Q.∫sin2xcos2xsin2x−cos2xdx is equal to (A) tanx+cotx+C (B) tanx+cosecx+C (C) −tanx+cotx+C (D) tanx+secx+C
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Trigonometric Simplification
You know sin2x+cos2x=1 — but the skill of turning a messy trig expression into that kind of clean form is trigonometric simplification. Because sines, cosines and their relatives are all tied together by identities from the unit circle, a tangled combination can almost always be rewritten as something shorter: a single term, a constant, or an easier combination.
Your core toolkit
Pythagorean: sin2θ+cos2θ=1,1+tan2θ=sec2θ,1+cot2θ=csc2θ
Reciprocal: cscθ=sinθ1, secθ=cosθ1, cotθ=tanθ1
Quotient: tanθ=cosθsinθ,cotθ=sinθcosθ
How the process feels
Simplify 1+cosxsinx+sinx1+cosx. Over a common denominator the numerator is sin2x+(1+cosx)2=sin2x+1+2cosx+cos2x. The Pythagorean identity turns sin2x+cos2x into 1, giving 2+2cosx=2(1+cosx), so
sinx(1+cosx)2(1+cosx)=sinx2=2cscx.
A two-term sum collapses to one term.
Strategies that usually work
- Convert everything to sines and cosines — cancellations then appear.
- Spot Pythagorean pairs and replace them with 1 (or sec2, csc2).
- Factor and cancel as you would with ordinary algebra.
- Multiply by a conjugate — e.g. multiply 1+sinx1 by 1−sinx1−sinx to unlock a Pythagorean identity. …
Concept: Trigonometric Simplification — rewrite the numerator using sin2x−cos2x=−(cos2x−sin2x)=−cos2x, but splitting term-by-term is faster.
Step 1: Separate the fraction:
sin2xcos2xsin2x−cos2x=sin2xcos2xsin2x−sin2xcos2xcos2x=cos2x1−sin2x1.
Step 2: Integrate term by term: …
The key idea is to split the integrand into two simpler fractions using the identity sin2x−cos2x=−(cos2x−sin2x)=−cos2x, but an even faster approach is to separate term-by-term: sin2xcos2xsin2x−sin2xcos2xcos2x=sec2x−csc2x. Integrating gives tanx+cotx+C, which matches option (A).
The problem looks like a trigonometric integral, but the real trick is noticing that the denominator is a product of squares. Many students try to use double-angle identities immediately, but the cleanest path is to split the fraction first.
When you have a sum (or difference) in the numerator and a product in the denominator, always check if you can break it into separate terms. Here:
sin2xcos2xsin2x−cos2x=sin2xcos2xsin2x−sin2xcos2xcos2x
Each fraction simplifies beautifully:
sin2xcos2xsin2x=cos2x1=sec2x
sin2xcos2xcos2x=sin2x1=csc2x
So the integrand becomes sec2x−csc2x.
Now integrate term by term:
- ∫sec2xdx=tanx+C1 — this is a standard result, since the derivative of tanx is sec2x.
- ∫csc2xdx=−cotx+C2 — because the derivative of cotx is −csc2x. …
Method: Split sin2xcos2xsin2x−cos2x into sec2 and csc2
When a difference of squared trig terms sits over their product, divide each numerator term by the whole denominator — each piece becomes a standard sec2 or csc2.
Steps
Step 1: Split the fraction.
sin2xcos2xsin2x−cos2x=sin2xcos2xsin2x−sin2xcos2xcos2x
Step 2: Cancel to standard forms.
=cos2x1−sin2x1=sec2x−csc2x
Step 3: Integrate. …
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Sign confusion giving −tanx+cotx (option C) instead of tanx+cotx.
Why it's wrong: the fraction splits as sec2x−csc2x; integrating gives tanx−(−cotx)=tanx+cotx, because ∫csc2x=−cotx and there is a leading minus. Correct approach: track both signs carefully to land on option (A).
Mistake 2: Not splitting the numerator and trying a direct substitution. …
Showing the 12 most recent of 63 on this concept.
- CBSE 2026Set 65/1/11 markMCQQ.One of the values of x for which cosx−cosxsinxsinx=1 is (A) 0 (B) 4π (C) 3π (D) 2π
›Reveal solutionSolution
The determinant simplifies to sinxcosx+sinxcosx=sin2x. Setting sin2x=1 gives 2x=2π+2nπ, so x=4π is one solution. The correct option is (B).
The problem gives a 2×2 determinant equal to 1 and asks for a value of x from the options. The fastest route is to compute the determinant directly — it’s a simple expression in sinx and cosx — and then solve the resulting trigonometric equation.
The determinant of acbd is ad−bc. Here:
cosx−cosxsinxsinx=(cosx)(sinx)−(sinx)(−cosx)
- Simplify the expression. The first term is cosxsinx. The second term: (sinx)(−cosx)=−sinxcosx, but there’s a minus sign in front, so it becomes −(−sinxcosx)=+sinxcosx. So the determinant equals:
cosxsinx+sinxcosx=2sinxcosx
- Use the double-angle identity. Recall that 2sinxcosx=sin2x. Therefore the equation becomes:
sin2x=1
- Solve sin2x=1. The sine function equals 1 at 2π plus any integer multiple of 2π:
2x=2π+2nπ⇒x=4π+nπ
where n is any integer.
- Check the given options.
- (A) 0: sin0=0, not 1.
- (B) 4π: sin2π=1 — works. …
- CBSE 2026Set CX1 markMCQQ.sin(tan−1x), ∣x∣<1 is equal to:(a) 1+x2x(b) 1−x2x(c) 1+x21(d) 1−x21
›Reveal solutionSolution
With θ=tan−1x a right triangle gives sinθ=1+x2x — option (a).
Concept: Convert the inverse function to an angle and read the ratio off a right triangle.
Let θ=tan−1x, so tanθ=x. Take the opposite side =x and adjacent =1; then the hypotenuse is 1+x2.
…
- CBSE 2026Set A1 markMCQQ.sin(cos−13/5)=(a) 43(b) 54(c) 53(d) 45
›Reveal solutionSolution
sin(cos−153)=54.
Let θ=cos−153, so cosθ=53 with θ∈[0,π], where sinθ≥0.
Then …
- CBSE 2026Set A1 markMCQQ.If ∣x∣≤1, then tan(cos−1x)=(a) x1−x2(b) 1+x2x(c) x1+x2(d) 1−x2
›Reveal solutionSolution
tan(cos−1x)=x1−x2.
Let θ=cos−1x, so cosθ=x with θ∈[0,π] (where sinθ≥0).
Then sinθ=1−x2, and …
- CBSE 2026Set A1 markMCQQ.∫(sinx+cosx)2cos2xdx=(a) 2log(sinx+cosx)+k(b) log(sinx+cosx)+k(c) log(sinx−cosx)+k(d) −sinx+cosx1+k
›Reveal solutionSolution
Factor cos2x and substitute u=sinx+cosx to get log(sinx+cosx)+k.
Write cos2x=cos2x−sin2x=(cosx−sinx)(cosx+sinx). Then
(sinx+cosx)2cos2x=(sinx+cosx)2(cosx−sinx)(cosx+sinx)=sinx+cosxcosx−sinx.
…
- CBSE 2026Set A1 markMCQQ.∫1+cos2x1−cos2xdx=(a) tanx+x+k(b) tanx−x+k(c) x−tan2x+k(d) tan2x+k
›Reveal solutionSolution
Simplify to tan2x, then integrate: tanx−x+k.
Use 1−cos2x=2sin2x and 1+cos2x=2cos2x:
1+cos2x1−cos2x=2cos2x2sin2x=tan2x=sec2x−1.
…
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.∫sin2xcos2xdx equals(a) tanx+sinx+c(b) tanx−cotx+c(c) tanxcotx+c(d) 2tanx−cot2x+c
›Reveal solutionSolution
Split the integrand using sin2x+cos2x=1 in the numerator, then integrate each standard term.
sin2xcos2x1=sin2xcos2xsin2x+cos2x=cos2x1+sin2x1=sec2x+csc2x.
…
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.∫tan2xdx=(a) cotx−x+C(b) tanx+x+C(c) tanx−x+C(d) None of these
›Reveal solutionSolution
Rewrite tan2x using the identity tan2x=sec2x−1, then integrate term by term.
…
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markQ.If tan⁻¹(1/3) = x, then find sin x.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Build a right triangle using tanx=1/3 and read off sinx.
Given tan−1(1/3)=x⇒tanx=1/3.
In a right triangle take opposite side =1, adjacent side =3, so hypotenuse =12+32=10.
…
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The value of \int \frac{sec^2 x}{cosec^2 x} dx is:(a)(i) tan x - x + c(b)(ii) tan x + x + c(c)(iii) cot x - x + c(d)(iv) log cosec x + c
›Reveal solutionSolution
∫csc2xsec2xdx=tanx−x+c — option (i).
Concept. Convert to a single trigonometric ratio, then use the identity tan2x=sec2x−1 and the standard integral ∫sec2xdx=tanx.
Steps. …
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Evaluate: sin{cos−1(−54)}
›Reveal solutionSolution
With cosθ=−54 and θ∈[0,π], sinθ=+53.
Let θ=cos−1(−54), so cosθ=−54 and θ∈[0,π] (range of cos−1). On this range sinθ≥0.
…
- CBSE 2025Set 65/4/11 markMCQQ.∫cosx−cosαcos2x−cos2αdx is equal to : (A) 2(sinx+xcosα)+C (B) 2(sinx−xcosα)+C (C) 2(sinx+2xcosα)+C (D) 2(sinx+sinα)+C
›Reveal solutionSolution
Use the cosine difference identity to simplify the numerator, then factor and cancel the denominator. The integral reduces to 2(sinx+xcosα)+C, matching option (A).
The key here is to recognise that the integrand looks messy, but the numerator and denominator are both differences of cosines. That structure is a direct invitation to use the identity:
cosA−cosB=−2sin2A+Bsin2A−B
Applying this to both the numerator and denominator will let us cancel common factors and turn the integral into something elementary.
- Rewrite the numerator using the identity above, with A=2x and B=2α:
cos2x−cos2α=−2sin22x+2αsin22x−2α=−2sin(x+α)sin(x−α)
- Rewrite the denominator similarly, with A=x and B=α:
cosx−cosα=−2sin2x+αsin2x−α
- Form the integrand by dividing the two expressions. The minus signs cancel:
cosx−cosαcos2x−cos2α=−2sin2x+αsin2x−α−2sin(x+α)sin(x−α)=sin2x+αsin2x−αsin(x+α)sin(x−α)
- Use the double-angle identity for sine: sinθ=2sin2θcos2θ. Apply it to both factors in the numerator:
sin(x+α)=2sin2x+αcos2x+α
sin(x−α)=2sin2x−αcos2x−α
Substitute these into the fraction:
sin2x+αsin2x−α(2sin2x+αcos2x+α)(2sin2x−αcos2x−α)
The sin terms cancel completely, leaving:
4cos2x+αcos2x−α
- Simplify the product of cosines using the identity:
cosPcosQ=21[cos(P+Q)+cos(P−Q)] …
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