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cos2xcos2αcosxcosαdx\int \frac{\cos 2x - \cos 2α}{\cos x - \cos α} dx is equal to

Solution

Correct Option: 1

The integral to evaluate is cos2xcos2αcosxcosαdx\int \frac{\cos 2x - \cos 2α}{\cos x - \cos α} dx, where α is a constant.

Using the double angle formula cos2θ=2cos2θ1\cos 2θ = 2\cos^2 θ - 1:

cos2x=2cos2x1\cos 2x = 2\cos^2 x - 1

cos2α=2cos2α1\cos 2α = 2\cos^2 α - 1

The numerator becomes:

cos2xcos2α=(2cos2x1)(2cos2α1)\cos 2x - \cos 2α = (2\cos^2 x - 1) - (2\cos^2 α - 1)

=2cos2x12cos2α+1= 2\cos^2 x - 1 - 2\cos^2 α + 1

=2cos2x2cos2α= 2\cos^2 x - 2\cos^2 α

=2(cos2xcos2α)= 2(\cos^2 x - \cos^2 α)


Using the difference of squares formula a2b2=(ab)(a+b)a^2 - b^2 = (a - b)(a + b):

2(cos2xcos2α)=2(cosxcosα)(cosx+cosα)2(\cos^2 x - \cos^2 α) = 2(\cos x - \cos α)(\cos x + \cos α)


The integral becomes:

2(cosxcosα)(cosx+cosα)cosxcosαdx\int \frac{2(\cos x - \cos α)(\cos x + \cos α)}{\cos x - \cos α} dx

=2(cosx+cosα)dx= \int 2(\cos x + \cos α) dx

=2cosxdx+2cosαdx= \int 2\cos x \, dx + \int 2\cos α \, dx


Evaluating each term:

2cosxdx=2sinx\int 2\cos x \, dx = 2\sin x

2cosαdx=2xcosα\int 2\cos α \, dx = 2x\cos α (since α is a constant)

Therefore:

cos2xcos2αcosxcosαdx=2sinx+2xcosα+C\int \frac{\cos 2x - \cos 2α}{\cos x - \cos α} dx = 2\sin x + 2x\cos α + C

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