Help With Solving Integral of (sinx)^2/x

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In summary, the conversation was about an integral problem involving the substitution method. The participants discussed various approaches, including using a MacLaurin series for cosine, a complex contour integral, and a periodicity identity. They also shared solutions for specific cases and proposed a general formula for solving similar problems.
  • #1
vilhelm
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I have tried the substitutions I know og, but I just can't solve it. It would be great if someone helped me on this one.View attachment 1535
 

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  • #2
Re: integrate (sinx)^2/x

oooppp2 said:
I have tried the substitutions I know og, but I just can't solve it. It would be great if someone helped me on this one.https://www.physicsforums.com/attachments/1535

Welcome to MHB, oooppp2! :)

So which means do you have available?
To give you a heads-up: the integral diverges.
Can you prove it?
 
  • #3
oooppp2 said:
I have tried the substitutions I know og, but I just can't solve it. It would be great if someone helped me on this one.https://www.physicsforums.com/attachments/1535

A substitution won't help you. I'd suggest writing [tex]\displaystyle \begin{align*} \sin^2{(x)} = \frac{1}{2} - \frac{1}{2}\cos{(2x)} \end{align*}[/tex], and then applying the MacLaurin Series for Cosine

[tex]\displaystyle \begin{align*} \cos{(t)} &= 1 - \frac{t^2}{2} + \frac{t^4}{4!} - \frac{t^6}{6!} + \dots \\ \cos{(2x)} &= 1 - \frac{ (2x)^2}{2} + \frac{(2x)^4}{4!} - \frac{(2x)^6}{6!} + \dots \\ &= 1 - 2x + \frac{2}{3}x^4 - \frac{4}{45}x^6 + \dots \end{align*}[/tex]

Use this series to get a series for [tex]\displaystyle \begin{align*} \sin^2{(x)} \end{align*}[/tex], divide everything through by x and see what you get when you integrate...
 
  • #4
Interestingly

\(\displaystyle \int^{\infty}_0 \frac{\sin^n(x)}{x}\, dx\)

only converges for odd powers of $n$ , I cannot prove it though.
 
  • #5
ZaidAlyafey said:
Interestingly

\(\displaystyle \int^{\infty}_0 \frac{\sin^n(x)}{x}\, dx\)

only converges for odd powers of $n$ , I cannot prove it though.

I expect you need to do a complex contour integral...
 
  • #6
oooppp2 said:
I have tried the substitutions I know og, but I just can't solve it. It would be great if someone helped me on this one.https://www.physicsforums.com/attachments/1535

In any interval $\displaystyle n\ \pi \le x \le (n+1)\ \pi$ is...

$\displaystyle \frac{\sin^{2} x}{x} \ge \frac{\sin^{2} x}{(n+1)\ \pi}\ (1)$

... and because is...

$\displaystyle \int_{n\ \pi}^{(n+1)\ \pi} \sin^{2} x\ d x = \frac{\pi}{2}\ (2)$

... we have...

$\displaystyle \int_{0}^{\infty} \frac{\sin^{2} x}{x}\ d x > \frac{1}{2}\ \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n+1}\ (3)$

But the series in (3) diverges so that also the integral in the OP diverges...

Kind regards$\chi$ $\sigma$
 
  • #7
chisigma said:
In any interval $\displaystyle n\ \pi \le x \le (n+1)\ \pi$ is...

$\displaystyle \frac{\sin^{2} x}{x} \ge \frac{\sin^{2} x}{(n+1)\ \pi}\ (1)$

... and because is...

$\displaystyle \int_{n\ \pi}^{(n+1)\ \pi} \sin^{2} x\ d x = \frac{\pi}{2}\ (2)$

... we have...

$\displaystyle \int_{0}^{\infty} \frac{\sin^{2} x}{x}\ d x > \frac{1}{2}\ \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n+1}\ (3)$

But the series in (3) diverges so that also the integral in the OP diverges...

Kind regards$\chi$ $\sigma$

Thanks. But I cannot follow your solution, can you provide some more steps?
 
  • #8
oooppp2 said:
Thanks. But I cannot follow your solution, can you provide some more steps?

I'm afraid to have been misundestood... the problem You proposed has no solutions because the integral...

$\displaystyle \int_{0}^{\infty} \frac{\sin^{2} x}{x}\ dx$

... diverges...

Kind regards

$\chi$ $\sigma$
 
  • #9
I want to understand this, but now, the solution is too short for me to understand. (First semester of calculus.)

Did I not study enough, or does it come later, that

$\displaystyle \int_{n\ \pi}^{(n+1)\ \pi} \sin^{2} x\ d x = \frac{\pi}{2}\ (2)$

This was unknown to me.
 
  • #10
oooppp2 said:
I want to understand this, but now, the solution is too short for me to understand. (First semester of calculus.)

Did I not study enough, or does it come later, that

$\displaystyle \int_{n\ \pi}^{(n+1)\ \pi} \sin^{2} x\ d x = \frac{\pi}{2}\ (2)$

This was unknown to me.

Use the identity:

\(\displaystyle \sin^2(\theta)=\frac{1-\cos(2\theta)}{2}\)
 
  • #11
chisigma said:
In any interval $\displaystyle n\ \pi \le x \le (n+1)\ \pi$ is...

$\displaystyle \frac{\sin^{2} x}{x} \ge \frac{\sin^{2} x}{(n+1)\ \pi}\ (1)$

... and because is...

$\displaystyle \int_{n\ \pi}^{(n+1)\ \pi} \sin^{2} x\ d x = \frac{\pi}{2}\ (2)$

... we have...

$\displaystyle \int_{0}^{\infty} \frac{\sin^{2} x}{x}\ d x > \frac{1}{2}\ \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n+1}\ (3)$

But the series in (3) diverges so that also the integral in the OP diverges...

Kind regards$\chi$ $\sigma$

Very nice and classic. I reckon this is a way of transforming the interval [a,infinity) to a bounded interval using the periodicity of the function.

- - - Updated - - -

Prove It said:
I expect you need to do a complex contour integral...

The result for \(\displaystyle n=1\) is quite known and it can be done in a number of ways , but haven't tried it for higher powers. I wonder if there is a general formula .
 
  • #12
ZaidAlyafey said:
The result for \(\displaystyle n=1\) is quite known and it can be done in a number of ways , but haven't tried it for higher powers. I wonder if there is a general formula .

Let's try to solve...

$\displaystyle \int_{0}^{\infty} \frac{\sin ^{3} x}{x}\ d x\ (1)$

We start from the trigonometric identity...

$\displaystyle \sin^{3} x = \frac{3}{4}\ \sin x - \frac{1}{4}\ \sin 3\ x\ (2)$

... and (2) permits us to write...

$\displaystyle \int_{0}^{\infty} \frac{\sin ^{3} x}{x}\ d x = \frac{3}{4}\ \int_{0}^{\infty} \frac{\sin x}{x}\ dx - \frac{1}{4}\ \int_{0}^{\infty} \frac{\sin 3 x}{x}\ dx = \frac{\pi}{4}\ (3)$

Kind regards

$\chi$ $\sigma$
 
  • #13
chisigma said:
Let's try to solve...

$\displaystyle \int_{0}^{\infty} \frac{\sin ^{3} x}{x}\ d x\ (1)$

We start from the trigonometric identity...

$\displaystyle \sin^{3} x = \frac{3}{4}\ \sin x - \frac{1}{4}\ \sin 3\ x\ (2)$

... and (2) permits us to write...

$\displaystyle \int_{0}^{\infty} \frac{\sin ^{3} x}{x}\ d x = \frac{3}{4}\ \int_{0}^{\infty} \frac{\sin x}{x}\ dx - \frac{1}{4}\ \int_{0}^{\infty} \frac{\sin 3 x}{x}\ dx = \frac{\pi}{4}\ (3)$

The integral...

$\displaystyle \int_{0}^{\infty} \frac{\sin ^{5} x}{x}\ dx\ (1)$

... is solved in similar way using the identity...

$\displaystyle \sin^{5} x = \frac{10\ \sin x - 5\ \sin 3 x + \sin 5 x}{16}\ (2)$

... so that is...

$\displaystyle \int_{0}^{\infty} \frac{\sin ^{5} x}{x}\ dx = \frac{3}{16}\ \pi\ (3)$

Clearly it is not difficult to find a general formula for n odd...

Kind regards

$\chi$ $\sigma$
 
  • #14
If $f(x)$ is continuous and $\pi$-periodic on $\mathbb{R}$, then $ \displaystyle \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} f(x) \frac{\sin x}{x} \ dx = \int_{0}^{\pi} f(x) \ dx $.$ \displaystyle \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} f(x) \frac{\sin x}{x} \ dx = \sum_{k=-\infty}^{\infty} \int^{(k+1) \pi}_{k \pi} f(x) \frac{\sin x}{x} \ dx $

$ \displaystyle = \sum_{k=-\infty}^{\infty} \int^{\pi}_{0} f(u + k \pi) \frac{\sin (u + k \pi)}{u + k \pi} \ du = \sum_{k = -\infty}^{\infty} \int_{0}^{\pi} f(u) (-1)^{k} \frac{\sin u}{u + k \pi} \ du $

$ \displaystyle = \int_{0}^{\pi} f(u) \sin u \sum_{k=-\infty}^{\infty} \frac{(-1)^{k}}{u + k \pi} \ du = \int_{0}^{\pi} f(u) \sin u \csc u \ du $

$ \displaystyle = \int_{0}^{\pi} f(u) \ du $
$ \displaystyle \int_{0}^{\infty} \frac{\sin^{2n+1} (x)}{x} \ dx = \frac{1}{2} \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \frac{\sin^{2n+1} (x)}{x} \ dx = \frac{1}{2} \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \sin^{2n} (x) \frac{\sin x}{x} \ dx$

$ \displaystyle = \frac{1}{2} \int_{0}^{\pi} \sin^{2n} (x) \ dx = \int_{0}^{\frac{\pi}{2}} \sin^{2n} (x) \ dx = \int_{0}^{\frac{\pi}{2}} \sin^{2(n+\frac{1}{2})-1} (x) \cos^{2(\frac{1}{2}) -1} (x) \ dx $

$ \displaystyle = \frac{1}{2} B \Big( n+\frac{1}{2},\frac{1}{2} \Big) = \frac{1}{2} \frac{\Gamma(n+ \frac{1}{2}) \sqrt{\pi}}{n!} = \frac{\pi}{2^{2n}} \frac{(2n-1)!}{n! (n-1)!} \frac{2n}{2n}$

$ \displaystyle = \frac{\pi}{2^{2n+1}} \binom{2n}{n} $
 
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  • #15
What about this argument:

we know how the graph of sin^2(x) looks, since we can write it in terms of cos(2x).

and sin^2(x) is divided by x, so we can actually understand how the graph looks for any x except zero (put it in you grapher and see).

for the given function, we have f(x)=-f(-x) for all x except 0.

so let's take the limit of f(x) as x -> 0 from both positive and negative direction. We'll se that f approaches. thus, even for x close to 0 the function is defined.

now, since the area from x = - infty to x=0 is equal to the area from x = infty to x=0 we see on the graph that they cancel out, and the answer should be: zero.

Is this reasoning wrong? If so, why?
 
  • #16
That's called the Cauchy principal value of the integral. It's a common way to assign a value to some divergent integrals by taking a limit in a symmetrical fashion. If an integral converges, it is equal to its Cauchy principal value. This fact can sometimes be very useful.
 
  • #17
Random Variable said:
That's called the Cauchy principal value of the integral. It's a common way to assign a value to some divergent integrals by taking a limit in a symmetrical fashion. If an integral converges, it is equal to its Cauchy principal value. This fact can sometimes be very useful.

So, I'm correct?
 
  • #18
$\displaystyle \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \frac{\sin^{2} x}{x} \ dx = \lim_{N \to \infty} \int_{-N}^{0} \frac{\sin^{2} x}{x} \ dx + \lim_{N \to \infty} \int_{0}^{N} \frac{\sin^{2} x}{x} \ dx$ does not converge.

But $ \displaystyle \text{PV} \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \frac{\sin^{2} x}{x} \ dx = \lim_{N \to \infty} \int_{-N}^{N} \frac{\sin^{2}x}{x} \ dx = 0 $.As shown in this thread, the issue is not the behavior of the function near $x=0$. It's the behavior of the function as $x \to \pm \infty$.
 
  • #19
Random Variable said:
$\displaystyle \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \frac{\sin^{2} x}{x} \ dx = \lim_{N \to \infty} \int_{-N}^{0} \frac{\sin^{2} x}{x} \ dx + \lim_{N \to \infty} \int_{0}^{N} \frac{\sin^{2} x}{x} \ dx$ does not converge.

But $ \displaystyle \text{PV} \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \frac{\sin^{2} x}{x} \ dx = \lim_{N \to \infty} \int_{-N}^{N} \frac{\sin^{2}x}{x} \ dx = 0 $.As shown in this thread, the issue is not the behavior of the function near $x=0$. It's the behavior of the function as $x \to \pm \infty$.

Wouldn't it be very obvious how it behaves when x approaches infty – since for very large x, the denominator would be very large, but the numerator is periodic. So the fraction approaches 0. Correct or wrong?
 
  • #20
The fact that $ \displaystyle \lim_{x \to \infty} \frac{\sin^{2} x}{x} = 0$ does not tell you anything about the convergence of the integral.
 
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  • #21
So the view that integral from a to b for f(x) is the area under that curve, is not an exact view in this case?
 
  • #22
Only if $b= \infty$ (or if $a=-\infty$). Otherwise the signed area (a term that some snotty mathematicians despise) is finite.

I said something in my last post (which I deleted) that wasn't true for this integral. I hope you didn't read it and get more confused.
 
  • #23
Random Variable said:
Only if $b= \infty$ (or if $a=-\infty$). Otherwise the signed area (a term that some snotty mathematicians despise) is finite.

I said something in my last post (which I deleted) that wasn't true for this integral. I hope you didn't read it and get more confused.

I must be a snotty mathematician :P
 
  • #24
Random Variable said:
Only if $b= \infty$ (or if $a=-\infty$). Otherwise the signed area (a term that some snotty mathematicians despise) is finite.

I said something in my last post (which I deleted) that wasn't true for this integral. I hope you didn't read it and get more confused.

And in this case, a is indeed $-\infty$ and b is indeed $\infty$.
 
  • #25
If the limit of a function near infinity exits that doesn't tell us anything about the convergence of the integral , take the following example

\(\displaystyle \lim_{n \to \infty} \int_1^{n} \frac{1}{x}\, dx \)

I think you can prove the integral diverges .
 
  • #26
ZaidAlyafey said:
Interestingly

\(\displaystyle \int^{\infty}_0 \frac{\sin^n(x)}{x}\, dx\)

only converges for odd powers of $n$ , I cannot prove it though.

This paper here might clear things up -->

http://129.81.170.14/~vhm/papers_html/final16.pdf
 
  • #27
DreamWeaver said:
This paper here might clear things up -->

http://129.81.170.14/~vhm/papers_html/final16.pdf

It is a very interesting paper , I did take a look at the first pages in the past but didn't finish it. That is a remainder to read it all , thanks !
 
  • #28
No worries, friend... :D
 

FAQ: Help With Solving Integral of (sinx)^2/x

What is the first step in solving the integral of (sinx)^2/x?

The first step is to use the trigonometric identity sin^2(x) = (1-cos2x)/2 to rewrite the integral as (1-cos2x)/(2x).

Can this integral be solved using u-substitution?

Yes, this integral can be solved using u-substitution by letting u = 2x and du = 2dx.

Is there an alternative method for solving this integral?

Another method for solving this integral is by using integration by parts, with u = 1/x and dv = sin^2(x) dx.

Can the integral of (sinx)^2/x be solved using a calculator?

No, this integral cannot be solved using a calculator because it involves trigonometric functions and cannot be expressed in terms of elementary functions.

Are there any special techniques or tricks for solving this integral?

One useful trick for solving this integral is to use the trigonometric identity sin2x = 2sinx cosx and rewrite the integral as (1-sin2x)/(2x).

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