Chapter 7.

4
Trigonometric Substitutions
Introduction
In this section, we will discuss a method for evaluating integrals containing radicals by making substitutions
involving trigonometric functions. We will also show how integrals containing quadratic polynomials can
sometimes be evaluated by completing the square.

The Method of Trigonometric Substitution

Integrals containing expressions of the form

a2 − x2 , x2 + a2 , x2 − a2
in which a is a positive constant can be evaluated by making a substitution for x that will eliminate the

radical. For example, to eliminate the radical in the expression a 2 − x 2 , we can make the substitution
 
x = a sin  for −   to get a2 − x2 = a cos for cos  0.
2 2
dx
Example 1 Evaluate
4 − x2
. x 2

Solution: Let x = 2 sin u  dx = 2 cos u du.

dx 1 du
Therefore,  =  2
x 4− x
2 2 4 sin u
1 1
=  csc2 u du = − cot u + c
4 4
Because the original was expressed in terms of x, it is desirable to express cot u in terms of x as well. This
can be done geometrically using a figure. From the figure we obtain

4 − x2
cot u =
x

dx 1 4 − x2
Hence, x 2
4 − x2
=−
4 x
+ c.

2
dx
Example 2 Evaluate
4 − x2
. x
1
2

Solution: From Example 1, we get

2
1  4 − x2  3 −1
2
dx 1
x 1
2
4 − x2
=− 
4  x 
 = − (1 − 3 ) =
4 4
.
1

1
Example 4 Find the arc length of the curve y = x 2 / 2 from x = 0 to x = 1.
Solution: Using Formula (4) of Section 6.4 the arc length L of the curve is given by
2
 dy 
1 1
L =  1 +   dx =  1 + x 2 dx
0  dx  0

 
First, let x = tan u for −  u  to get dx = sec2 u du for sec u  0.
2 2
If x = 0 then u = 0 and if x = 1 then u = tan −1 1 =  / 4.
 /4  /4
1 
1
1
Thus, L =  1 + x dx =  sec u du =  sec u tan u + ln sec u + tan u 
2 3

0 0 2 2 0
=
1
2
 
2 + ln( 2 + 1) .

x 2 − 25
Example 5 Evaluate  x dx for x  5.

Solution: Let x = 5 sec u for 0  u  to get dx = 5 sec u tan u du.
2
x 2 − 25
Therefore,  x
dx = 5 tan 2 u du

= 5 (sec2 u − 1) du = 5 tan u − 5u + c
x 2 − 25  x
= 5 − 5 sec−1   + c
5 5
 x
= x 2 − 25 − 5 sec−1   + c
5

Integrals Involving Quadratic Functions

Integrals involving a quadratic expression ax 2 + bx + c, where a  0 and b  0, can often be evaluated by
first completing the square and then making an appropriate substitution.

We can consider the following example for illustrating this idea.

x
Example 6 Evaluate  2 dx.
x − 4x + 8
x x
Solution: We can write  2 dx =  dx
x − 4x + 8 ( x − 2)2 + 4
Let u = x − 2 then dx = du.
x u+2 u 1
Therefore,  2 dx =  2 du =  2 du + 2  2 du
x − 4x + 8 u +4 u +4 u +4

1 u
= ln( u 2 + 4) + tan −1 + c
2 2
1  x−2
= ln[( x − 2) 2 + 4] + tan −1  +c
2  2 
2
EXERCISE SET 7.4

2. Evaluate  1 − 4 x 2 dx.
1
Solution: Let I =  1 − 4 x 2 dx = 2 − x 2 dx
4
1 1
Let x = sin u  u = sin −1 2 x and dx = cos u du.
2 2
1 1
Therefore, I =  cos2 u du =  (1 + cos 2u ) du
2 4
1 1 1 1
= u + sin 2u + c = sin −1 2 x + sin(sin −1 2 x) cos(sin−1 2 x) + c
4 8 4 4
1 −1 1
= sin 2 x + sin(sin −1 2 x) cos(cos−1 1 − 4 x 2 ) + c
4 4
1 −1 1
= sin 2 x + x 1 − 4 x 2 + c
4 2
dx
4. Evaluate  .
x 9 − x2
2

dx
Solution: Let I =  .
x 9 − x2
2

Let x = 3 sin u . Then dx = 3 cos u du.

3 cos u 1
Therefore, I =  du =  cos ec 2u du
9 sin 2 u 9 − 9 sin 2 u 9
1 1  −1 9 − x 2 
+c
= − cot u + c = − cot cot
9 9  x 

9 − x2
=− +c
9x

dx
5. Evaluate  (4 + x 2 2
)
.

dx
Solution: Let I =  .
(4 + x 2 ) 2
Let x = 2 tan u . Then dx = 2 sec2 u du.
1 2 sec2 u 1 1 1 
Therefore, I =  du =  cos2 u du =  u + sin 2u  + c
2
16 (sec u ) 2
8 16  2 
= (u + sin u cos u ) + c = tan −1 ( x / 2) +
1 1 1 x 2
+c
16 16 16 x 2 + 4 x 2 + 4
1 1 x
= tan −1 ( x / 2) + +c
16 8 x2 + 4

3
 x2
6. Evaluate  5 + x2
dx.

x2
Solution: Let I =  dx.
5 + x2
Let x = 5 tan u . Then dx = 5 sec2 u du.
5 tan 2 u
Therefore, I =  ( 5 sec2 u ) du = 5 tan 2 u sec u du = 5 (sec2 u − 1) sec u du
5 sec u
1 1 
= 5 sec3 u du − 5 sec u du = 5 sec u tan u +  sec u du  − 5 sec u du
2 2 
5  5 
= sec u tan u +  − 5  ln sec u + tan u + c
2 2 
5 x2 + 5 x 5 x2 + 5 x
= − ln + +c
2 5 5 2 5 5

3x 3
9. Evaluate 
1− x2
dx.

Solution: Let x = sin u . Then dx = cos u du.

3x3 sin 3 u
Therefore,  dx = 3 cos u du
1 − x2 cos u
= 3 sin 3 u du = 3 (1 − cos2 u) sin u du
= −3 cosu + cos3 u + c
= −3 1 − x2 + (1 − x2 )3 / 2 + c

1+ t 2
12. Evaluate  t dt.
Solution: Let t = tan u . Then dt = sec2 u du.
1+ t2 sec3 u 1 + tan 2 u
Therefore,  t dt =  tan u du =  tan u sec u du
=  cscu du +  sec u tan u du
= ln cscu − cot u + sec u + c
t2 +1 −1
= ln + t2 +1 + c
t
1
16. Evaluate  1+ 2x 2
+ x4
dx.
1 1
Solution: We can write I =  dx =  dx.
1 + 2x + x
2 4
(1 + x 2 )2
Let x = tan u . Then dx = sec2 u du.

4
 1 1
Therefore, I =  cos2 u du = u + sin 2u + c
2 4
1 1 x 1
= tan −1 x + +c
2 2 1 + x 1 + x2
2

1 x
= tan −1 x + +c
2 2(1 + x 2 )

3x 3
18. Evaluate 
x 2 − 25
dx.

Solution: Let x = 5 sec u . Then dx = 5 sec u tan u du.

3x3
Therefore,  dx = 375 sec4 u du
x − 25
2

1 2 
= 375 sec2 u tan u + tan u  + c
3 3 
x2 x 2 − 25 x 2 − 25
= 125   + 250  +c
25 5 5
= x 2 x 2 − 25 + 50 x 2 − 25 + c

 5x 1 − x 2 dx.
3
21. Evaluate
0
Solution: Let x = sin u . Then dx = cosu du.

 5x 1 − x dx = 5 sin u cos u du
3 2 3 2
Therefore
= 5 (1 − cos u) cos u sin u du
2 2

= 5 cos u sin u du − 5 cos u sin u du

2 4

5
= − cos3 u + cos5 u
3
5
= − cos3 (sin −1 x) + cos5 (sin −1 x)
3
1
 5 
1
Hence  5 x 3 1 − x 2 dx = − cos3 (sin −1 x) + cos5 (sin −1 x)
0  3 0
5 2
= 0 + + 0 −1 =
3 3

33. Find the arc length of the curve y = ln x from x = 1 to x = 2.

x2 + 1
2
dy 1  dy 
Solution: Given y = ln x  = . So that 1 +   = 2 .
dx x  dx  x
Using Formula (4) of Section 6.4, the arc length L of the curve is given by
x2 +1
2
L= dx
1
x

5
Let x = tan u . Then dx = sec2 u du.
x2 + 1 sec u
Therefore  dx =  sec2 u du
x tan u
=  cscu du +  sec u tan u du
= ln cscu − cot u + sec u
= ln csc(tan−1 x) − cot(tan−1 x) + sec(tan−1 x)
x2 + 1
 
2
Hence, we get L =  dx = ln csc(tan−1 x) − cot(tan−1 x) + sec(tan−1 x) 2
1
1
x
−1
= ln csc(tan 2) − cot(tan−1 2) + sec(tan−1 2) − ln( 2 − 1) − 2
 5 1
= ln  −  + 5 − ln( 2 − 1) − 2
 2 2
34. Find the arc length of the curve y = x 2 from x = 0 to x = 1.
2
dy  dy 
Solution: Given y = x  2
= 2 x. So that 1 +   = 1 + 4 x2 .
dx  dx 
Using Formula (4) of Section 6.4, the arc length L of the curve is given by

1
L =  1 + 4 x 2 dx
0
1 1
Let x = tan u . Then dx = sec2 u du.
2 2
1
Therefore  1 + 4 x 2 dx =  1 + tan 2 u (sec2 u ) du
2
=  sec u du
3

1 1 1 
=  sec u tan u + ln sec u + tan u 
2 2 2 

 
1
1
Hence, L =  1 + 4 x 2 dx = sec tan −1 (2 x) tan tan −1 (2 x) + ln sec tan −1 (2 x) + tan tan −1 (2 x) 1
0
0
4

= sec sec−1 1 + 4 x 2 tan tan −1 (2 x) + ln sec sec−1 1 + 4 x 2 + tan tan −1 (2 x)  10

1
4  

4  
1
4

= 2 x 1 + 4 x 2 + ln 1 + 4 x 2 + 2 x  10 = 2 5 + ln( 5 + 2)
1

5 1
= + ln( 5 + 2).
2 4