How do I integrate unknown powers?

Calculus Level 2

0 π / 2 2 sin x 2 sin x + 2 cos x d x = ? \large \int_0^{\pi /2} \frac{2^{\sin x}}{2^{\sin x} + 2^{\cos x}} \, dx = \ ?

π 4 \frac \pi 4 2 π 2 \pi π 3 \frac \pi 3 π \pi π 2 \frac \pi 2

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3 solutions

Let I1 = the given integral and I2=integral where numerator is 2^cosx instead of sin x. I2=I1 because sinx and cosx are identical with just the starting and ending point of limits interchanged. That is between 0 to pi/2, whatever happened to cosine on x will happen to sine on (pi/2 - x) but the area covered will be the same. So, I1=I2=I. I1 + I2 = 2I = integral of 1 dx = pi/2 . So, I = pi/4

Raj Rajput
May 18, 2015

use property of definite integral f(x) = f(a+b-x) where a is lower limit and b is upper limit then add both it becomes 2I= integral a to b simple dx ( as denominator remains same while numerator changes to 2 to power cosx as cos(0+pi/2-x) = sinx) answer comes out to be pi/4

Moderator note:

Yes. Would the answer change if I were to evaluate this integral:

0 π / 2 ( 2 ) sin x ( 2 ) sin x + ( 2 ) cos x d x ? \large \int_0^{\pi /2} \frac{(-2)^{\sin x}}{(-2)^{\sin x} + (-2)^{\cos x}} \, dx \ ?

That would be undefined (over the reals)

Otto Bretscher - 6 years ago

Yeah, it would change. It would become a complex number and much harder to integrate.

Flares ddot - 6 years ago

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Actually, if we do consider complex-valued functions, then the answer (and the solution) would remain the same.... we can still make the substitution u = π 2 x . u=\frac{\pi}{2}-x. I was under the impression that we are doing "real analysis" here...that's why I opted for "undefined (over the reals)"

The Challenge Master was giving us quite a thought-provoking question here, way "out there"...

Otto Bretscher - 6 years ago

No the answer would remain the same. We would get 2I = pi/2
Which implies I = pi/4

Vijay Simha - 6 years ago

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Wrong. The answer is 0. The function is not continuous.

Pi Han Goh - 6 years ago

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oops, I did not realize that.

Vijay Simha - 6 years ago

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@Vijay Simha It is integrable, just not over the reals. And it's not 0. Who says it zero just because it's discontinuous anyway?

Flares ddot - 6 years ago

Let 0 π 2 2 s i n ( x ) 2 s i n ( x ) + 2 c o s ( x ) d x = A \displaystyle\int_{0}^{\frac{\pi}{2}} \frac{2^{sin(x)}}{2^{sin(x)}+2^{cos(x)}}dx=A . By definite integral property 0 π 2 2 s i n ( x ) 2 s i n ( x ) + 2 c o s ( x ) d x = 0 π 2 2 s i n ( π 2 x ) 2 s i n ( π 2 x ) + 2 c o s ( π 2 x ) = 0 π 2 2 c o s ( x ) 2 c o s ( x ) + 2 s i n ( x ) d x = A \displaystyle\int_{0}^{\frac{\pi}{2}} \frac{2^{sin(x)}}{2^{sin(x)}+2^{cos(x)}}dx=\displaystyle\int_{0}^{\frac{\pi}{2}} \frac{2^{sin(\frac{\pi}{2}-x)}}{2^{sin(\frac{\pi}{2}-x)}+2^{cos(\frac{\pi}{2}-x)}}=\displaystyle\int_{0}^{\frac{\pi}{2}} \frac{2^{cos(x)}}{2^{cos(x)}+2^{sin(x)}}dx=A . So A = 1 2 ( 0 π 2 2 s i n ( x ) 2 s i n ( x ) + 2 c o s ( x ) d x + 0 π 2 2 c o s ( x ) 2 c o s ( x ) + 2 s i n ( x ) d x ) = 1 2 0 π 2 d x = π 4 A=\frac{1}{2}(\displaystyle\int_{0}^{\frac{\pi}{2}} \frac{2^{sin(x)}}{2^{sin(x)}+2^{cos(x)}}dx+\displaystyle\int_{0}^{\frac{\pi}{2}} \frac{2^{cos(x)}}{2^{cos(x)}+2^{sin(x)}}dx)=\frac{1}{2}\displaystyle\int_{0}^{\frac{\pi}{2}}dx=\frac{\pi}{4}

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