Integral of csc x

Similar to the integration for sec x, many texts state that to integrate csc x, use the "trick" of multiplying by (csc x - cot x)/(csc x - cot x). This too is the method of someone who already knows the answer. The correct method to do the integration is as follows.

csc x dx =

1 dx = sin x

sin x dx = sin2 x

sin x dx 1-cos2 x

= (1 + cos x)(1 - cos x) dx

sin x

Separate the last integral by the method of Partial Fractions: A B sin x dx Or ... 1. + =
1+cos x 1-cos x (1 + cos x)(1 - cos x)

Let U = cos x. Then dU = - sin x dx. And the last integral is

Multiply by the common denominator: A(1 - cos x) + B(1 + cos x) = sin x dx A - A cos x + B + B cos x = sin x dx (A+B) + (B-A)cos x = sin x dx Match like terms on each side of the equation, but which of two possible ways? 2. A+B = 0 and 3. (B-A)cos x = sin x dx OR 4. A+B = sin x dx and 5. (B-A)cos x = 0 Equations 2 and 3 produce A = -B, then B = tan x dx and A = -tan x dx, but substituting these values for A and B in equation 1 leads back to the original problem, so they are not useful. Solving equations 4 and 5, B = A and 2A = sin x dx, so A = B = sin x dx

-dU (1 + U)(1 - U) A B -dU

1. 1+U + 1-U = (1 + U)(1 - U) Multiply by the common denominator: A - AU + B + BU = -dU Match like terms (refer to the left column for how to pair the terms). 2. A+B = -dU and 3. (B-A)U = 0 Solving equations 2 and 3, B = A and 2A = -dU, so A = B = - dU Substituting A and B, equation 1 becomes -1
2 dU 1+U

- 1
2

dU 1-U

-dU (1+U)(1-U)

Substituting A and B, equation 1 becomes

sin x dx sin x dx sin x dx 1 +1 = (1 + cos x)(1 - cos 1 + cos 2 1 - cos 2 x x x)

The integral

sin x dx (1 + cos x)(1 - cos x)

can now be easily integrated.

sin x 1 dx = 2 (1 + cos x)(1 - cos x)

sin x 1 dx + 2 1 + cos x 1

sin x dx 1 - cos x

= - 2 ln 1+cos x + 2 ln 1-cos x + C
1 1-cos x

= 2 ln 1+cos x + C
1-cos 1+cos xx + C

= ln

The above square root is the half-angle formula for tan(x/2), so the above result becomes
1-cos 1+cos xx + C = ln tan
x 2

ln

+C

But if the square root isn't recognizable as the half-angle formula,

1-cos 1-cos 1+cos xx + C = ln 1+cos xx 1-cos x + C 1-cos x

ln

= ln

(1-cos x)2 sin x

2

+C

= ln

1-cos x sin x + C

= ln csc x - cot x + C So the complete solution is

csc x dx =

ln csc x - cot x + C ln tan 2 + C

x