Chapter 44

Reduction formulae
!

44.1

Introduction

x n1 ex dx = In1

then
!

When using integration

by parts in Chapter 43, an

integral such as x 2 e x dx requires integration by
parts twice. Similarly, x 3 e x dx requires integration
parts
 three times. Thus, integrals such as
 5 by
x e x dx, x 6 cos x dx and x 8 sin 2x dx for example,
would take a long time to determine using integration by parts. Reduction formulae provide a quicker
method for determining such integrals and the method
is demonstrated in the following sections.

!
x n ex dx = x n ex n

Hence

can be written as:

In = xn ex nIn1

To determine
let

dv = ex dx from which,
!
v = e x dx = ex
!
!
n x
n
x
Thus,
x e dx = x e e x nx n1 dx

x 2 ex dx = I2 = x 2 ex 2I1
and

I1 = x 1 ex 1I0
!
!
0 x
I0 = x e dx = e x dx = ex + c1

Hence

I2 = x 2 ex 2[xex 1I0 ]
= x 2 ex 2[xex 1(e x + c1 )]

!
i.e.

x2 ex dx = x 2 ex 2xex + 2e x + 2c1
= ex (x2 2x +2) + c

using the integration by parts formula,

!
n
x
= x e n x n1 ex dx
The integral on the far right is seen to be of the same
form as the integral on the left-hand side, except that n
has been replaced by n 1.
Thus, if we let,
!
x n ex dx = In ,

x 2 e x dx using a

du
= nx n1 and du =nx n1 dx
dx
and

Using equation (1) with n = 2 gives:

x n e x dx using integration by parts,

u = x n from which,

(1)

Equation (1) is an example of a reduction formula since

it expresses an integral in n in terms of the same integral
in n 1.
Problem 1. Determine
reduction formula.

44.2 Using reduction formulae

 n xfor
integrals of the form x e dx

x n1 e x dx

(where c = 2c1 )
As with integration by parts, in the following examples
the constant of integration will be added at the last step
with indenite integrals.
Problem
 3 x 2.
x e dx.

Use a reduction formula to determine

427

Reduction formulae
From equation (1), In = x n ex n In1
!
Hence
x 3 e x dx = I3 = x 3 ex 3I2

!
(sin x)nx n1 dx
!
= x n sin x n x n1 sin x dx

Hence In = x n sin x

I2 = x 2 e x 2I1
1 x
!I1 = x e 1I
!0
0 x
I0 = x e dx = e x dx = ex

and
!

x 3 e x dx = x 3 ex 3[x 2e x 2I1 ]

Thus

= x 3 ex 3[x 2e x 2(xe x I0 )]

Using integration by parts again, this time with

u = x n1 :
du
= (n 1)x n2 , and dv = sin x dx,
dx
from which,
v=

= x 3 ex 3[x 2e x 2(xe x ex )]
= x 3 ex 3x 2 ex + 6(xe x ex )
!

= x 3 ex 3x 2 ex + 6xe x 6e x

!
sin x dx = cos x


Hence In = x sin x n x n1 (cos x)

n

x3ex dx = ex (x3 3x2 + 6x 6) + c

i.e.

(cos x)(n 1)x

= x n sin x + nx n1 cos x

Now try the following exercise

1. Use
 4 xa reduction formula to determine
x e dx.
[ex (x 4 4x 3 + 12x 2 24x + 24) + c]

2. Determine t 3e2t dt using a reduction formula.
2t  1 3 3 2 3


e 2 t 4 t + 4 t 38 + c

i.e.

(a) xn cos x dx

Let In = x n cos x dx then, using integration by parts:
du
if
u = x n then
= nx n1
dx
and if dv = cos x dx then
!
v = cos x dx = sin x

(2)

n(n 1)In2

Problem
3. Use a reduction formula to determine
 2
x cos x dx.
Using the reduction formula of equation (2):
!
x 2 cos x dx = I2
= x 2 sin x + 2x 1 cos x 2(1)I0
!
I0 = x 0 cos x dx

and

x n2 cos x dx

I n = xn sin x + nxn1 cos x

3. Use
 1 3the2t result of Problem 2 to evaluate
0 5t e dt, correct to 3 decimal places.
[6.493]

44.3 Using reduction formulae

 n for
integrals
of
the
form
x cos x dx
 n
and x sin x dx

dx

n(n 1)
Exercise 169 Further problems on using
reduction
formulae for integrals of the form
 n x
x e dx

n2

!
=
Hence

cos x dx = sin x

!
x2 cos x dx = x2 sin x +2x cos x 2 sin x +c

Problem 4. Evaluate
signicant gures.
Let
 3 us rstly
t cos t dt .

nd

2
1

4t 3 cos t dt , correct to 4

reduction

formula

for

428 Higher Engineering Mathematics

From equation (2),
!
t 3 cos t dt = I3 = t 3 sin t + 3t 2 cos t 3(2)I1

When n =2,
!
x 2 cos x dx = I2 = 2 1 2(1)I0

and

and

I1 = t 1 sin t + 1t 0 cos t 1(0)In2

x 0 cos x dx

= t sin t + cos t

cos x dx
0

Hence
!
t 3 cos t dt = t 3 sin t + 3t 2 cos t
3(2)[t sin t + cos t ]

= [sin x]0 = 0
Hence
!
x 4 cos x dx = 4 3 4(3)[2 2(1)(0)]
0

= 4 3 + 24 or 48.63,

= t sin t + 3t cos t 6t sin t 6 cost

3

I0 =

correct to 2 decimal places.

Thus
! 2
4t 3 cos t dt
1

= [4(t 3 sin t + 3t 2 cos t 6t sin t 6 cost )]21

= [4(8 sin 2 +12 cos 2 12 sin 2 6 cos 2)]
[4(sin 1 +3 cos 1 6 sin 1 6 cos 1)]


(b) xn sin x dx

Let In = x n sin x dx
Using integration by parts, if u = x n then
du
= nx n1 and if dv = sin x dx then
dx 
v = sin x dx = cos x. Hence

= (24.53628) (23.31305)

!
x n sin x dx

= 1.223

Problem
 5. Determine a reduction formula
for 0 x n cos x dx and hence evaluate
 4
0 x cos x dx, correct to 2 decimal places.

= In = x n (cos x)

(cos x)nx n1 dx

!
= x cos x + n
n

x n1 cos x dx

From equation (2),

In = x n sin x + nx n1 cos x n(n 1)In2 .
!
x n cos x dx = [x n sin x + nx n1 cos x]0
hence

Using integration by parts again, with u = x n1 , from

du
which,
= (n 1)x n2 and dv = cos x, from which,
 dx
v = cos x dx = sin x. Hence


In = x n cos x + n x n1 (sin x)

n(n 1)In2
= [( n sin + n n1 cos )

(0 + 0)] n(n 1)In2

= n n1 n(n 1)In2
Hence
!

(sin x)(n 1)x

n2

dx

= x n cos x + nx n1 (sin x)
!
n(n 1) x n2 sin x dx

x 4 cos x dx = I4

= 4 3 4(3)I2 since n = 4

i.e.

In = xn cos x + nxn1 sin x n(n 1)In2 (3)

Reduction formulae
Problem
6. Use a reduction formula to determine
 3
x sin x dx.

Hence
!
3

429

4 sin d

Using equation (3),

!
x 3 sin x dx = I3
= x 3 cos x + 3x 2 sin x 3(2)I1
I1 = x 1 cos x + 1x 0 sin x

and

= x cos x + sin x
Hence
!
x 3 sin x dx = x 3 cos x + 3x 2 sin x
6[x cos x + sin x]
= x3cos x + 3x2 sin x
+ 6x cos x 6 sin x + c
!

Problem 7. Evaluate

3 4 sin d, correct to 2

decimal places.
From equation (3),

In = [x n cos x + nx n1 (sin x)]02 n(n 1)In2

  


 n1
n

=
cos + n
sin
(0)
2
2
2
2
n(n 1)In2
=n

 n1
2

n(n 1)In2

Hence
!

!
3 sin d = 3
4

4 sin d

= 3I4
  
  

3
1
=3 4
4(3) 2
2(1)I0
2
2
  

  
1
3
4(3) 2
2(1)(1)
=3 4
2
2
  



3
1
=3 4
24
+ 24
2
2
= 3(15.503 37.699 + 24)
= 3(1.8039) = 5.41
Now try the following exercise
Exercise 170 Further problems on
reduction
formulae
 for integrals of the form
 n
x cos x dx and xn sin x dx
1. Use
 5 a reduction formula to determine
x cos xdx.

x 5 sin x + 5x 4 cos x 20x 3 sin x

60x 2 cos x + 120x sin x

+ 120 cos x + c
 5
2. Evaluate 0 x cos x dx, correct to 2 decimal
places.
[134.87]
3. Use
 5 a reduction formula to determine
x sin x dx.
5

x cos x + 5x 4 sin x + 20x 3 cos x

60x 2 sin x 120x cos x

+ 120 sin x + c
 5
4. Evaluate 0 x sin x dx, correct to 2 decimal
places.
[62.89]

= 3I4
  

3
=3 4
4(3)I2
2
 1
2(1)I0 and
I2 = 2
2
!

2
0 sin d = [cos x]02
I0 =
0

= [0 (1)] = 1

44.4 Using reduction formulae

 nfor
integrals
of
the
form
sin x dx

and cosn x dx

(a) sinn x dx


Let In = sin n x dx sinn1 x sin x dx from laws of
indices.
Using integration by parts, let u = sinn1 x, from which,

430 Higher Engineering Mathematics

!
and

du = (n 1) sin n2 x cos x dx

Hence
!
1
sin4 x dx = I4 = sin3 x cos x
4


3
1
1
+
sin x cos x + (x)
4
2
2

and let dv = sin x dx, from which,

v = sin x dx = cos x. Hence,
!
In = sinn1 x sin x dx

+
Problem 9. Evaluate
signicant gures.

= sinn1 x cos x
!
+ (n 1) (1 sin2 x) sinn2 x dx

1
0

In = sinn1 x cos x
+ (n 1)In2 (n 1)In
In + (n 1)In
= sinn1 x cos x + (n 1)In2
n In = sinn1 x cos x + (n 1)In2

4 sin5 t dt , correct to 3

4
1
= sin4 t cos t
sin2 t cos t
5
15

from which,
!
sinn x dx =

1
n1
In = sinn1 xcos x +
In2
n
n

3
x+c
8

Using equation (4),

!
1
4
sin5 t dt = I5 = sin4 t cos t + I3
5
5
1 2
2
I3 = sin t cos t + I1
3
3
1 0
and
I1 = sin t cos t + 0 = cos t
1
Hence
!
1
sin5 t dt = sin4 t cos t
5


4
2
1
+
sin2 t cos t + (cos t )
5
3
3

= sinn1 x cos x

!
!
sinn2 x dx sinn x dx
+ (n 1)

and

1 dx = x

1
3
= sin3x cos x sin x cos x
4
8

= sinn1 x cos x
!
+ (n 1) cos2 x sinn2 x dx

i.e.

sin0 x dx =

I0 =

= (sinn1 x)(cos x)
!
(cos x)(n 1) sinn2 x cos x dx

i.e.

du
= (n 1) sinn2 x cos x and
dx

!
(4)

and

8
cos t + c
15

4 sin5 t dt

Problem
8.
 4
sin x dx.

Use a reduction formula to determine

Using equation (4),

!
1
3
sin4 x dx = I4 = sin3 x cos x + I2
4
4
1
1
I2 = sin1 x cos x + I0
2
2

1
= 4 sin4 t cos t
5
1
4
8
sin2 t cos t
cos t
15
15
0

1
4
= 4 sin4 1 cos1
sin2 1 cos1
5
15

 
8
8

cos 1 0 0
15
15

Reduction formulae
= 4[(0.054178 0.1020196
0.2881612) (0.533333)]
= 4(0.0889745) = 0.356

Using integration by parts, let u = cosn1 x from

which,
du
= (n 1) cosn2 x(sin x)
dx
and

Problem 10. Determine a reduction formula for

!
!
2
2
n
sin x dx and hence evaluate
sin6 x dx
0

1
n 1
= In = sinn1 x cos x +
In2
n
n
hence


!
2
2
1 n1
n 1
n
sin x dx = sin
x cos x
+
In2
n
n
0
0
= [0 0] +
In =

n 1
In2
n

n1
In2
n

In = (cosn1 x)(sin x)
!
(sin x)(n 1) cosn2 x(sin x) dx
= (cosn1 x)(sin x)
!
+ (n 1) sin2 x cosn2 x dx
= (cosn1 x)(sin x)
!
+ (n 1) (1 cos2 x) cosn2 x dx

i.e. In = (cosn1 x)(sin x) + (n 1)In2 (n 1)In

i.e. In + (n 1)In = (cos n1 x)(sin x) + (n 1)In2

3
1
I4 = I2 , I2 = I0
4
2
!
!
2
0
I0 =
sin x dx =
0

dv = cos x dx
!
from which, v = cos x dx = sin x

and let

= (cosn1 x)(sin x)
!

!
n2
n
cos
+ (n 1)
x dx cos x dx

Hence
!
2
5
sin6 x dx = I6 = I4
6
0

and

du = (n 1) cosn2 x(sin x) dx

Then

From equation (4),

!
sinn x dx

i.e.

i.e. n In = (cosn1 x)(sin x) + (n 1)In2

1 dx =

Thus

1
In = cosn1 x sin x + n 1
n In2
n

Thus
!

431



5
5 3
6
sin x dx = I6 = I4 =
I2
6
6 4
 

5 3 1
=
I0
6 4 2
 

15
5 3 1  
=
=
6 4 2 2
96


(b) cosn x dx


Let In = cosn x dx cosn1 x cos x dx from laws
of indices.

Problem 11.
 Use a reduction formula to
determine cos4 x dx.
Using equation (5),
!
1
3
cos4 x dx = I4 = cos3 x sin x + I2
4
4
and
and

1
1
I2 = cos x sin x + I0
2
2
!
I0 = cos0 x dx
!
=

1 dx = x

(5)

432 Higher Engineering Mathematics

!

Now try the following exercise

cos4 x dx

Hence
=

3
1
cos3 x sin x +
4
4

1
1
cos x sin x + x
2
2

Exercise 171 Further problems on

formulae
for integrals of the form

reduction
sinn x dx and cosn x dx

1
3
3
= cos3 x sin x + cos x sin x + x + c
4
8
8

1. Use
 7 a reduction formula to determine
sin x dx.

6
1
sin6 x cos x sin4 x cos x

7
35

8
16
sin2 x cos x cos x + c
35
35

2. Evaluate 0 3 sin3 x dx using a reduction
formula.
[4]

Problem 12. Determine a reduction formula

!
!
2
2
cosn x dx and hence evaluate
cos5 x dx
for
0

From equation (5),

!
1
n 1
cosn x dx = cosn1 x sin x +
In2
n
n

!
0

and hence
!

1
cos x dx =
cosn1 x sin x
n

n 1
In2
n

= [0 0] +
!

formula.

i.e.

cosn x dx = In =

n 1
In2
n

n1
In2
n

(6)

(Note that this is the same reduction formula as for

!
2
sinn x dx (in Problem 10) and the result is usually
0

known as Walliss formula).

Thus, from equation (6),
!

4
cos5 x dx = I3 ,
5
!

I1 =

and

2
I3 = I1
3

44.5

cos x dx

The following worked problems demonstrate further

examples where integrals can be determined using
reduction formulae.

= [sin x]0 = (1 0) = 1
Hence
0

Further reduction formulae

Problem
13. Determine a reduction formula for

tann x dx and hence nd tan7 x dx.

sin5 x dx using a reduction


8
15

4. Determine,
using a reduction formula,
!
6
cos x dx.

1
5
5
3
6 cos x sin x + 24 cos x sin x

5
5
+ cos x sin x + x + c
16
16

!
2
16
7
cos x dx.
5. Evaluate
35
0

3. Evaluate

Let In =
!

4
4 2
cos5 x dx = I3 =
I1
5
5 3


4 2
8
=
(1) =
5 3
15

!
tann x dx

tann2 x tan 2 x dx
by the laws of indices

tan n2 x(sec 2 x 1) dx

since 1 + tan2 x = sec2 x

!
!
= tan n2 x sec2 x dx tann2 x dx

Reduction formulae
!
=
i.e. In =

tann2 x sec2 x dx In2

and from equation (6),



5
5 3
I2
I6 = I4 =
6
6 4
 

5 3 1
=
I0
6 4 2

tann1 x
In2
n1

When n =7,
!
I7 =

!
!

Thus
7


tan2 x

ln(sec x)
2

=
0

Hence

1 dt = [x]02 =

I6 =

5 3 1

6 4 2 2

15
5
or
96
32

from Problem 9, Chapter 39, page 394

 4
tan 6 x
tan x
tan x dx =

6
4

cos0 t dt

tan4 x
tan2 x
I5 =
I3 and I3 =
I1
4
2
!
I1 = tan x dx = ln(sec x)

I0 =

and

tan6 x
tan x dx =
I5
6

ln(sec x) + c
Problem 14. Evaluate, using a reduction formula,
!
2
sin2 t cos6 t dt .
0

sin2 t cos6 t dt =

(1 cos2 t ) cos6 t dt

In =

then
!
0

5 7 5

32 8 32

1 5
5

=
8 32
256

cos8 t dt

Problem 15. Use integration by parts

to

n dx.
determine a reduction
formula
for
(ln
x)

Hence determine (ln x)3 dx.

Let In = (ln x)n dx.
Using integration by parts, let u =(ln x)n , from which,
 
1
x
 
1
and du = n(ln x)n1
dx
x
du
= n(ln x)n1
dx


and let dv = dx, from which, v = dx = x

cosn t dt

cos6 t dt

If

tan7 x dx
1
1
1
= tan6 x tan4 x + tan2 x
6
4
2

7
7 5
Similarly, I8 = I6 =
8
8 32
Thus
!
2
sin2 t cos6 t dt = I6 I8

!
Hence

!
Then In =

(ln x)n dx
!

sin2 t cos6 t dt = I6 I8

433

= (ln x)n (x)

(x)n(ln x)n1

 
1
dx
x

434 Higher Engineering Mathematics

!
= x(ln x)n n

(ln x)n1 dx

i.e. In = x(ln x)n nIn1

When n =3,
!
(ln x)3 dx = I3 = x(ln x)3 3I2

Now try the following exercise

Exercise 172 Further problems on
reduction formulae
!
2
cos2 x sin5 x dx.
1. Evaluate
0

I2 = x(ln x)2 2I1 and I1 = ln x dx = x(ln x 1) from

Problem 7, page 422.
Hence
!
(ln x)3 dx = x(ln x)3 3[x(ln x)2 2I1 ] + c
= x(ln x)3 3[x(ln x)2
2[x(ln x 1)]] + c
= x(ln x) 3[x(ln x)2
3

2x ln x + 2x] + c
= x(ln x) 3x(ln x)2
3

+ 6x ln x 6x + c
= x[(ln x) 3(ln x)2
3

+ 6 ln x 6] + c

8
105

tan6 x dx by using reduction for!

4
mulae and hence evaluate
tan 6 x dx.
0


13

15 4


!
2
8
5
4
cos x sin x dx.
3. Evaluate
315
0
2. Determine

4. Use
a reduction formula to determine
!
(ln x)4 dx.


x(ln x)4 4x(ln x)3 + 12x(ln x)2
24x ln x + 24x + c
!

5. Show that
0

sin3 cos4 d =

2
35