Practice Problems: Trig Integrals (Solutions)

Written by Victoria Kala

vtkala@math.ucsb.edu
November 9, 2014

The following are solutions to the Trig Integrals practice problems posted on November 9.
R
1. sec xdx
Note: This is an integral you should just memorize so you don’t need to repeat this process
again.
Solution:
sec2 x + sec x tan x
Z Z Z
sec x + tan x
sec xdx = sec x dx = dx
sec x + tan x sec x + tan x
Let w = sec x + tan x, so du = (sec x tan x + sec2 x)dx:

sec2 x + sec x tan x

Z Z
1
dx = dw = ln |w| + C
sec x + tan x w
Plug back in w: Z
sec xdx = ln | sec x + tan x| + C

sec3 xdx
R
2.
Solution: Rewrite: Z Z
3
sec xdx = sec x · sec2 xdx

Use integration by parts. Let u = sec x, dv = sec2 xdx. Then du = sec x tan xdx and v = tan x:
Z Z Z
sec3 xdx = sec x tan x − sec x tan2 xdx = sec x tan x − sec x(sec2 x − 1)dx
Z Z Z
= sec x tan x − sec3 xdx + sec xdx = sec x tan x + ln | sec x + tan x| − sec3 xdx

Notice on the right side we have the same integral as what we started with, so move it over
to the left side: Z
2 sec3 xdx = sec x tan x + ln | sec x + tan x|

Divide by 2 and add C:

Z
1
sec3 xdx = (sec x tan x + ln | sec x + tan x|) + C
2


1
 cos4 xdx
R
3.
Solution: Since we have an even power of cos, we need to use the half angle identity:
Z Z Z  2 Z
4 2 2 1 1
cos xdx = (cos x) dx = (1 + cos 2x) dx = (1 + 2 cos 2x + cos2 2x)dx
2 4
Use half angle again:
Z   Z  
1 1 1 3 1
1 + 2 cos 2x + (1 + cos 4x) dx = + 2 cos 2x + cos 4x dx
4 2 4 2 2
 
1 3 1
= x + sin 2x + sin 4x + C
4 2 8


t sin2 tdt
R
4.
Solution: Use half angle identity:
Z Z   Z Z 
2 1 1
t sin tdt = t (1 − cos 2t) dt = tdt − t cos 2tdt
2 2
The first integral is straightforward, use integration by parts (tabular method) on the second
with u = t, dv = cos 2tdt:
Z  
2 1 1 2 1 1
t sin tdt = t − t sin 2t − cos 2t + C
2 2 2 4


3 √
R sin√ x
5. x
dx
√ 1 1
Solution: Let w = x, so dw = √ dx ⇒ 2dw = √ dx:
2 x x
Z 3√ Z Z Z
sin x
√ dx = 2 sin3 wdw = 2 sin w · sin2 wdw = 2 sin w(1 − cos2 w)dw
x
Let y = cos w, so dy = − sin wdw:
Z Z  
2 2 1 3
2 sin w(1 − cos w)dw = −2 (1 − y )dy = −2 y − y
3
Plug back in w: 
  
1 3 1 3
−2 y − y = −2 cos w − cos w
3 3
Plug back in x and add C:
√ √
   
1 1
−2 cos w − cos3 w = −2 cos x − cos3 x + C
3 3


2
 Rπ
6. 0
sin2 t cos4 tdt
Solution: You can use half angle identity on this problem, but you would need to use it several
times. I don’t think you would see a problem like this on your exam, but it is nice to practice
anyway.
Z π Z π Z π  
2 4 2 2 2 2 1
sin t cos tdt = sin t cos t cos tdt = (sin t cos t) (1 + cos 2t) dt
0 0 0 2
π 2
1 π
Z  Z
1 1
sin 2t (1 + cos 2t)dt = (sin 2t)2 (1 + cos 2t)dt
2 0 2 8 0
Z π Z π 
1
= (sin 2t)2 dt + (sin 2t)2 cos 2tdt
8 0 0

Let’s look at these integrals separately. The left integral we need to use half angle identity:
Z π
1 π
Z  
1 1 π π
sin2 2tdt = (1 − cos 2t)dt = t − sin 2t  =
0 2 0 2 2 0 2

Now let’s look at the right integral. Use the substitution w = sin 2t, then dw = 2 cos 2tdt:
Z π
1 0 2
Z
(sin 2t)2 cos 2tdt = w dw = 0
0 2 0

So the final answer is: Z π

1 π π
sin2 t cos4 tdt = =
0 8 2 16


R π/2
7. 0
(2 − sin θ)2 dθ
Solution: Multiply this all out and use half angle identity:
Z π/2 Z π/2 Z π/2  
2 2 1 1
(2 − sin θ) dθ = (4 − 4 sin θ + sin θ)dθ = 4 − 4 sin θ + − cos 2θ dθ
0 0 0 2 2
Z π/2   π/2
9 1 9 1 9π
= − 4 sin θ − cos 2θ dθ = θ + 4 cos θ − sin 2θ = −4

0 2 2 2 4 0 4


cos2 x sin 2xdx

R
8.
Solution:
Z Z Z
cos2 x sin 2xdx = cos2 x · 2 sin x cos xdx = 2 sin x cos3 xdx

3
 Let w = cos x, dw = − sin xdx:
Z Z
1 1
2 sin x cos3 xdx = −2 w3 dw = − w4 + c = − cos4 x + C
2 2


tan x sec3 xdx

R
9.
Solution: Z Z
3
tan x sec xdx = sec2 x · sec x tan xdx

Let w = sec x, dw = sec x tan xdx:

Z Z
1 1
sec x · sec x tan xdx = w2 dw = w3 + C = sec3 x + C
2
3 3


R
10. x sec x tan xdx
Solution: Use integration by parts with u = x, dv = sec x tan xdx. Then du = dx, v = sec x:
Z Z
x sec x tan xdx = x sec x − sec xdx = x sec x − ln | sec x + tan x| + C

R
11. csc xdx
Note: This is similar to the first problem. This is an integral you should just memorize so
you don’t need to repeat this process again.
Solution:
csc x − cot x csc2 x − csc x cot x
Z Z Z
csc xdx = csc x dx = dx
csc x − cot x csc x − cot x
Let w = csc x − cot x. Then dw = (− csc x cot x + csc2 x)dx:

csc2 x − csc x cot x

Z Z
1
dx = dw = ln |w| + C = ln | csc x − cot x| + C
csc x − cot x w


cot3 xdx
R
12.
Solution:
Z Z Z Z Z
cot3 xdx = cot x cot2 xdx = cot x(csc2 x − 1)dx = cot x csc2 xdx − cot xdx

4
 Z Z
= csc x · csc x cot xdx − cot xdx

Let’s look at the first integral. Let w = csc x, then dw = − csc x cot xdx:
Z Z
1 1
csc x · csc x cot xdx = − wdw = − w2 = − csc2 x
2 2
Now let’s look at the second integral. Rewrite it and let y = sin x so dy = cos xdx:
Z Z Z
cos x 1
cot xdx = dx = dy = ln |y| = ln | sin x|
sin x y
Now combine the two answers and add C:
Z
1
cot3 xdx = − csc2 x + ln | sin x| + C
2


R
13. sin 8x cos 5xdx
Solution: I don’t think you would see a problem like this on your exam, but it is nice to
practice anyway. There is a trig identity listed on page 476 of your text: sin A cos B =
1
2 [sin (A − B) − sin (A + B)]. You can also derive this equation yourself.

Z Z   
1 1 1 1
sin 8x cos 5xdx = (sin 3x + sin 13x) dx = − cos 3x − cos 13x + C
2 2 3 13

R
14. cos πx cos 4πxdx
Solution: Similar to the previous problem, I don’t think you would see a problem like this on
your exam. On page 476 of your text is the identity cos A cos B = 12 [cos(A − B) + cos(A + B)].

Z Z  Z 
1 1
cos πx cos 4πxdx = (cos (−3πx) + cos 5πx)dx = (cos 3πx + cos 5πx)dx
2 2
 
1 1 1
= sin 3πx + sin 5πx + C
2 3π 5π


R π/6 √
15. 0
1 + cos 2xdx
Solution: This is using the half identity backwards.

5
 π/6 π/6
r Z π/6 √ √ Z π/6
√
Z Z
1 2
1 + cos 2xdx = 2 · (1 + cos 2x)dx = 2 cos xdx = 2 cos xdx
0 0 2 0 0
√
√ π/6 2
= 2 sin x =

0 2


R π/4 √
16. 0
1 − cos 4θdθ
Solution: This is using the half identity backwards.
Z π/4
√
Z π/4 r
1
Z π/4 p √ Z π/4
1 − cos 4θdθ = 2 · (1 − cos 4θ)dθ = 2 sin2 2θdθ = 2 sin 2θdθ
0 0 2 0 0
√
√
 
1 π/4 2
= 2 − cos 2θ  =
2 0 2


1−tan2 x
R
17. sec2 x dx
Solution:
1 − tan2 x
Z Z Z
1
dx = (cos2 x − sin2 x)dx = cos 2xdx = sin 2x + C
sec2 x 2


dx
R
18. cos x−1
Solution: Multiply by the conjugate:
Z Z Z Z
dx 1 cos x + 1 cos x + 1 cos x + 1
= · dx = dx = dx
cos x − 1 cos x − 1 cos x + 1 cos2 x − 1 − sin2 x
Z
= (− csc x cot x − csc2 x)dx = csc x + cot x + C

x tan2 xdx
R
19.
Solution: Use the identity tan2 x = sec2 x − 1:
Z Z Z Z
2 2 2
x tan xdx = x(sec x − 1)dx = x sec xdx − xdx

6
 The last integral is no problemo. The first integral we need to use integration by parts. Let
u = x, dv = sec2 x. Then du = dx, v = tan x, so:
Z Z
x sec2 xdx = x tan x − tan xdx

sin x
R R
You can rewrite the last integral as cos x dx and use the substitution w = cos x. tan xdx =
− ln | cos x|, so: Z
x sec2 xdx = x tan x + ln | cos x|

Plug that into the original integral:

Z
1
x tan2 xdx = x tan x + ln | cos x| − x2 + C
2


x sin2 (x2 )dx

R
20.
Solution: Let w = x2 , dw = 2xdx:
Z Z Z  
2 2 1 2 1 1 1 1
x sin (x )dx = sin wdw = · (1 − cos 2w)dw = w − sin 2w + C
2 2 2 4 2
1 1 2
x − sin (x2 ) cos (x2 ) + C


= (w − sin w cos w) + C =
4 4


21. Find the area of the region bounded by the given curves: y = sin3 x, y = cos3 x, π/4 ≤ x ≤
5π/4
Solution: To find the area we need to subtract the bottom function from the top function
and then integrate over our domain:
Z 5π/4 Z 5π/4 Z 5π/4
A= (sin3 x − cos3 x)dx = sin3 xdx − cos3 xdx
π/4 π/4 π/4

Let’s look at the first integral:

Z 5π/4 Z 5π/4 Z 5π/4
sin3 xdx = sin x · sin2 xdx = sin x(1 − cos2 x)dx
π/4 π/4 π/4

Let w = cos x, dw = − sin xdx:

√ √
Z 5π/4 Z − 2/2 Z 2/2
sin x(1 − cos2 x)dx = − √ (1 − w2 )dw = √ (1 − w2 )dw
π/4 2/2 − 2/2
 √ √
√

1 3  2/2 2
= w− w  √ = 2−
3 − 2/2 6

7
 Now let’s look at the second integral:
Z 5π/4 Z 5π/4 Z 5π/4
cos3 xdx = cos x · cos2 xdx = cos x(1 − sin2 x)dx
π/4 π/4 π/4

Let y = sin x, dy = cos xdx:

√
Z 5π/4 Z − 2/2
2
cos x(1 − sin x)dx = √ (1 − y 2 )dy
π/4 2/2

 √ √
√

1 3 − 2/2 2
= y − y √ =− 2+
3 2/2 6
Now plug this back in:
√ ! √ ! √ √
Z 5π/4 Z 5π/4 √ 2 √ 2 √ 2 5 2
A= sin3 xdx − cos3 xdx = 2− − − 2+ =2 2− =
π/4 π/4 6 6 3 3

22. Find the volume obtained by rotating the region bounded by the given curves about the
specified axis: y = sec x, y = cos x, 0 ≤ x ≤ π/3 about y = −1.
Solution: Use the washer method. The outer area is given by A = πr2 = π(sec x + 1)2 , and
the inside area is given by A = πr2 = π(cos x + 1)2 :
Z π/3 Z π/3
V = (outer area − inside area)dx = π ((sec x + 1)2 − (cos x + 1)2 )dx
0 0
Z π/3 Z π/3  
2 2 1 1 2
=π (sec x+2 sec x−cos x−2 cos x)dx = π sec x + 2 sec x − − cos 2x − 2 cos x dx
0 0 2 2
 
1 1 π/3
= π tan x + 2 ln | sec x + tan x| − x − sin 2x − 2 sin x 
2 4 0
√ !
√
 
π  π π  π 1 2π π π 3
= π tan + 2 ln sec + tan  − − sin − 2 sin = π 2 ln(2 + 3) − −

3 3 3 6 4 3 3 6 8