Integration of sec x and sec3 x

sec x dx by trickery

The standard trick used to integrate sec x is to multiply the integrand by 1 =

sec x+tan x
sec x+tan x

and

then substitute y = sec x + tan x, dy = (sec x tan x + sec x) dx.

Z
Z
Z
Z
sec2 x+sec x tan x
sec x+tan x
dx =
sec x dx = sec x sec x+tan x dx =
sec x+tan x

dy
y

= ln |y| + C

= ln | sec x + tan x| + C
R

sec x dx by partial fractions

R
Another method for integrating sec x dx, that is more tedious, but less dependent on a
R
memorized trick, is to convert sec x dx into the integral of a rational function using the
substitution y = sin x, dy = cos x dx and then use partial fractions.
Z
Z
Z
Z
Z
1
1
cos x
cos x
dx =
sec x dx =
dx =
dx =
dy
cos x
cos2 x
1y 2
1sin2 x
Z
Z h
i
h
i
h
i
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
dy
=
dy
=
ln
|y
+
1|

ln
|y

1|
+C
+

=
2 1+y
1y
2
y+1
y1
2

 y+1 

 + C = 1 ln  sin x+1  + C
= 21 ln  y1
2
sin x1
To see that this answer is really the same as the one above, note that

(sin x+1)2
sin2 x1

x+1)
= (sin
cos2 x
 sin x+1  1  (sin x+1)2 

=

12 ln  sin
x1 = 2 ln cos2 x
sin x+1
sin x1

sec3 x dx by trickery

1
2


 x+1 

x+1)2 
 = ln | tan x + sec x|
= ln  sin
ln  (sin
cos2 x
cos x

R
The standard trick used to evaluate sec3 x dx is integration by parts with u = sec x,
dv = sec2 x dx, du = sec x tan x dx, v = tan x.
Z
Z
Z
3
2
sec x dx = sec x sec x dx = sec x tan x tan x sec x tan x dx
Since tan2 x + 1 = sec2 x, we have tan2 x = sec2 x 1 and
Z
Z
Z
3
3
sec x dx = sec x tan x [sec xsec x] dx = sec x tan x+ln | sec x+tan x|+C sec3 x dx
R
R
where we used sec x dx = ln | sec x + tan x| + C. Now moving the sec3 x dx from the right
hand side to the left hand side
Z
2 sec3 x dx = sec x tan x + ln | sec x + tan x| + C
Z
sec3 x dx = 21 sec x tan x + 21 ln | sec x + tan x| + C
for a new arbitrary constant C.
c Joel Feldman.

2001. All rights reserved.

sec3 x dx by partial fractions

R
Another method for integrating sec3 x dx, that is more tedious, but less dependent on
R
trickery, is to convert sec3 x dx into the integral of a rational function using the substitution
y = sin x, dy = cos x dx and then use partial fractions.
Z
Z
Z
Z
Z
Z
3
1
1
cos x
cos x
1
dx =
sec x dx =
dx =
dx =
dy =
dy
cos3 x
cos4 x
[1y 2 ]2
[y 2 1]2
[1sin2 x]2
Z h
Z h
i

i2
1
1
1
1
2
1
1

dy
=

+
=
2 y1
y+1
4
(y1)2
(y1)(y+1)
(y+1)2 dy
Z h
i
1
1
1
1
1
=4
dy

+
+
2
2
(y1)
y1
y+1
(y+1)
h
i
 y+1 
1
1
+C
= 14 y1
+ C = 14 y22y1 + 14 ln  y1
ln |y 1| + ln |y + 1| y+1
 y+1 
 sin x+1 
y
1 sin x
1
1




= 21 1y
2 + 4 ln y1 + C = 2 cos2 x + 2 ln sin x1 + C
R

c Joel Feldman.

2001. All rights reserved.