Integration Involving Trigonometric Functions

and Trigonometric Substitution

Dr. Philippe B. Laval
Kennesaw State University
September 7, 2005
Abstract
This handout describes techniques of integration involving various
combinations of trigonometric functions. It also describes a technique
known as trigonometric substitution. Students may want to review some
basic trigonometric identities before reading further. The following trigonometric identities will be used:
sin2 x + cos2 x = 1
1 + tan2 x = sec2 x
1 cos 2x
sin2 x =
2
1
+
cos
2x
cos2 x =
2
sin 2x = 2 sin x cos x
In addition, students need to remember the following:

sin x is invertible when x . Its inverse is denoted sin1 x.

2
2

tan x is invertible when < x < . Its inverse is denoted tan1 x.

2
2
3

or x <
. Its inverse is
sec x is invertible when 0 x <
2
2

1
denoted sec x.

Powers of Sine and Cosine

Before we explain
the technique,

 let us recall that we can integrate integrals
of the form sinn x cos xdxor cosn x sin xdx where n is a positive integer, by
using substitution. For example, to integrate sinn x cos xdx, we let u = sin x

then du = cos xdx. Therefore



sinn x cos xdx = un du
un+1
n+1
sinn+1 x
=
n+1

The other integral is done similarly.

The technique used here depends on whether one of the powers is odd or
both are even. We summarize the techniques, then do some examples.

Proposition 1 Suppose we have an integral of the form sinm x cosn xdx.
1. If n is odd, that is n = 2k + 1, then save one cosine factor, and use the
identity sin2 x + cos2 x = 1 to express the remaining factors in terms of
sine. Then, use the substitution u = sin x. In other words


m
n
sin x cos xdx = sinm x cos2k+1 xdx

= sinm x cos2k x cos xdx


k
= sinm x 1 sin2 x cos xdx
2. If m is odd, that is m = 2k + 1, then save one sine factor, and use the
identity sin2 x + cos2 x = 1 to express the remaining factors in terms of
cosine. Then, use the substitution u = cos x. In other words


sinm x cosn xdx = sin2k+1 x cosn xdx

= sin2k x cosn x sin xdx

k

=
1 cos2 x cosn x sin xdx
3. If both m and n are even, we use the half-angle identities
1 cos 2x
2
1 + cos 2x
2
cos x =
2
sin2 x =

as well as the identity

sin x cos x =

sin 2x
2

We illustrate the following techniques with some examples.


Example 2 Find cos3 xdx
This is the case where the power of cosine is odd. We save one cosine factor
and write
cos3 x = cos2 x cos x


= 1 sin2 x cos x
Therefore,




1 sin2 x cos xdx


= cos xdx sin2 x cos xdx

cos3 xdx =

(1)

The first integral is known


cos xdx = sin x

(2)

The second integral can be evaluated using the substitution u = sin x = du =

cos xdx and therefore


(3)
sin2 x cos xdx = u2 du
u3
3
sin3 x
=
3

Using equation 2 and equation 3 in equation 1 gives us


sin3 x
+C
cos3 xdx = sin x
3

Example 3 Find sin5 x cos2 xdx
This is the case where the power of sine is odd. We save one sine factor and
write
sin5 x cos2 x = sin4 x cos2 x sin x
2

= sin2 x cos2 x sin x
2

= 1 cos2 x cos2 x sin x


= 1 2 cos2 x + cos4 x cos2 x sin x
= cos2 x sin x 2 cos4 x sin x + cos6 x sin x

Therefore,


sin x cos xdx =

 2

cos x 2 cos4 x + cos6 x sin xdx

We then use the substitution u = cos x = du = sin xdx to get




 2
5
2
sin x cos xdx =
u 2u4 + u6 du
 3

u
2u5 u7
=

+
+C
3
5
7
cos3 x 2 cos5 x cos7 x
+

+C
=
3
5
7

Example 4 Find sin2 xdx
This is the case when the powers of sine and cosine are even (the power of cosine
1 cos 2x
being 0). We use the half angle identity sin2 x =
to obtain
2


1
2
(1 cos 2x) dx
sin xdx =
2
We use the substitution u = 2x = du = 2dx to get


1
2
sin xdx =
(1 cos u) du
4
1
= (u sin u) + C
4
1
= (2x sin 2x) + C
4
x sin 2x
+C
=
2
4
Similar techniques can be applied to powers of tangent and secant. We will
not cover them here. They can be found in most Calculus books.

Trigonometric Substitution

The techniques we are about to describe apply to integrals containing expressions of the form

a2 x2

a2 + x2

x2 a2
for
which the other techniques have failed. For example, if we were given

x 1 x2 dx, the substitution u = 1 x2 would work. However, if we were
4


given
1 x2 dx, it would be much more dicult to do. We will look at each
case separately. Before we do this, it is important to keep in mind an important
dierence between the substitution technique learned before and the one we are
about to explain. In the traditional substitution, we dene the new variable in
terms of the old. For example, u = 1 x2 . In trigonometric substitution, we
redene the given variable.
Remark 5 In order to be able to do this substitution successfully, you must be
able to find all the trigonometric functions, knowing one of them. This can be
done either by using trigonometric identities or a triangle. This technique can
be found in any book dealing with trigonometric functions. It can also be found
on the handout linked to on the web site for the class.

2.1

Integral Containing

a2 x2

We use the substitution x = a sin , with

and a > 0. We impose
2
2
this restriction on so that sin will have an inverse. This substitution is based
on the identity 1 sin2 = cos2 and works as follows:
x = a sin = x2 = a2 sin2
= a2 x2 = a2 a2 sin2


= a2 1 sin2
= a2 cos2
Therefore


a2 x2 = a2 cos2
= |a cos |
= |a| |cos |
= a cos
We were able to remove the absolute value because a > 0 and cos 0 when

. We illustrate this with examples.

2
2

 9 x2
dx
Example 6 Find
x2

We let x = 3 sin , with . Then dx = 3 cos . Also, as noted above,

2
2


9 x2 = 3 cos . Therefore,


9 x2
dx
=
x2

=

=

=

3 cos
3 cos d
9 sin2
cos2
d
sin2
cot2 d
 2

csc 1 d

= cot + C
We need to express our answer in terms of x. Since x = 3 sin , it follows that
x
= sin1 . Also, either using trigonometric identities, or a triangle, we find
3
9 x2
that cot =
. Therefore,
x


9 x2
9 x2
x
dx
=

sin1 + C
2
x
x
3
2
Example 7 Find 0 4 x2 dx

Method 1 We recognize that 4 x2 is the upper half circle of radius 2 centered at the origin. The integral of it between 0 and 2 corresponds to the
area of the first quadrant of this circle. Therefore
 2
1
4 x2 dx = (area of a circle of radius 2)
4
0
1 2 
=
2
4
=
This method is very quick and easy. However, it would not work if the
problem had been to find an antiderivative. We show another technique,
using trigonometric substitution.
Method
2 According to what was explained above, we let x = 2 sin . Then,
4 x2 = 2 cos . Also, dx = 2 cos d. To find the value of this integral,
we will first find an antiderivative, then use the given limits of integration.
Therefore,

 
2
4 x dx = 4 cos cos d

= 4 cos2 d

Remembering the techniques of the previous section, we use cos2 =

Therefore,

 
1 + cos 2
4 x2 dx = 4
d
2

= 2 (1 + cos 2) d

1 + cos 2
.
2

If we let u = 2, then du = 2d and we have


 
4 x2 dx = (1 + cos u) du
= u + sin u
= 2 + sin 2
= 2 + 2 sin cos
We obtained the last equality using the identity sin 2 = 2 sin cos . Now,
we write everything back in terms of x. First, since x = 2 sin , we see
that
x
sin =
2
and
x
= sin1
2
To express cos in terms of x, we use cos2 = 1 sin2 and since cos
0, we have

cos = 1 sin2

x2
= 1
4

4 x2
=

4
4
1
=
(4 x2 )
4

4 x2
=
2
Therefore

 
x 4 x2
1 x
2
4 x dx = 2 sin
+2
2
2
2

x x 4 x2
= 2 sin1 +
2
2

We can now find the definite integral

 2
2

x
4

x
x

1
4 x2 dx = 2 sin
+

2
2
0
0

 

2
0 4
0
1
1
= 2 sin 1 +
2 sin 0 +
2
2


= 2 + 0 (0 + 0)
2
=

2.2

Integral Containing

a2 + x2

We use the substitution x = a tan , with a > 0 and < < . We impose
2
2
this restriction on so that tan will have an inverse. The substitution is based
on the identity 1 + tan2 = sec2 and works as follows:
a2 + x2 = a2 + a2 tan2


= a2 1 + tan2
= a2 sec2
Therefore

a2 + x2 = a2 sec2

= a sec2
= a |sec |
= a sec

Because a > 0 and sec 0 if < < .

2
2

1

dx
Example 8 Find
x2 x2 + 4

We let x = 2 tan , dx = 2 sec2 d. Also, x2 + 4 = 2 sec . Therefore:



2 sec2 d
1



dx =
2
2
4 tan2 (2 sec )
x x +4

1
sec
=
d
4
tan2
Now,
1
sec
cos

=
tan2
sin2
cos2
cos
=
sin2
8

If we make the substitution u = sin , then du = cos d and we get:



1
1
cos

dx =
d
2
2
4
sin2
x x +4

1
du
=
4
u2

1
=
u2 du
4
1
=
+C
4u
1
+C
=
4 sin
We express sin in terms of x and obtain
x
sin =
4 + x2
Therefore

2.3

4 + x2
1

dx =
+C
4x
x2 x2 + 4

Integral Containing

x2 a2

3
We use the substitution x = a sec , with a > 0 and 0 < or <
.
2
2
We impose this restriction on so that sec will be invertible. This substitution
is based on the identity sec2 1 = tan2 and works as follows:
x2 a2 = a2 sec2 a2


= a2 sec2 1
= a2 tan2
Therefore



x2 a2 = a2 tan2
= |a| |tan |
= a tan

because a > 0 and tan o when 0 <



3
or <
.
2
2

dx

, where a > 0.
2
x a2
According to the explanation above, we let x = a sec . Then, dx = a sec tan d.

Example 9 Find

Also,

x2 a2 = a tan . Therefore


dx
a sec tan d

=
a tan
x2 a2

= sec d
= ln |sec + tan | + C

x
(see homework 1). Now, we need to write everything in terms of x. sec =
a

x2 a2
and tan =
. Therefore,
a

x x2 a2

dx

= ln
+

+C
2
2

a
a
x a

= ln
x + x2 a2
ln a + C

= ln
x + x2 a2
+ C

Problems

1. Find sec d. (hint: multiply both numerator and denominator by
sec + tan )

2. Find cos5 x sin5 xdx

3. Find cos4 xdx

a2 x2 dx
4. Using the technique of example 7, nd

x
dx
5. Find
1 x2

1 4x2 dx
6. Find

x
dx
7. Find
2
x +3

8. Find et 9 e2t dt

Answers
1.




sec d = ln |sec + tan | + C

1 6
sin x
6

3
1
3. cos4 xdx = x + sin 2x +
8
4
2.

cos5 x sin5 xdx =

1 8
1
sin x +
sin10 x + C
4
10
1
sin 4x
32
10


x 2
a2
x
a2 x2 dx =
a x2 +
sin1 + C
2
2
a


x
dx = 1 x2 + C
5.
1 x2
4.


1
1
1 4x2 dx = sin1 2x + x 1 4x2 + C
4
2


x
dx = x2 + 3 + C
7.
x2 + 3


t
 t
1 t
1 e
2t
2t
8. e 9 e dt =
e 9 e + 9 sin
+C
2
3
6.

11