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Integrals of trigonometric functions

Integrals of trigonometric functions

Three basic integrals

In the differential calculus course you learnt, in radians: (sin⁡x)′=cos⁡x\displaystyle {(\sin x)'}={\cos x}, (cos⁡x)′=−sin⁡x\displaystyle {(\cos x)'}={-\sin x}, (tan⁡x)′=1cos⁡2x\displaystyle {(\tan x)'}={\frac{1}{\cos^2x}}. Each of these derivatives, read backwards, gives an integral:

∫cos⁡x dx=sin⁡x+C\displaystyle \int\cos x\,dx=\sin x+C
∫sin⁡x dx=−cos⁡x+C\displaystyle \int\sin x\,dx=-\cos x+C
∫1cos⁡2x dx=tan⁡x+C\displaystyle \int\frac{1}{\cos^{2}x}\,dx=\tan x+C
  • Watch the sign: ∫sin⁡x dx=−cos⁡x\displaystyle {\int\sin x\,dx}={-\cos x}, because (−cos⁡x)′=sin⁡x\displaystyle {(-\cos x)'}={\sin x}.
  • The formulas hold only when the angle is in radians: in degrees the derivatives are multiplied by π180\displaystyle \frac{\pi}{180}.
A linear argument

The rule ∫f(mx+b) dx=1mF(mx+b)+C\displaystyle {\int f(mx+b)\,dx}={\frac{1}{m}F(mx+b)+C} works for trigonometric functions too. In the examples below:

  • ∫cos⁡3x dx=13sin⁡3x+C\displaystyle {\int\cos3x\,dx}={\frac{1}{3}\sin3x+C}.
  • ∫sin⁡(2x−π3)dx=−12cos⁡(2x−π3)+C\displaystyle {\int\sin\left(2x-\frac{\pi}{3}\right)dx}={-\frac{1}{2}\cos\left(2x-\frac{\pi}{3}\right)+C}.
  • ∫1cos⁡2x2 dx=2tan⁡x2+C\displaystyle {\int\frac{1}{\cos^2\frac{x}{2}}\,dx}={2\tan\frac{x}{2}+C}: here m=12\displaystyle {m}={\frac{1}{2}}, and dividing by 12\displaystyle \frac{1}{2} is multiplying by 2.
An inner derivative

The rule ∫(u(x))nu′(x) dx=(u(x))n+1n+1+C\displaystyle {\int\left(u(x)\right)^n u'(x)\,dx}={\frac{\left(u(x)\right)^{n+1}}{n+1}+C} works here too. The derivative of sin⁡x\displaystyle \sin x is cos⁡x\displaystyle \cos x, so:

  • ∫sin⁡3xcos⁡x dx=sin⁡4x4+C\displaystyle {\int\sin^3x\cos x\,dx}={\frac{\sin^4x}{4}+C} (u=sin⁡x\displaystyle {u}={\sin x}).
  • ∫sin⁡xcos⁡2x dx=−∫(cos⁡x)−2⋅(−sin⁡x) dx=−(cos⁡x)−1−1+C=1cos⁡x+C\displaystyle {\int\frac{\sin x}{\cos^2x}\,dx}={-\int(\cos x)^{-2}\cdot(-\sin x)\,dx}={-\frac{(\cos x)^{-1}}{-1}+C}={\frac{1}{\cos x}+C} (u=cos⁡x\displaystyle {u}={\cos x}).
The area of one arch

The example below calculates the area between one arch of y=sin⁡x\displaystyle {y}={\sin x} and the x\displaystyle x-axis, between x=0\displaystyle {x}={0} and x=π\displaystyle {x}={\pi}:

∫0πsin⁡x dx=[−cos⁡x]0π=−cos⁡π−(−cos⁡0)=1+1=2\int_0^\pi\sin x\,dx=\left[-\cos x\right]_0^\pi=-\cos\pi-(-\cos0)=1+1=2
f(x)=sin⁡x\displaystyle f(x)=\sin x
  • Over a whole period, from 0 to 2π\displaystyle 2\pi, the lower arch equals the upper one, and the integral is 0: [−cos⁡x]02π=−1+1=0\displaystyle {\left[-\cos x\right]_0^{2\pi}}={-1+1}={0}.
  • So to calculate the area of several arches, calculate each arch separately, or multiply the area of one.
Exercise 1

Find the integrals.

a

    / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

    / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

    b

      / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

      / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

      c

        / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

        / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

        d

          / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

          / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

          Exercise 2

          Calculate the integrals.

          a

            / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

            / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

            b

              / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

              / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

              c

                / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                Exercise 3

                The function f(x)=sin⁡4x\displaystyle {f(x)}={\sin4x} is given.

                a

                Mark the points where the graph meets the x\displaystyle x-axis.

                f(x)=sin⁡4x\displaystyle f(x)=\sin4x

                b

                Calculate the shaded area, between the graph and the x\displaystyle x-axis in the first arch to the right of the origin.

                  / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                  / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                  c

                  What is the area between the graph and the x\displaystyle x-axis for 0≤x≤π\displaystyle 0\le x\le\pi? Explain without calculating another integral.

                    / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power

                    / – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power