3.2 Trigonometric Integrals

3 min readjune 24, 2024

are a crucial part of calculus, involving the integration of , , , and functions. These integrals often require special techniques like , , and product-to-sum conversions.

Mastering helps you solve complex problems in physics, engineering, and mathematics. You'll learn to use , handle different powers and products of trig functions, and apply various substitution methods to simplify and solve these integrals.

Trigonometric Integrals

Integration of sine and cosine products

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  • Integrals involving products and powers of sine and cosine functions sinmxcosnxdx\int \sin^m x \cos^n x \, dx
    • For odd powers of sine or cosine, apply power-reducing formulas to decrease the exponent
      • sin2x=1cos2x\sin^2 x = 1 - \cos^2 x ()
      • cos2x=1sin2x\cos^2 x = 1 - \sin^2 x (pythagorean identity)
    • For even powers of both sine and cosine, use half-angle formulas to simplify the integrand
      • sin2x=1cos2x2\sin^2 x = \frac{1 - \cos 2x}{2} expresses sin2x\sin^2 x in terms of cos2x\cos 2x
      • cos2x=1+cos2x2\cos^2 x = \frac{1 + \cos 2x}{2} expresses cos2x\cos^2 x in terms of cos2x\cos 2x
    • After applying these formulas, integrate the simplified expression using substitution (uu-substitution) or other integration techniques ()
  • Integrals involving products of sine and cosine with different arguments sin(mx)cos(nx)dx\int \sin(mx) \cos(nx) \, dx
    • Convert products of sine and cosine into sums using
      • sinAcosB=12[sin(A+B)+sin(AB)]\sin A \cos B = \frac{1}{2}[\sin(A+B) + \sin(A-B)] ()
      • cosAsinB=12[sin(A+B)sin(AB)]\cos A \sin B = \frac{1}{2}[\sin(A+B) - \sin(A-B)] ()
    • Integrate the resulting sum of sine functions using substitution or other appropriate methods (uu-substitution, trigonometric substitution)
  • These integrals often involve , which repeat their values at regular intervals

Integrals with tangent and secant

  • Integrals involving powers of tangent tannxdx\int \tan^n x \, dx
    • For odd powers of tangent, substitute u=tanxu = \tan x, then du=sec2xdxdu = \sec^2 x \, dx (trigonometric substitution)
    • For even powers of tangent, use the identity tan2x=sec2x1\tan^2 x = \sec^2 x - 1 to reduce the power and simplify the integrand (pythagorean identity)
  • Integrals involving powers of secant secnxdx\int \sec^n x \, dx
    • For odd powers of secant (except n=1n=1), substitute u=secx+tanxu = \sec x + \tan x, then du=secxtanx+sec2xdxdu = \sec x \tan x + \sec^2 x \, dx ()
    • For even powers of secant, use the identity sec2x=1+tan2x\sec^2 x = 1 + \tan^2 x to reduce the power and simplify the integrand (pythagorean identity)
  • Integrals involving products of secant and tangent secxtanxdx\int \sec x \tan x \, dx
    • Substitute u=secxu = \sec x, then du=secxtanxdxdu = \sec x \tan x \, dx to simplify the integral (uu-substitution)
  • Remember to use when working with trigonometric functions in calculus

Reduction formulas for trigonometric integrals

  • Reduction formula for integrals of sine raised to a power sinnxdx\int \sin^n x \, dx:
    • sinnxdx=1nsinn1xcosx+n1nsinn2xdx\int \sin^n x \, dx = -\frac{1}{n} \sin^{n-1} x \cos x + \frac{n-1}{n} \int \sin^{n-2} x \, dx reduces the power of sine by 2 in each iteration
  • Reduction formula for integrals of cosine raised to a power cosnxdx\int \cos^n x \, dx:
    • cosnxdx=1ncosn1xsinx+n1ncosn2xdx\int \cos^n x \, dx = \frac{1}{n} \cos^{n-1} x \sin x + \frac{n-1}{n} \int \cos^{n-2} x \, dx reduces the power of cosine by 2 in each iteration
  • Reduction formula for integrals of tangent raised to a power tannxdx\int \tan^n x \, dx:
    • tannxdx=1n1tann1xtann2xdx\int \tan^n x \, dx = \frac{1}{n-1} \tan^{n-1} x - \int \tan^{n-2} x \, dx reduces the power of tangent by 1 in each iteration
  • Reduction formula for integrals of secant raised to a power secnxdx\int \sec^n x \, dx:
    • secnxdx=1n1secn2xtanx+n2n1secn2xdx\int \sec^n x \, dx = \frac{1}{n-1} \sec^{n-2} x \tan x + \frac{n-2}{n-1} \int \sec^{n-2} x \, dx reduces the power of secant by 2 in each iteration
  • These formulas often rely on to simplify expressions

Types of Trigonometric Integrals

  • : of trigonometric functions that result in a family of functions
  • : Evaluate the area under a curve of a trigonometric function over a specific interval
  • : Express the general antiderivative of a trigonometric function, including a constant of integration

Key Terms to Review (32)

∫ cos^n x dx: The integral of the cosine function raised to a power 'n', with respect to the variable 'x'. This integral expression is a fundamental concept in the study of trigonometric integrals, which involve integrating various trigonometric functions.
∫ sec^n x dx: The integral of the secant function raised to the power of n with respect to the variable x. This expression represents a type of trigonometric integral, which involves the evaluation of integrals containing trigonometric functions.
∫ sin(mx) cos(nx) dx: The integral of the product of sine of mx and cosine of nx with respect to x. This term is particularly relevant in the context of trigonometric integrals, where the goal is to evaluate integrals involving trigonometric functions.
∫ sin^m x cos^n x dx: The integral of the product of sine raised to the power of m and cosine raised to the power of n, with respect to the variable x. This expression represents a class of trigonometric integrals that are commonly encountered in calculus.
∫ sin^n x dx: The integral of the sine function raised to a positive integer power, with respect to the variable x. This type of integral is a fundamental concept in the study of trigonometric integrals, which are essential in various areas of calculus and mathematical analysis.
∫ tan^n x dx: The integral of the tangent function raised to the power of n, with respect to the variable x. This integral expression is commonly encountered in the context of trigonometric integrals, a fundamental concept in calculus.
Antiderivatives: An antiderivative, also known as a primitive function or indefinite integral, is a function whose derivative is the original function. It represents the reverse operation of differentiation, allowing one to find a function that has a given derivative.
Cosine: Cosine is a trigonometric function that represents the ratio of the adjacent side to the hypotenuse of a right triangle. It is one of the fundamental trigonometric functions, along with sine and tangent, and is essential in understanding the relationships between the sides and angles of a triangle.
Definite Integrals: A definite integral is a mathematical operation that calculates the area under a curve on a graph between two specific points. It represents the accumulation of a quantity over an interval and is a fundamental concept in calculus that connects the ideas of differentiation and integration.
Difference of Sines: The difference of sines refers to the algebraic difference between two trigonometric sine functions. This concept is particularly important in the context of trigonometric integrals, where the difference of sines can be utilized to simplify and evaluate integral expressions.
Fundamental Trigonometric Identities: Fundamental trigonometric identities are a set of basic equations that describe the relationships between the trigonometric functions (sine, cosine, tangent, etc.). These identities are essential for understanding and working with trigonometric expressions, especially in the context of trigonometric integrals and substitutions.
Half-Angle Formulas: Half-angle formulas are a set of trigonometric identities that allow for the simplification of expressions involving half-angles, such as $\sin(\theta/2)$ and $\cos(\theta/2)$. These formulas are particularly useful in the context of trigonometric integrals, as they can help reduce the complexity of the integrand.
Indefinite integrals: An indefinite integral, also known as an antiderivative, is a function that reverses the process of differentiation. It represents a family of functions whose derivative is the given function.
Indefinite Integrals: Indefinite integrals represent a family of functions whose derivatives yield the original function, encapsulating the concept of anti-differentiation. They are expressed with the integral sign followed by a function and the differential, and they include a constant of integration, indicating that there are infinitely many functions that differ by a constant. This idea is central to techniques like substitution and trigonometric identities, allowing for more complex expressions to be simplified and solved.
Integration by Parts: Integration by parts is a technique used to integrate products of functions by transforming the integral into a simpler form using the formula $$\int u \, dv = uv - \int v \, du$$. This method connects various integration strategies, making it especially useful in situations where other techniques like substitution may not be effective.
Integration of Sine and Cosine Products: The integration of products involving sine and cosine functions is a fundamental concept in calculus that allows for the evaluation of certain types of trigonometric integrals. This process involves the application of integration techniques to expressions containing trigonometric functions.
Periodic Functions: Periodic functions are mathematical functions that repeat their values at regular intervals. They exhibit a pattern that is consistent over a specific domain, with the function returning to its original value after a fixed period of time or distance.
Power reduction formulas: Power reduction formulas are trigonometric identities that express powers of sine and cosine functions in terms of first powers of cosines of multiple angles. These formulas simplify the integration of trigonometric functions raised to a power.
Power-Reducing Formulas: Power-reducing formulas are mathematical expressions used to simplify trigonometric integrals involving powers of trigonometric functions. These formulas allow for the reduction of the power of a trigonometric function, making the integration process more manageable and efficient.
Power-reducing identities: Power-reducing identities are trigonometric identities that express powers of sine and cosine in terms of first powers of cosine with double angles. These identities simplify the integration of even-powered trigonometric functions.
Product-to-Sum Formulas: Product-to-sum formulas are a set of trigonometric identities that allow the conversion of products of trigonometric functions into sums or differences of those functions. These formulas are particularly useful in the context of trigonometric integrals, as they can simplify the integration process.
Pythagorean identity: The Pythagorean identity is a fundamental relationship in trigonometry that states $$ ext{sin}^2(x) + ext{cos}^2(x) = 1$$ for any angle $$x$$. This identity connects the sine and cosine functions and is essential for solving various problems involving trigonometric functions, especially when working with integrals and substitutions that involve these functions.
Radian Measure: Radian measure is a unit of angular measurement that represents the ratio of the length of an arc on a circle to the radius of that circle. It is a fundamental concept in trigonometry and calculus that provides a more natural way to quantify angles compared to the more commonly used degree measure.
Reduction Formulas: Reduction formulas are mathematical expressions used to simplify the integration of trigonometric functions by converting them into simpler forms. These formulas help to evaluate integrals involving trigonometric expressions more efficiently.
Secant: A secant is a straight line that intersects a curve at two distinct points. In the context of trigonometric integrals, the secant function is a trigonometric function that represents the reciprocal of the cosine function, providing an alternative way to evaluate certain integrals involving trigonometric expressions.
Sine: The sine function is a trigonometric function that represents the ratio of the length of the opposite side to the length of the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle. It is a fundamental concept in trigonometry and has important applications in various areas of mathematics, physics, and engineering.
Sum of Sines: The sum of sines is a trigonometric expression that represents the sum of multiple sine functions with different amplitudes, frequencies, and/or phases. This concept is particularly relevant in the context of Trigonometric Integrals, where the sum of sines is often encountered and analyzed.
Tangent: A tangent is a straight line that touches a curve at a single point, intersecting it at that point and having the same slope as the curve at that point. It is a fundamental concept in calculus, geometry, and trigonometry, and is particularly relevant in the context of trigonometric integrals and substitution.
Trigonometric integrals: Trigonometric integrals are integrals that involve trigonometric functions such as sine, cosine, and tangent. These integrals often require specific techniques for simplification and evaluation.
Trigonometric Integrals: Trigonometric integrals refer to the integration of functions involving trigonometric functions, such as sine, cosine, tangent, and their reciprocals. These integrals are an important topic in calculus and are used to evaluate the area under a curve or the accumulation of a quantity over a given interval.
U-substitution: U-substitution is a technique used in integration that simplifies the process by substituting a part of the integral with a new variable, usually denoted as 'u'. This method allows for easier integration by transforming complex expressions into simpler ones, facilitating the calculation of definite and indefinite integrals.
Weierstrass Substitution: The Weierstrass substitution is a technique used to evaluate trigonometric integrals by transforming the trigonometric functions into algebraic functions. This method simplifies the integration process and allows for the evaluation of a wider range of trigonometric integrals.
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