The main strategy for integration by parts is to pick u and
dv so that vdu is simpler to integrate than udv.
Sometimes this isn't possible. In those cases we look for ways to
relate ∫udv to ∫vdu algebraically, and then use
algebra to solve for ∫udv. This method is
especially good for integrals involving products of ex,
sin(x) and cos(x). Sometimes you need to integrate by parts
twice to make it work.
In the video, we computed ∫sin2xdx.
Example 1:
DO: Compute this integral now, using integration
by parts, without looking again at the video or your notes.
The worked-out solution is below.
Example 2:
DO: Compute this integral using the trig identity
sin2x=1−cos(2x)2 without looking ahead.
The worked-out solution is below.
Solution 1: We set u=sin(x) and dv=sin(x)dx, so applying integration by parts gives ∫sin2(x)dxu=sin(x)v=−cos(x)du=cos(x)dxdv=sin(x)dx=−sin(x)cos(x)+∫cos2(x)dx.
But cos2(x)=1−sin2(x), so ∫cos2(x)dx=∫(1−sin2x)dx=∫dx−∫sin2xdx. We
substitute this in, and then add this last term to the left-hand
side from above, getting ∫sin2(x)dx=−sin(x)cos(x)+∫dx−∫sin2(x)dx2∫sin2(x)dx=−sin(x)cos(x)+x+C∫sin2(x)dx=x−sin(x)cos(x)2+c