Concept understanding — Integrals Yielding Inverse Trigonometric and Logarithmic Forms
A large class of quadratic-denominator integrals evaluate to an inverse trigonometric function or a logarithm, and recognising which one is the key skill.
Inverse-trig outcomes:
∫a2+x2dx=a1tan−1ax+c,∫a2−x2dx=sin−1ax+c.
The first arises whenever the denominator is a sum of squares; the second whenever a square root covers a differencea2−x2. After completing the square, ∫(x−h)2+k2dx and ∫k2−(x−h)2dx fall into these forms by the shift x−h→t.