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Thread: Integrating tan x

  1. #1

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    Member Thomas154321's Avatar
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    Integrating tan x

    Can someone show me how to integrate tan x wrt x please? I know you have 1/cos x, which gives a natural log, but after that I can't work it out. Thanks.

    Also, if you could do the same for cot x that would be great!

    Thanks.

  2. #2
    vbuggy krtxmrtz's Avatar
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    Re: Integrating tan x

    Let J the integral you want to calculate. Let I mean "integral of..." Then,

    J = I(tanx dx)

    Make this change of variable:

    t = tanx -> dt = dx / cos2x

    Substituting,

    J = I(t dt cos2x)

    Now express the cos2x as function of t:

    t = tanx = sinx / cosx

    t2 = sin2x / cos2x = (1 - cos2x) / cos2x = (1 / cos2x ) - 1

    1 / cos2x = 1 + t2 -> cos2x = 1 / (1 + t2)

    so that

    J = I(t dt / (1 + t2)) = (1/2) ln (1 + t2) = ln (Sqrt(1 + t2))

    Replacing t by tanx:

    J = ln(Sqrt(1 + tan2x)) = ln(1 / cos x) = -ln(cos x)
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  3. #3
    Addicted Member Glaysher's Avatar
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    Re: Integrating tan x

    Quote Originally Posted by Thomas154321
    Can someone show me how to integrate tan x wrt x please? I know you have 1/cos x, which gives a natural log, but after that I can't work it out. Thanks.

    Also, if you could do the same for cot x that would be great!

    Thanks.
    tan x = (sin x)/(cos x)

    Integral of (sin x)/(cos x) dx

    Let u = cos x

    Then du/dx = - sin x

    So dx = -1/(sin x) du

    Integral becomes

    Integral of (sin x)/u (-1)/(sin x) du

    = Integral of (-1)/u du = -ln u + c = -ln (cos x) + c

  4. #4
    Addicted Member Glaysher's Avatar
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    Re: Integrating tan x

    cot x = (cos x)/(sin x)

    Integral of (cos x)/(sin x) dx

    Let u = sin x

    Then du/dx = cos x

    So dx = 1/(cos x) du

    Integral becomes

    Integral of (cos x)/u (1)/(cos x) du

    = Integral of (1/u) du = ln u + c = ln (sin x) + c

  5. #5
    Addicted Member Rassis's Avatar
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    Re: Integrating tan x

    I suggest that you use the Wolfram Integrator whenever you need a quick view of the result (just to confirm whether the calculus you performed is right or not).

    http://integrals.wolfram.com/index.jsp
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  6. #6
    vbuggy krtxmrtz's Avatar
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    Re: Integrating tan x

    Quote Originally Posted by Rassis
    I suggest that you use the Wolfram Integrator whenever you need a quick view of the result (just to confirm whether the calculus you performed is right or not).

    http://integrals.wolfram.com/index.jsp
    I knew the Wolfram site but had never stumbled upon this specific page...
    Lottery is a tax on people who are bad at maths
    If only mosquitoes sucked fat instead of blood...
    To do is to be (Descartes). To be is to do (Sartre). To be do be do (Sinatra)

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