Two different answers for the same integral?

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
2 replies · 2K views
Hijaz Aslam
Messages
66
Reaction score
1

Homework Statement


The anti-derivative of ∫##\frac{sinx}{sin^2x+4cos^2x}## is ##\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}tan^{-1}((\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}})g(x))+C## then ##g(x)## is equal to :

a. ##secx##
b. ##tanx##
c. ##sinx##
d. ##cosx##

Homework Equations


##d(cosx)=-sinx dx##

The Attempt at a Solution



I tried the problem the following way:

[tex]\int \frac{sinx}{sin^2x+4cos^2x}\, dx=\int \frac{sinx}{1+3cos^2x}\, dx[/tex]
Let ##t=cosx##. Therefore##-dt=sinx dx##
Therefore [tex]I=\int \frac{-dt}{1+3t^2}=-\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}tan^{-1}(\sqrt{3}cosx)[/tex]

But my text gives the solution the following way:

[tex]\int \frac{sinx}{sin^2x+4cos^2x}\, dx=\int \frac{tanxsecx}{tan^2x+4}\, dx=\int \frac{tanxsecx}{sec^2x+3}\, dx[/tex]. Let ##t=secx##, therefore:

[tex]I=\int \frac{dt}{t^2+3}=\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}tan^{-1}(\frac{secx}{\sqrt{3}})[/tex]

So
My answer is : [tex]I_m=-\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}tan^{-1}(\sqrt{3}cosx)+C[/tex]
Answer in my textbook is: [tex]I_t=\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}tan^{-1}(\frac{secx}{\sqrt{3}})+C[/tex]

And, I can't find any way to convert ##I_m## to ##I_t##.

Am I wrong somewhere?
 
on Phys.org
$$\tan^{-1}\left( \frac{1}{x} \right) = \left\{
\begin{array}{lr}
\frac{\pi}{2} - \tan^{-1}(x) : x>0\\
-\frac{\pi}{2} - \tan^{-1}(x) : x<0
\end{array}
\right.
$$
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Hijaz Aslam
Oh yes! That cleared it out. Thanks blue_leaf77.