Integration by Substitution

1. Solve the following integrals by finding a suitable substitution.

Z
1
(a) √ dx;
1 + 9x2
Z √
(b) x2 + 2x − 1 dx.

2. This question is taken from M820 TMA02 2006. It is interesting in that a sub-
stitution is used to simplify an integral, but the resulting integral is not solvable
analytically by integration (it’s just simpler than the original integral). This hap-
pens quite frequently; we can then work on the simpler integral and deduce results
from it (perhaps by sketching its integrand, for example).
Let Z 1
wn
x(y) = c √ dw, (1)
y/c 1 − w2n
where n is a positive integer, y(0) = c and x(a) = A for constant c, a and A all
greater than zero.
By making a suitable change of integration variable, show that Equation (1) at the
point (a, A) can be written in the form
a 1
= f (z)
A n
where µ ¶
1 1/n Z π/2 An
f (z) = (sin φ)1/n dφ and cn = .
sin z z sin z
(The TMA question then asked you to deduce things about this final result, which
we won’t look into here.)

1
Answers

1. In each of the following c is an arbitrary constant.

(a) Since 1 + sinh2 u = cosh2 u, let 3x = sinh u so that 3dx/du = cosh u. Then
Z Z µ ¶
1 1 1
√ dx = q cosh u du
1 + 9x2 1 + sinh2 u 3
Z µ ¶
1 1
= cosh u du
cosh u 3
u
= +c
3
1
= arsinh3x + c.
3
2
(b) First note that x√ + 2x − 1 = (x + 1)2 − 2 and then use cosh2 u − 1 = sinh2 u.
Letting x + 1 = 2 cosh u gives
Z √ Z q
x2 + 2x − 1 dx = (x + 1)2 − 2 dx
Z √ q √
= 2 cosh2 u − 1 2 sinh u du
Z
= 2 sinh2 u du
Z
= (cosh 2u − 1) du
1
= sinh 2u − u + c.
2
Now,
q
sinh 2u = 2 cosh u cosh2 u − 1
à !v
uà !
x+1 u
t (x + 1) 2
= 2 √ −1
2 2
√
= (x + 1) x2 + 2x − 1

and
x+1
u = arcosh √
2
so that
Z √ Ã !
1 √ x+1
x2 + 2x − 1 dx = (x + 1) x2 + 2x − 1 − arcosh √ + c.
2 2

2. When x = a and y = A, Equation (1) becomes

Z 1
wn
a=c √ dw. (2)
A/c 1 − w2n

2
Since 1 − sin2 φ = cos2 φ, we define a new integration variable φ by wn = sin φ.
Then Equation (2) becomes, on dividing through by A,

a c Z π/2 A
= (sin φ)1/n dφ where = (sin z)1/n .
A nA z c
Hence, eliminating c = A/(sin z)1/n , we obtain
µ ¶1/n Z π/2
a 1 1 1
= (sin φ)1/n dφ = f (z).
A n sin z z n

Cath Wilkins
January 19 2008