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In mathematics, trigonometric substitution is the replacement of
trigonometric functions In mathematics, the trigonometric functions (also called circular functions, angle functions or goniometric functions) are real functions which relate an angle of a right-angled triangle to ratios of two side lengths. They are widely used in al ...
for other expressions. In
calculus Calculus, originally called infinitesimal calculus or "the calculus of infinitesimals", is the mathematical study of continuous change, in the same way that geometry is the study of shape, and algebra is the study of generalizations of arithm ...
, trigonometric substitution is a technique for evaluating integrals. Moreover, one may use the
trigonometric identities In trigonometry, trigonometric identities are equalities that involve trigonometric functions and are true for every value of the occurring variables for which both sides of the equality are defined. Geometrically, these are identities involvin ...
to simplify certain
integral In mathematics, an integral assigns numbers to functions in a way that describes displacement, area, volume, and other concepts that arise by combining infinitesimal data. The process of finding integrals is called integration. Along wit ...
s containing radical expressions. Like other methods of integration by substitution, when evaluating a definite integral, it may be simpler to completely deduce the antiderivative before applying the boundaries of integration.


Case I: Integrands containing ''a''2 − ''x''2

Let x = a \sin \theta, and use the identity 1-\sin^2 \theta = \cos^2 \theta.


Examples of Case I


Example 1

In the integral :\int\frac, we may use :x=a\sin \theta,\quad dx=a\cos\theta\, d\theta, \quad \theta=\arcsin\frac. Then, :\begin \int\frac &= \int\frac \\ pt &= \int\frac \\ pt &= \int\frac \\ pt &= \int d\theta \\ pt &= \theta + C \\ pt &= \arcsin\frac+C. \end The above step requires that a > 0 and \cos \theta > 0. We can choose a to be the principal root of a^2, and impose the restriction -\pi /2 < \theta < \pi /2 by using the inverse sine function. For a definite integral, one must figure out how the bounds of integration change. For example, as x goes from 0 to a/2, then \sin \theta goes from 0 to 1/2, so \theta goes from 0 to \pi / 6. Then, :\int_0^\frac=\int_0^ d\theta = \frac. Some care is needed when picking the bounds. Because integration above requires that -\pi /2 < \theta < \pi /2 , \theta can only go from 0 to \pi / 6. Neglecting this restriction, one might have picked \theta to go from \pi to 5\pi /6, which would have resulted in the negative of the actual value. Alternatively, fully evaluate the indefinite integrals before applying the boundary conditions. In that case, the antiderivative gives :\int_^ \frac = \arcsin \left( \frac \right) \Biggl, _^ = \arcsin \left ( \frac\right) - \arcsin (0) = \frac as before.


Example 2

The integral :\int\sqrt\,dx, may be evaluated by letting x=a\sin \theta,\, dx=a\cos\theta\, d\theta,\, \theta=\arcsin\frac, where a > 0 so that \sqrt=a, and -\frac \le \theta \le \frac by the range of arcsine, so that \cos \theta \ge 0 and \sqrt = \cos \theta. Then, :\begin \int\sqrt\,dx &= \int\sqrt\,(a\cos\theta) \,d\theta \\ pt &= \int\sqrt\,(a\cos\theta) \,d\theta \\ pt &= \int\sqrt\,(a\cos\theta) \,d\theta \\ pt &= \int(a\cos\theta)(a\cos\theta) \,d\theta \\ pt &= a^2\int\cos^2\theta\,d\theta \\ pt &= a^2\int\left(\frac\right)\,d\theta \\ pt &= \frac \left(\theta+\frac\sin 2\theta \right) + C \\ pt &= \frac(\theta+\sin\theta\cos\theta) + C \\ pt &= \frac\left(\arcsin\frac+\frac\sqrt\right) + C \\ pt &= \frac\arcsin\frac+\frac\sqrt+C. \end For a definite integral, the bounds change once the substitution is performed and are determined using the equation \theta = \arcsin\frac, with values in the range -\frac \le \theta \le \frac. Alternatively, apply the boundary terms directly to the formula for the antiderivative. For example, the definite integral :\int_^1\sqrt\,dx, may be evaluated by substituting x = 2\sin\theta, \,dx = 2\cos\theta\,d\theta, with the bounds determined using \theta = \arcsin\frac. Since \arcsin(1/2) = \pi/6 and \arcsin(-1/2) = -\pi/6, :\begin \int_^1\sqrt\,dx &= \int_^\sqrt\,(2\cos\theta) \,d\theta \\ pt &= \int_^\sqrt\,(2\cos\theta) \,d\theta \\ pt &= \int_^\sqrt\,(2\cos\theta) \,d\theta \\ pt &= \int_^(2\cos\theta)(2\cos\theta) \,d\theta \\ pt &= 4\int_^\cos^2\theta\,d\theta \\ pt &= 4\int_^\left(\frac\right)\,d\theta \\ pt &= 2 \left theta+\frac \sin 2\theta \right_ = \theta+\sin 2\theta\Biggl , ^_ \\ pt &= \left(\frac+\sin\frac\right)-\left(-\frac+\sin\left(-\frac\right)\right) = \frac+\sqrt. \end On the other hand, direct application of the boundary terms to the previously obtained formula for the antiderivative yields :\begin \int_^1\sqrt\,dx &= \left \frac\arcsin\frac+\frac\sqrt \right^\\ pt&= \left( 2 \arcsin \frac + \frac\sqrt\right) - \left( 2 \arcsin \left(-\frac\right) + \frac\sqrt\right)\\ pt&= \left( 2 \cdot \frac + \frac\right) - \left( 2\cdot \left(-\frac\right) - \frac\right)\\ pt&= \frac + \sqrt \end as before.


Case II: Integrands containing ''a''2 + ''x''2

Let x = a \tan \theta, and use the identity 1+\tan^2 \theta = \sec^2 \theta.


Examples of Case II


Example 1

In the integral :\int\frac we may write :x=a\tan\theta,\quad dx=a\sec^2\theta\, d\theta, \quad \theta=\arctan\frac, so that the integral becomes :\begin \int\frac &= \int\frac \\ pt &= \int\frac \\ pt &= \int\frac \\ pt &= \int\frac \\ pt &= \frac+C \\ pt &= \frac \arctan \frac + C, \end provided a \neq 0. For a definite integral, the bounds change once the substitution is performed and are determined using the equation \theta = \arctan\frac, with values in the range -\frac < \theta < \frac. Alternatively, apply the boundary terms directly to the formula for the antiderivative. For example, the definite integral :\int_0^1\frac\, may be evaluated by substituting x = \tan\theta, \,dx = \sec^2\theta\,d\theta, with the bounds determined using \theta = \arctan x. Since \arctan 0 = 0 and \arctan 1 = \pi/4, :\begin \int_0^1\frac &= 4\int_0^1\frac \\ pt &= 4\int_0^\frac \\ pt &= 4\int_0^\frac \\ pt &= 4\int_0^d\theta \\ pt &= (4\theta)\Bigg, ^_0 = 4 \left (\frac - 0 \right) = \pi. \end Meanwhile, direct application of the boundary terms to the formula for the antiderivative yields :\begin \int_0^1\frac\, &= 4\int_0^1\frac \\ &= 4\left frac \arctan \frac \right1_0 \\ &= 4(\arctan x)\Bigg, ^1_0 \\ &= 4(\arctan 1 - \arctan 0) \\ &= 4 \left (\frac - 0 \right) = \pi, \end same as before.


Example 2

The integral :\int\sqrt\, may be evaluated by letting x=a\tan\theta,\, dx=a\sec^2\theta\, d\theta, \, \theta=\arctan\frac, where a > 0 so that \sqrt=a, and -\frac<\theta<\frac by the range of arctangent, so that \sec \theta > 0 and \sqrt = \sec \theta. Then, :\begin \int\sqrt\,dx &= \int\sqrt\,(a \sec^2\theta)\, d\theta \\ pt &= \int\sqrt\,(a \sec^2\theta)\, d\theta \\ pt &= \int\sqrt\,(a \sec^2\theta)\, d\theta \\ pt &= \int(a \sec\theta)(a \sec^2\theta)\, d\theta \\ pt &= a^2\int \sec^3\theta\, d\theta. \\ pt \end The
integral of secant cubed The integral of secant cubed is a frequent and challenging indefinite integral of elementary calculus: :\begin \int \sec^3 x \, dx &= \tfrac12\sec x \tan x + \tfrac12 \int \sec x\, dx + C \\ mu&= \tfrac12(\sec x \tan x + \ln \left, \sec x + \ta ...
may be evaluated using
integration by parts In calculus, and more generally in mathematical analysis, integration by parts or partial integration is a process that finds the integral of a product of functions in terms of the integral of the product of their derivative and antiderivative. ...
. As a result, :\begin \int\sqrt\,dx &= \frac(\sec\theta \tan\theta + \ln, \sec\theta+\tan\theta, )+C \\ pt &= \frac\left(\sqrt\cdot\frac + \ln\left, \sqrt+\frac\\right)+C \\ pt &= \frac\left(x\sqrt + a^2\ln\left, \frac\\right)+C. \end


Case III: Integrands containing ''x''2 − ''a''2

Let x = a \sec \theta, and use the identity \sec^2 \theta -1 = \tan^2 \theta.


Examples of Case III

Integrals like :\int\frac can also be evaluated by
partial fractions In algebra, the partial fraction decomposition or partial fraction expansion of a rational fraction (that is, a fraction such that the numerator and the denominator are both polynomials) is an operation that consists of expressing the fraction as ...
rather than trigonometric substitutions. However, the integral :\int\sqrt\, dx cannot. In this case, an appropriate substitution is: :x = a \sec\theta,\, dx = a \sec\theta\tan\theta\, d\theta, \, \theta = \arcsec\frac, where a > 0 so that \sqrt=a, and 0 \le \theta < \frac by assuming x > 0, so that \tan \theta \ge 0 and \sqrt = \tan \theta. Then, :\begin \int\sqrt\, dx &= \int\sqrt \cdot a \sec\theta\tan\theta\, d\theta \\ &= \int\sqrt \cdot a \sec\theta\tan\theta\, d\theta \\ &= \int\sqrt \cdot a \sec\theta\tan\theta\, d\theta \\ &= \int a^2 \sec\theta\tan^2\theta\, d\theta \\ &= a^2 \int (\sec\theta)(\sec^2\theta - 1)\, d\theta \\ &= a^2 \int (\sec^3\theta - \sec\theta)\, d\theta. \end One may evaluate the integral of the secant function by multiplying the numerator and denominator by ( \sec \theta + \tan \theta) and the
integral of secant cubed The integral of secant cubed is a frequent and challenging indefinite integral of elementary calculus: :\begin \int \sec^3 x \, dx &= \tfrac12\sec x \tan x + \tfrac12 \int \sec x\, dx + C \\ mu&= \tfrac12(\sec x \tan x + \ln \left, \sec x + \ta ...
by parts. As a result, :\begin \int\sqrt\,dx &= \frac(\sec\theta \tan\theta + \ln, \sec\theta+\tan\theta, )-a^2\ln, \sec\theta+\tan\theta, +C \\ pt &= \frac(\sec\theta \tan\theta - \ln, \sec\theta+\tan\theta, )+C \\ pt &= \frac\left(\frac\cdot\sqrt - \ln\left, \frac+\sqrt\\right)+C \\ pt &= \frac\left(x\sqrt - a^2\ln\left, \frac\\right)+C. \end When \frac < \theta \le \pi, which happens when x < 0 given the range of arcsecant, \tan \theta \le 0, meaning \sqrt = -\tan \theta instead in that case.


Substitutions that eliminate trigonometric functions

Substitution can be used to remove trigonometric functions. For instance, :\begin \int f(\sin(x), \cos(x))\, dx &=\int\frac1 f\left(u,\pm\sqrt\right)\, du && u=\sin (x) \\ pt\int f(\sin(x), \cos(x))\, dx &=\int\frac f\left(\pm\sqrt,u\right)\, du && u=\cos (x) \\ pt\int f(\sin(x), \cos(x))\, dx &=\int\frac2 f \left(\frac,\frac\right)\, du && u=\tan\left (\tfrac \right ) \\ pt\end The last substitution is known as the Weierstrass substitution, which makes use of
tangent half-angle formulas In trigonometry, tangent half-angle formulas relate the tangent of half of an angle to trigonometric functions of the entire angle. The tangent of half an angle is the stereographic projection of the circle onto a line. Among these formulas are the ...
. For example, :\begin \int\frac\, dx &= \int\frac2\frac\, du = \int (1-u^2)(1+u^2)\, du \\&= \int (1-u^4)\,du = u - \frac + C = \tan \frac - \frac \tan^5 \frac + C. \end


Hyperbolic substitution

Substitutions of
hyperbolic function In mathematics, hyperbolic functions are analogues of the ordinary trigonometric functions, but defined using the hyperbola rather than the circle. Just as the points form a circle with a unit radius, the points form the right half of the u ...
s can also be used to simplify integrals. In the integral \int \frac\,, make the substitution x=a\sinh, dx=a\cosh u\, du. Then, using the identities \cosh^2 (x) - \sinh^2 (x) = 1 and \sinh^ = \ln(x + \sqrt), \begin \int \frac\, &= \int \frac\ , \\ pt&=\int \frac\, \\ pt&=\int \frac\, du\\ pt&=u+C\\ pt&=\sinh^+C\\ pt&=\ln\left(\sqrt + \frac\right) + C\\ pt&=\ln\left(\frac\right) + C \end


See also

*
Integration by substitution In calculus, integration by substitution, also known as ''u''-substitution, reverse chain rule or change of variables, is a method for evaluating integrals and antiderivatives. It is the counterpart to the chain rule for differentiation, and can ...
* Weierstrass substitution *
Euler substitution Euler substitution is a method for evaluating integrals of the form \int R(x, \sqrt) \, dx, where R is a rational function of x and \sqrt. In such cases, the integrand can be changed to a rational function by using the substitutions of Euler. ...


References

{{Integrals Integral calculus Trigonometry