Q.Find: ∫cos3xtan3xdx
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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: Rewrite the integrand in terms of secx and tanx, then use substitution.
Observe that cos3xtan3x=tan3x⋅sec3x. We can split this as:
tan3xsec3x=tan2x⋅tanxsec3x=(sec2x−1)tanxsec3x
Now substitute u=secx, so du=secxtanxdx. The integral becomes: …
Rewrite tan3x as sin3x/cos3x so the integrand becomes sin3x/cos6x, then express sin3x=sinx(1−cos2x) and substitute u=cosx to reduce it to a polynomial in u. The result is 51sec5x−31sec3x+C.
The key insight is recognizing that when you have powers of tangent and secant (or equivalently, sine and cosine in the denominator), a substitution based on cosx often works beautifully because d(cosx)=−sinxdx, and we can manufacture that sinx factor.
Start by converting everything to sines and cosines:
cos3xtan3x=cos3x⋅cos3xsin3x=cos6xsin3x
Now the strategy becomes clear. We have an odd power of sine in the numerator, which means we can peel off one sinx to pair with dx for our substitution, and convert the remaining even power using sin2x=1−cos2x.
- Rewrite sin3x to prepare for substitution:
sin3x=sin2x⋅sinx=(1−cos2x)sinx
- Substitute into the integral:
∫cos6xsin3xdx=∫cos6x(1−cos2x)sinxdx
- Let u=cosx, so du=−sinxdx, which means sinxdx=−du:
∫cos6x(1−cos2x)sinxdx=∫u61−u2⋅(−du)=−∫u61−u2du
- Split the fraction: …
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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