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Exercise 7.7 · Q2

Q.Integrate the following function: 1−4x2\sqrt{1-4x^2}

Telangana TsbieTextbookSubjective· 2mImportance★★★★★
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The key idea is to rewrite the integrand as 1−(2x)2\sqrt{1 - (2x)^2} and use the trigonometric substitution 2x=sin⁡θ2x = \sin \theta, which converts the integral into a standard form. The final result is 14sin⁡−1(2x)+x21−4x2+C\frac{1}{4} \sin^{-1}(2x) + \frac{x}{2} \sqrt{1 - 4x^2} + C.

Why U Substitution (and a Trigonometric One) Works

When you see 1−4x2\sqrt{1 - 4x^2}, your first instinct might be to try a simple u=1−4x2u = 1 - 4x^2. That would give du=−8x dxdu = -8x \, dx, but there’s no xx outside the square root to pair with it — so that path dead-ends.

The deeper structure here is 1−(2x)2\sqrt{1 - (2x)^2}. That’s a perfect match for the Pythagorean identity: 1−sin⁡2θ=cos⁡2θ1 - \sin^2 \theta = \cos^2 \theta. If we set 2x=sin⁡θ2x = \sin \theta, the square root becomes 1−sin⁡2θ=∣cos⁡θ∣\sqrt{1 - \sin^2 \theta} = |\cos \theta|, and for the principal range we can take cos⁡θ≥0\cos \theta \ge 0. This substitution turns an algebraic mess into a clean trigonometric integral.

Tip

Whenever you see a2−x2\sqrt{a^2 - x^2}, think x=asin⁡θx = a \sin \theta. Here a=1a = 1 and the variable is 2x2x, so substitute 2x=sin⁡θ2x = \sin \theta.


Step-by-Step Solution

1. Set up the substitution.

Let 2x=sin⁡θ2x = \sin \theta. Then x=12sin⁡θx = \frac{1}{2} \sin \theta, so dx=12cos⁡θ dθdx = \frac{1}{2} \cos \theta \, d\theta.

2. Rewrite the integrand.

The square root becomes:

1−4x2=1−(2x)2=1−sin⁡2θ=cos⁡2θ=∣cos⁡θ∣.\sqrt{1 - 4x^2} = \sqrt{1 - (2x)^2} = \sqrt{1 - \sin^2 \theta} = \sqrt{\cos^2 \theta} = |\cos \theta|.

We restrict θ\theta to [−π/2,π/2][-\pi/2, \pi/2] so that cos⁡θ≥0\cos \theta \ge 0, and we can drop the absolute value: 1−4x2=cos⁡θ\sqrt{1 - 4x^2} = \cos \theta.

3. Transform the integral.

The original integral is ∫1−4x2 dx\int \sqrt{1 - 4x^2} \, dx. Substituting everything:

∫1−4x2 dx=∫cos⁡θ⋅(12cos⁡θ dθ)=12∫cos⁡2θ dθ.\int \sqrt{1 - 4x^2} \, dx = \int \cos \theta \cdot \left( \frac{1}{2} \cos \theta \, d\theta \right) = \frac{1}{2} \int \cos^2 \theta \, d\theta.

4. Integrate cos⁡2θ\cos^2 \theta.

Use the double-angle identity: cos⁡2θ=1+cos⁡2θ2\cos^2 \theta = \frac{1 + \cos 2\theta}{2}.

Then:

12∫cos⁡2θ dθ=12∫1+cos⁡2θ2 dθ=14∫(1+cos⁡2θ) dθ.\frac{1}{2} \int \cos^2 \theta \, d\theta = \frac{1}{2} \int \frac{1 + \cos 2\theta}{2} \, d\theta = \frac{1}{4} \int (1 + \cos 2\theta) \, d\theta.

Integrate term by term:

14(θ+12sin⁡2θ)+C=14θ+18sin⁡2θ+C.\frac{1}{4} \left( \theta + \frac{1}{2} \sin 2\theta \right) + C = \frac{1}{4} \theta + \frac{1}{8} \sin 2\theta + C.

5. Convert back to xx.

We have θ=sin⁡−1(2x)\theta = \sin^{-1}(2x). For sin⁡2θ\sin 2\theta, use sin⁡2θ=2sin⁡θcos⁡θ\sin 2\theta = 2 \sin \theta \cos \theta.

We know sin⁡θ=2x\sin \theta = 2x and cos⁡θ=1−4x2\cos \theta = \sqrt{1 - 4x^2} (from step 2).

So sin⁡2θ=2⋅(2x)⋅1−4x2=4x1−4x2\sin 2\theta = 2 \cdot (2x) \cdot \sqrt{1 - 4x^2} = 4x \sqrt{1 - 4x^2}.

Thus:

14θ+18sin⁡2θ+C=14sin⁡−1(2x)+18⋅4x1−4x2+C.\frac{1}{4} \theta + \frac{1}{8} \sin 2\theta + C = \frac{1}{4} \sin^{-1}(2x) + \frac{1}{8} \cdot 4x \sqrt{1 - 4x^2} + C.

Simplify:

14sin⁡−1(2x)+x21−4x2+C.\frac{1}{4} \sin^{-1}(2x) + \frac{x}{2} \sqrt{1 - 4x^2} + C.

Watch out

A common mistake is to forget the factor from dxdx when substituting. Here dx=12cos⁡θ dθdx = \frac{1}{2} \cos \theta \, d\theta, not just dθd\theta. Always include the differential.

✓Final answer

The integral evaluates to 14sin⁡−1(2x)+x21−4x2+C\boxed{\frac{1}{4} \sin^{-1}(2x) + \frac{x}{2} \sqrt{1 - 4x^2} + C}.

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