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Edexcel A2 C4 Mathematics June 2015 - Official Thread

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Original post by STATER
How do you integrate a product such as Sin2xSinx by parts? Apparently this can be done but I don't see how you can avoid an endless loop.
Many thanks


No need for integration by parts. Can manipulate to give:

integral of: 2(sin^2 x)(cos x)

The by inspection you can see this integral is 2/3sin^3 x
Reply 661
Original post by Gilo98
No need for integration by parts. Can manipulate to give:

integral of: 2(sin^2 x)(cos x)

The by inspection you can see this integral is 2/3sin^3 x


I know that, but I am specifically interested in how to integrate it by parts.
Original post by STATER
I know that, but I am specifically interested in how to integrate it by parts.

Ah ok, jumped the gun a bit then. Was this an exam Q or just out of interest?
Reply 663
Original post by Gilo98
Ah ok, jumped the gun a bit then. Was this an exam Q or just out of interest?

This was a june 2014 exam question (6iii). Since then, I've encountered a similar situation in third party practice paper where the solution was less obvious that in the 2014 Q, but integration by parts was an option. I'm just interested since a universal method is less of a headache and saves time.
Original post by STATER
This was a june 2014 exam question (6iii). Since then, I've encountered a similar situation in third party practice paper where the solution was less obvious that in the 2014 Q, but integration by parts was an option. I'm just interested since a universal method is less of a headache and saves time.


:frown: wonder how they marked those who went for above approach. I'd like to think if they pulled something like that in an edexcel paper they would at least point you in the direction of what to do.
Reply 665
Original post by Gilo98
:frown: wonder how they marked those who went for above approach. I'd like to think if they pulled something like that in an edexcel paper they would at least point you in the direction of what to do.


I just don't know what I'm missing. Two questions where integration by parts seems impossible say " integration by parts twice" in the notes, and magically arrive at the solution.
Original post by STATER
I just don't know what I'm missing. Two questions where integration by parts seems impossible say " integration by parts twice" in the notes, and magically arrive at the solution.


Care to post a link? Seems silly to prevent someone from doing it in the simplest way
Reply 667
Tbf, looking at the edexcel mark scheme it seems they are not being picky as to what method you apply - 1 method mark for double angle formula and then 1 method mark for 'integrating to give asin^3 x. I can't seem to open the mark scheme for the other exam but looking at the question i cant find much which specifies a certain way in which to attack the integral. Would still like to see a worked example of integration by parts for it though, even if it is just out of interest :ahee:
Original post by STATER
How do you integrate a product such as Sin2xSinx by parts? Apparently this can be done but I don't see how you can avoid an endless loop.
Many thanks


1432734000362.jpg

I left out all the "dx" to save space but I hope it's clear - after doing by parts twice you get the same integral as you started with as part of your integration and you make that the subject of the formula.

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Reply 670
Original post by aersh8
1432734000362.jpg

I left out all the "dx" to save space but I hope it's clear - after doing by parts twice you get the same integral as you started with as part of your integration and you make that the subject of the formula.

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Nice one thanks. Disastrous failure on my part not to spot that.
Original post by STATER
Nice one thanks. Disastrous failure on my part not to spot that.


No worries :smile: it would be faster to just use angle addition formulae though
Reply 672
Original post by aersh8
No worries :smile: it would be faster to just use angle addition formulae though

Yeah, it was just out of interest.
Original post by STATER
Nice one thanks. Disastrous failure on my part not to spot that.


Try e^x cosx
Similar approach and it could be asked in an exam


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Original post by physicsmaths
Try e^x cosx
Similar approach and it could be asked in an exam


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Hmm didn't know they expected you to know the integration by parts twice method and using the loop to substitute the original back in.

I knew how to do that but my teacher said they wouldn't specifically require you to do that - so you could do questions like that but they would only ask a question that could be done without that method also.
Original post by Tow
Hmm didn't know they expected you to know the integration by parts twice method and using the loop to substitute the original back in.

I knew how to do that but my teacher said they wouldn't specifically require you to do that - so you could do questions like that but they would only ask a question that could be done without that method also.


Well I know that integration by parts twice could come up definitely as I have seen it on a paper.It's good to know.


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Original post by physicsmaths
Well I know that integration by parts twice could come up definitely as I have seen it on a paper.It's good to know.


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Yeah definitely.

But no question should require you to use the 'Loop' method.

Integration by parts like this is fine:
x^2sin(x)

But integration by parts of this shouldn't come up:
Sin(3x)cos(x)

Unless you can rearrange to make it so that you can integrate it with using the loop method.
Reply 678
Theres too much resources for maths, Im sturggling to do the exercises and edexcel papers alone lol
Hey :smile: I'm actually OCR but I couldn't find an OCR C4 2015 thread but I'm guessing you guys do vectors??
Could someone help me with this question:

Find a unit vector that is perpendicular to both 4i + 10j - 3k and 5i - 9j + 7k

All I have so far is:
4a + 10b - 3c = 0
and
5a - 9b + 7c = 0

(ai + bj + ck being my unknown unit vector)

Thanks :smile:

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