Question:medium

Evaluate the integral: \(\int \frac{\sin x}{\sin 4x} \, dx\)

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When you see \( \sin nx \) in the denominator and \( \sin x \) in the numerator, expanding \( \sin nx \) often allows the \( \sin x \) term to cancel, leading to an integral that can be solved via the \( \sin x = t \) substitution.
Updated On: Apr 15, 2026
  • \( -\frac{1}{8}\log \left| \frac{1+\sin x}{1-\sin x} \right| + \frac{1}{4\sqrt{2}}\log \left| \frac{1+\sqrt{2}\sin x}{1-\sqrt{2}\sin x} \right| + C \)
  • \( \frac{1}{8}\log \left| \frac{1+\sin x}{1-\sin x} \right| - \frac{1}{4\sqrt{2}}\log \left| \frac{1+\sqrt{2}\sin x}{1-\sqrt{2}\sin x} \right| + C \)
  • \( -\frac{1}{8}\log \left| \frac{1+\sin x}{1-\sin x} \right| + \frac{1}{4\sqrt{2}}\log \left| \frac{1-\sqrt{2}\sin x}{1+\sqrt{2}\sin x} \right| + C \)
  • None of these
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Use trigonometric identity Using \[ \sin 4x = 4\sin x \cos x \cos 2x \] So, \[ I=\int \frac{\sin x}{4\sin x \cos x \cos 2x}\,dx \] Cancelling $\sin x$, \[ I=\frac{1}{4}\int \frac{1}{\cos x \cos 2x}\,dx \] Multiply numerator and denominator by $\cos x$: \[ I=\frac{1}{4}\int \frac{\cos x}{\cos^2 x \cos 2x}\,dx \] Now use \[ \cos^2 x = 1-\sin^2 x \] and \[ \cos 2x = 1-2\sin^2 x \] Hence, \[ I=\frac{1}{4}\int \frac{\cos x}{(1-\sin^2 x)(1-2\sin^2 x)}\,dx \] Step 2: Substitution Let \[ t=\sin x \] Then \[ dt=\cos x\,dx \] So the integral becomes \[ I=\frac{1}{4}\int \frac{1}{(1-t^2)(1-2t^2)}\,dt \] Step 3: Partial fraction decomposition Write \[ \frac{1}{(1-t^2)(1-2t^2)} = \frac{A}{1-t^2} + \frac{B}{1-2t^2} \] Multiplying throughout, \[ 1=A(1-2t^2)+B(1-t^2) \] Comparing coefficients, \[ A=-1,\qquad B=2 \] Therefore, \[ \frac{1}{(1-t^2)(1-2t^2)} = \frac{-1}{1-t^2} + \frac{2}{1-2t^2} \] Thus, \[ I= \frac{1}{4}\int \left( \frac{-1}{1-t^2} + \frac{2}{1-2t^2} \right)\,dt \] \[ I= -\frac{1}{4}\int \frac{1}{1-t^2}\,dt + \frac{1}{2}\int \frac{1}{1-2t^2}\,dt \] Step 4: Integrate each term Using \[ \int \frac{dx}{a^2-x^2} = \frac{1}{2a}\log\left|\frac{a+x}{a-x}\right|+C \] For the first integral: \[ -\frac{1}{4}\int \frac{1}{1-t^2}\,dt = -\frac{1}{8}\log\left|\frac{1+t}{1-t}\right| \] For the second integral: \[ \frac{1}{2}\int \frac{1}{1-2t^2}\,dt = \frac{1}{4\sqrt{2}} \log\left| \frac{1+\sqrt{2}t}{1-\sqrt{2}t} \right| \] Step 5: Substitute back Putting $t=\sin x$, \[ I= -\frac{1}{8}\log\left| \frac{1+\sin x}{1-\sin x} \right| + \frac{1}{4\sqrt{2}} \log\left| \frac{1+\sqrt{2}\sin x}{1-\sqrt{2}\sin x} \right| +C \] Final Answer \[ \boxed{ \int \frac{\sin x}{\sin 4x}\,dx = -\frac{1}{8}\log\left| \frac{1+\sin x}{1-\sin x} \right| + \frac{1}{4\sqrt{2}} \log\left| \frac{1+\sqrt{2}\sin x}{1-\sqrt{2}\sin x} \right| +C } \]
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