What is the Missing Step in Integrating Cosine Functions?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a participant's difficulty in integrating a product of cosine functions over a specified interval. The focus is on identifying a missing step in the integration process, with an emphasis on trigonometric identities and their application in integration.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant presents an integration problem involving the integral of the product of cosine functions and applies a trigonometric identity to simplify the expression.
  • Another participant points out a potential oversight regarding the evaluation of cos(0) and its implications for the integration result.
  • A subsequent reply clarifies that the participant is focused on the sine function, which evaluates to zero at specific points, leading to confusion about the final result.
  • Another participant questions the handling of the terms in the trigonometric identity, suggesting that an important term may have been overlooked.
  • The original poster acknowledges the oversight regarding the identity and expresses gratitude for the correction.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

The discussion includes some corrections and clarifications, but it remains unresolved whether the original integration approach was fundamentally flawed or if it was merely a matter of oversight in applying the trigonometric identity.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations related to the handling of trigonometric identities and the evaluation of integrals, which may depend on specific assumptions about the functions involved.

koolrizi
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Hi everyone,
I know I am missing something simple from this integration.

integrate from l to -l

\intcos ((k*pi*x)/l) * cos ((k*pi*x)/l)dx

I use the identity cos u cos v = 1/2 [cos(u-v) + cos(u+v)]

which gives me the following to integrate from l to -l

1/2[cos (2k*pi*x)/l]dx

I bring 1/2 out of integration

so when i integrate [cos (2k*pi*x)/l]dx

i get [sin (2k*pi*x)/l] / [(2k*pi)/l]

now i move the numerator out so the outside becomes l/4*k*pi
and the inside is [sin 2*k*pi + sin 2*k*pi]

Now my problem is this sin 2 k pi is zero
hence if i multiply it by the outside it will become zero but the answer is l

I know I am missing a simple step but don't know where.

Thanks guys
 
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You are just overlooking the fact that cos(0)=1, not 0.
 
i am sorry i didnt get you there. I know cos 0 is 1 but I am using sin at the very end which is zero if sin 2*k*pi
 
Well what happened to the cos(u-v) term in your identity?
 
Oh! I didnt see that one. Silly Silly mistake. Thanks dhris
 

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