How do you integrate int cos(lnx) by integration by parts method?

1 Answer
May 30, 2017

This isn't necessarily done by only integration by parts, but it's one step in the process; this actually looks like one where you simply choose your methods and see what works.

int cos(lnx)dx = 1/2 x(sin(lnx) + cos(lnx)) + C


First, let us try:

u = lnx
du = 1/xdx

Then, we have:

int cos(u)xdu = int e^ucosudu

This looks more reasonable, and actually would be done using integration by parts, since we have a function where (df)/(dx) = f(x) (e^u), and a function with cyclic derivatives (cosu).

Let:

s = e^u
dt = cosudu
t = sinu
ds = e^udu

This gives:

int sdt = st - int tds

= e^usinu + int e^u(-sinu)du

Since sin derivatives are cyclic, repeat the process. Let:

s = e^u
dt = -sinudu
t = cosu
ds = e^udu

Therefore:

int e^ucosudu = int sdt

= e^usinu + [e^ucosu - int e^ucosudu]

If you notice, the original integral has shown up again, so:

2int e^ucosudu = e^usinu + e^ucosu = e^u(sinu + cosu)

=> int e^ucosudu = 1/2e^u(sinu + cosu)

And now, we undo the substitution, using u = lnx, to get:

int cos(lnx)dx = color(blue)(1/2 x(sin(lnx) + cos(lnx)) + C)