Trigonometric Substitution

MATHEMATICS 22

Institute of Mathematics
University of the Philippines-Diliman

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Trigonometric Substitution

We use an appropriate trigonometric substitution if the integrand contains

an expression of the form:
p p p
a 2 − u2 u2 − a 2 a 2 + u2

where a is a positive constant and u is a differentiable function of x.

p
Case 1. Integrand contains the form a 2 − u2
Let u = a sin θ, where θ ∈ − π2 , π2 . Then du = a cos θdθ.
£ ¤

p p
a 2 − u2 = a2 − a2 sin2 θ
q
= a2 (1 − sin2 θ)
p a u
= a cos2 θ
= a | cos θ| θ
p
= a cos θ a 2 − u2
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 p p
Case 1. a2 − u2 =⇒ let u = a sin θ, so a2 − u2 = a cos θ

Example 1. Find
Z p
1 − x2 dx.

Solution. Note that a = 1 and u = x.

Let x = sin θ. Then dx = cos θ dθ.
Thus, Z p Z
1 − x2 dx = (cos θ)(cos θ dθ)
Z
= cos2 θ dθ
1
Z
= (1 + cos 2θ) dθ
2
µ ¶
1 1
= θ + sin 2θ + C
2 2
1
= (θ + sin θ cos θ) + C
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 p p
Case 1. a2 − u2 =⇒ let u = a sin θ, so a2 − u2 = a cos θ

x = sin θ
1
Z p
1 − x2 dx = (θ + sin θ cos θ) + C
2
1 ¡ −1 p ´ 1 x
= sin x + x 1 − x2 + C
2 θ
p
1 − x2

Example 2. Find
Z p
49 − x2
dx.
x

Solution. Note that a = 7 and u = x.

Let x = 7 sin θ. Then dx = 7 cos θ dθ.
Thus, Z p
49 − x2 7 cos θ
Z
dx = (7 cos θ dθ)
x 7 sin θ
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 p p
Case 1. a2 − u2 =⇒ let u = a sin θ, so a2 − u2 = a cos θ

Z p x = 7 sin θ
49 − x2 cos2 θ
Z
dx = 7 dθ
x sin θ
7 x
(1 − sin2 θ)
Z
= 7 dθ
sin θ θ
p
49 − x2
Z
= 7 (csc θ − sin θ) dθ

= 7 ln | csc θ − cot θ| + 7 cos θ + C

¯ 7 p49 − x2 ¯ p
¯ ¯
= 7 ln ¯ − ¯ + 49 − x2 + C
¯ ¯
¯x x ¯

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Trigonometric Substitution

p
Case 2. Integrand contains the form u2 − a 2
Let u = a sec θ, where θ ∈ 0, π2 ∪ π, 3π
2 . Then du = a sec θ tan θdθ.
£ ¢ £ ¢

p p
u2 − a 2 = a2 sec2 θ − a2
q ¡
a2 sec2 θ − 1
¢
= p
u
p u2 − a 2
= a tan2 θ
= a | tan θ| θ
a
= a tan θ

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 p p
Case 2. u2 − a2 =⇒ let u = a sec θ, so u2 − a2 = a tan θ

Example 3. Find
Z p 2
x − 2x
dx.
(x − 1)2

Solution. By completing the square, we have

Z p 2 Z p
x − 2x (x − 1)2 − 1
dx = dx
(x − 1)2 (x − 1)2
So a = 1 and u = x − 1.
Let x − 1 = sec θ. Then dx = sec θ tan θ dθ.
Thus,
Z p 2
x − 2x (tan θ) (sec θ tan θ dθ)
Z
dx =
(x − 1) 2 sec2 θ
tan2 θ
Z
= dθ
sec θ
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 p p
Case 2. u2 − a2 =⇒ let u = a sec θ, so u2 − a2 = a tan θ

Z p 2 x − 1 = sec θ
x − 2x tan2 θ
Z
dx = dθ
(x − 1)2 sec θ
x−1 p
Z
sec2 θ − 1 x2 − 2x
= dθ θ
sec θ
Z 1
= (sec θ − cos θ) dθ

= ln |sec θ + tan θ| − sin θ + C

¯ p ¯ px2 − 2x
¯ 2
= ln ¯(x − 1)+ x − 2x ¯ −
¯
+C
x−1

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 p p
Case 2. u2 − a2 =⇒ let u = a sec θ, so u2 − a2 = a tan θ

Example 4. Evaluate
p
Z e4 ln2 x − 4
dx.
e2 x ln x

Solution. In the given, a = 2 and u = ln x.

1
Let ln x = 2 sec θ. Then dx = 2 sec θ tan θ dθ.
x
Moreover,

x = e2 ⇒ 2 sec θ = ln e2 = 2 ⇒ sec θ = 1 ⇒ θ = 0
x = e4 ⇒ 2 sec θ = ln e4 = 4 ⇒ sec θ = 2 ⇒ θ = π/3

Thus,
π
p
Z e4 ln2 x − 4
Z
3 2 tan θ
dx = (2 sec θ tan θ dθ) .
e2 x ln x 0 2 sec θ

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 p p
Case 2. u2 − a2 =⇒ let u = a sec θ, so u2 − a2 = a tan θ

π
p
Z e4 ln2 x − 4
Z
3
dx = 2 tan2 θ dθ
e2 x ln x 0
Z π
3
= 2 (sec2 θ − 1) dθ
0
¯π
¯3
= 2(tan θ − θ)¯
0
³p π´
= 2 3−
3

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Trigonometric Substitution

p
Case 3. Integrand contains the form a 2 + u2
Let u = a tan θ, where θ ∈ − π2 , π2 . Then du = a sec2 θdθ.
¡ ¢

p p
a 2 + u2 = a2 + a2 tan2 θ
q ¡
a2 1 + tan2 θ p
¢
=
p a 2 + u2 u
= a sec2 θ
= a | sec θ| θ
a
= a sec θ

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 p p
Case 3. a2 + u2 =⇒ let u = a tan θ, so a2 + u2 = a sec θ

Example 5. Find
dx
Z
¡ ¢3 .
4 + 9x2 2

Solution. Note that a = 2 and u = 3x.

2
Let 3x = 2 tan θ. Then 3dx = 2 sec2 θ dθ ⇒ dx = sec2 θ dθ.
3
Thus,
dx dx
Z Z
¢3 = ³p ´
4 + 9x2 3
¡
4 + 9x2 2
2 2
3 sec θ dθ
Z
= 3
(2 sec θ)
1 dθ
Z
= .
12 sec θ
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 p p
Case 3. a2 + u2 =⇒ let u = a tan θ, so a2 + u2 = a sec θ

3x = 2 tan θ
dx 1 dθ
Z Z
=
¡ ¢3
4 + 9x2 2 12 sec θ
p
4 + 9x2
1
Z 3x
= cos θ dθ
12 θ
2
1
= sin θ + C
12
µ ¶
1 3x
= p +C
12 4 + 9x2
x
= p +C
4 4 + 9x2

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Exercises

Find the following.

Z p
x3 1 + 4x4
Z
1 p dx 4 dx
1 − x2 x3
Z p 2
x −4 dx
Z
2 dx 5 q¡
x ¢3
x2 − 6x + 25
dx
Z
3
¡ ¢3
e2x − 9 2

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