{ \left( 36 - x^2 \right) ^{\frac{1}{2}}} \end{align*}$ and the integral becomes

$\displaystyle \begin{align*} -\frac{1}{2}\int{ x \left[ -\frac{2x}{\left( 36 - x^2 \right) ^{\frac{3}{2}}} \right] \, \mathrm{d}x } &= -\frac{1}{2} \left[ -\frac{2x}{ \left( 36 - x^2 \right) ^{\frac{3}{2}}} - \int{ -\frac{2}{ \left( 36 - x^2 \right) ^{\frac{1}{2}} } \, \mathrm{d}x} \right] \\ &= \frac{x}{ \left( 36 - x^2 \right) ^{\frac{3}{2}}} - \int{ \left( 36 - x^2 \right) ^{-\frac{1}{2}}\, \mathrm{d}x } \end{align*}$

Now make the substitution $\displaystyle \begin{align*} x = 6\sin{(\theta)} \implies \mathrm{d}x = 6\cos{(\theta)}\,\mathrm{d}\theta \end{align*}$ and the integral becomes

$\displaystyle \begin{align*} \frac{x}{ \left( 36 - x^2 \right) ^{\frac{3}{2}} } - \int{ \left( 36 - x^2 \right) ^{-\frac{1}{2}} \, \mathrm{d}x } &= \frac{x}{ \left( 36- x^2 \right) ^{\frac{3}{2}}} - \int{ \left\{ 36 - \left[ 6\sin{(\theta)} \right] ^2 \right\} ^{-\frac{1}{2}} \, 6\cos{(\theta)}\,\mathrm{d}\theta } \\ &= \frac{x}{ \left( 36-x^2 \right) ^{\frac{3}{2}}} - 6 \int{ \left\{ 36 \left[ 1 - \sin^2{(\theta)} \right] \right\}^{-\frac{1}{2}} \cos{(\theta)}\,\mathrm{d}\theta } \\ &= \frac{x}{ \left( 36 - x^2 \right) ^{\frac{3}{2}} } - 6\int{ \frac{\cos{(\theta)}}{6\cos{(\theta)}}\,\mathrm{d}\theta } \\ &= \frac{x}{ \left( 36 - x^2 \right) ^{\frac{3}{2}}} - \int{1 \, \mathrm{d}\theta} \\ &= \frac{x}{\left( 36- x^2 \right) ^{\frac{3}{2}}} - \theta + C \\ &= \frac{x}{ \left( 36 - x^2 \right) ^{\frac{3}{2}}} - \arcsin{ \left( \frac{x}{6} \right) } + C \end{align*}$
 

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