Chapter 5: Problem 29
Evaluate the integral. $$ \int_{\pi / 2}^{\pi} \frac{\sin x}{1+\cos ^{2} x} d x $$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The value of the integral is \(\pi/4\).
Step by step solution
01
Set up the substitution
Start with selecting a substitution that simplifies the equation. Here, choose \(u = \cos x\). Thus, \(du=-\sin x\, dx\).
02
Change the bounds
Perform the calculation of the new bounds after substitution using \(u = \cos x\). When \(x=\pi/2\), \(u= \cos(\pi/2) = 0\) and when \(x= \pi\), \(u= \cos(\pi) = -1\). So the bounds change from \(\pi/2\) and \(\pi\) to 0 and -1 respectively.
03
Substitute and simplify
Next, replace \(dx\) and \(\sin x\) in terms of \(du\) and \(u\). So, the integral becomes \(-\int_{0}^{-1} \frac{1}{1+u^2} du\). The bounds are from 0 to -1 which can be reversed to become from -1 to 0 and hence the sign becomes positive.
04
Evaluate the integral
Now evaluate \(\int_{-1}^{0} \frac{1}{1+u^2} du\). As we know, \(\int \frac{1}{1+u^2} du = \arctan(u) + C\), thus after applying the limits, this gives \(\arctan(0) - \arctan(-1) = 0 - (-\pi/4) = \pi/4\).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Trigonometric Substitution
Trigonometric substitution is a clever technique used to simplify the integration of expressions involving square roots or trigonometric functions. In this exercise, we selected the substitution \( u = \cos x \). This choice was beneficial because the derivative \( du = -\sin x \, dx \) replaced \( \sin x \, dx \) seamlessly. The goal of trigonometric substitution is to transform the integral into a simpler form to work with.
- Look for patterns involving trigonometric identities.
- Select a substitution that simplifies the integral.
- Replace all occurrences of the original variable with the new one involving the trigonometric function.
Change of Bounds
Changing the bounds is a crucial part of integration by substitution. Since the integration variable changes, the limits of integration must also be appropriately updated. When we substituted \( u = \cos x \) in the original integral, the bounds had to be changed as follows:
- Original lower bound: \( x = \frac{\pi}{2} \) results in \( u = \cos \left(\frac{\pi}{2}\right) = 0 \).
- Original upper bound: \( x = \pi \) gives \( u = \cos(\pi) = -1 \).
Integration Techniques
Various integration techniques come to play during definite integral evaluations. In this problem, after performing trigonometric substitution, simplifying the integral was key. We arrived at:
\[ \int_{0}^{-1} \frac{1}{1+u^2} \, du \] Simplification turned it into a form that was straightforward to integrate using standard techniques. These include:
\[ \int_{0}^{-1} \frac{1}{1+u^2} \, du \] Simplification turned it into a form that was straightforward to integrate using standard techniques. These include:
- Reversing the bounds when necessary — in this case, reversing from \([-1, 0]\) to \([0, -1]\) made the integral positive.
- Recognizing the formula applicable, \( \int \frac{1}{1+u^2} \, du = \arctan(u) + C \), which is a direct result of inverse trigonometric integration.
Inverse Trigonometric Functions
Inverse trigonometric functions are essential tools in calculus, especially in integration. For this integral, the expression \( \int \frac{1}{1+u^2} \, du = \arctan(u) + C \) was used. Using an inverse trigonometric function simplifies the evaluation, particularly in this form:
- The antiderivative of \( \frac{1}{1+u^2} \) is the arc tangent function, \( \arctan(u) \).
- This allows the integral to be evaluated directly, especially with defined limits.