Use integration by parts to find # int xsin(pix) dx#?

1 Answer
Jul 12, 2017

# int \ xsin(pix) \ dx = sin(pix)/pi^2 - (xcos(pix))/pi + C #

Explanation:

We could use integration by parts or try a bit of guess work by trying some suitable function to differentiate and seeing if we can find the solution.

Consider how the product rule works:

# d/dx (uv) = u (dv)/dx + (du)/dxv #

So if we tried #y=xcos(ax)# we will end up with something close to what we need:

# y=xcos(ax) #

Differentiate wrt #x#:

# dy/dx=x(d/dx cos(ax)) + d/dx(x)(cos(ax)) #
# dy/dx=-axsin(ax) + cos(ax) #

So we have:

# d/dx (xcos(ax)) = cos(ax)-axsin(ax) #

In other words (by FTOC):

# int \ cos(ax)-axsin(ax) \ dx = xcos(ax) + c #

# :. int \ cos(ax) \ dx - int \ axsin(ax) \ dx = xcos(ax) + c #

# :. 1/asin(ax) - int \ axsin(ax) \ dx = xcos(ax) + c #

# :. int \ axsin(ax) \ dx = 1/asin(ax) - xcos(ax) - c #

# :. int \ xsin(ax) \ dx = sin(ax)/a^2 - (xcos(ax))/a - c/a #

# :. int \ xsin(ax) \ dx = sin(ax)/a^2 - (xcos(ax))/a + C #

Hence:

# int \ xsin(pix) \ dx = sin(pix)/pi^2 - (xcos(pix))/pi + C #