How do you integrate sin^-1x dx from 0 to 1?

2 Answers
Aug 3, 2015

I would use int_0^1 sin^-1x dx = pi/2 - int_0^(pi/2) siny dy = pi/2 -1.

Explanation:

We want the area under y = sin^-1 x and above [0,1]

graph{(y - arcsinx)(y) sqrt(x-x^2)/sqrt(x-x^2) <= 0 [-1.207, 3.124, -0.284, 1.875]}

While we could find the indefinite integral of sin^-1x and use that, the geometry may provide a simpler solution. (Although the explanation will take a few lines.)

y = sin^-1x" " " "x = siny

For x in the interval [0,1], the y values (the range) include everything from 0 to pi/2.

So, the curve can be described by x = siny for y in [0, pi/2]

Finally notice that the area we are looking for is the part of the rectangle: [0,1] xx [0, pi/2] that is not between the curve and the y axis.

We want the area of the rectangle minus the area in blue below:

graph{(y - arcsinx)(y-(pi/2)) sqrt(x-x^2)/sqrt(x-x^2) <= 0 [-1.083, 2.767, -0.078, 1.841]}

Area of rectangle minus area left of x = siny and right of y axis from y=0 to y=pi/2

Area of rectangle = base x height = 1xxpi/2 = pi/2

Area left of x = siny and right of y axis from y=0 to y=pi/2 is:

int_0^(pi/2) siny dy = -cosy]_0^(pi/2) = -0-(-1) = 1

Therefore:

int_0^1 sin^-1 x dx = pi/2 - 1

Aug 3, 2015

Here it is using the indefinite integral of sin^-1 x dx.

Explanation:

int sin^-1x dx

Let t = sin^-1 x,

so sint = x and dx = cos t dt

Substituting gets us:

int tcost dt

We'll integrate by parts:

Let u = t" "and " "dv = cost dt

So du = dt" " and " "v = sint

uv-intvdu = tsint-intsint dt

= tsint + cost

That is:

int tcost dt = tsint + cost

With t = sin^-1 x, and sint = x, we also have

cost = sqrt(1-sin^2t) = sqrt(1-x^2), so

int sin^-1 x dx = x sin^-1x + sqrt(1-x^2) +C

So
int_0^1 sin^-1 x dx = (x sin^-1x + sqrt(1-x^2))}_0^1

= (1 sin^-1(1) +sqrt0) - (0sin^-1(0) +sqrt(1))

= sin^-1(1) - 1

= pi/2 -1