Primitive of Arccotangent Function

Theorem

$\ds \int \arccot x \rd x = x \arccot x + \frac {\map \ln {x^2 + 1} } 2 + C$


Corollary

$\ds \int \arccot \frac x a \rd x = x \arccot \frac x a + \frac a 2 \map \ln {x^2 + a^2} + C$


Proof 1

Let:

\(\ds u\) \(=\) \(\ds \arccot x\)
\(\text {(1)}: \quad\) \(\ds \leadsto \ \ \) \(\ds \cot u\) \(=\) \(\ds x\) Definition of Arccotangent
\(\text {(2)}: \quad\) \(\ds \leadsto \ \ \) \(\ds \csc u\) \(=\) \(\ds \sqrt {1 + x^2}\) Difference of Squares of Cosecant and Cotangent


Then:

\(\ds \int \arccot x \rd x\) \(=\) \(\ds -\int u \csc^2 u \rd u\) Primitive of Function of Arccotangent
\(\ds \) \(=\) \(\ds -\paren {-u \cot u + \ln \size {\sin u} } + C\) Primitive of $x \csc^2 a x$ with $a := 1$
\(\ds \) \(=\) \(\ds u \cot u - \ln \size {\sin u} + C\) simplifying
\(\ds \) \(=\) \(\ds u \cot u + \ln \size {\csc u} + C\) Logarithm of Reciprocal and Cosecant is Reciprocal of Sine
\(\ds \) \(=\) \(\ds u x + a \ln \size {\csc u} + C\) Substitution for $\cot u$ from $(1)$
\(\ds \) \(=\) \(\ds x u + a \ln \size {\sqrt {1 + x^2} } + C\) Substitution for $\csc u$ from $(2)$
\(\ds \) \(=\) \(\ds x \arccot x + \ln \size {\sqrt {1 + x^2} } + C\) Substitution for $u$
\(\ds \) \(=\) \(\ds x \arccot x + \frac 1 2 \ln \size {x^2 + 1} + C\) Logarithm of Power and simplifying
\(\ds \) \(=\) \(\ds x \arccot x + \frac {\map \ln {x^2 + 1} } 2 + C\) $x^2 + 1$ always positive

$\blacksquare$


Proof 2

With a view to expressing the primitive in the form:

$\ds \int u \frac {\d v} {\d x} \rd x = u v - \int v \frac {\d u} {\d x} \rd x$

let:

\(\ds u\) \(=\) \(\ds \arccot x\)
\(\ds \leadsto \ \ \) \(\ds \frac {\d u} {\d x}\) \(=\) \(\ds \frac {-1} {x^2 + 1}\) Derivative of $\arccot \dfrac x a$, setting $a := 1$


and let:

\(\ds \frac {\d v} {\d x}\) \(=\) \(\ds 1\)
\(\ds \leadsto \ \ \) \(\ds v\) \(=\) \(\ds x\) Primitive of Constant


Then:

\(\ds \int \arccot x \rd x\) \(=\) \(\ds x \arccot x - \int x \paren {\frac {-1} {x^2 + 1} } \rd x + C\) Integration by Parts
\(\ds \) \(=\) \(\ds x \arccot x + \int \frac {x \rd x} {x^2 + 1} + C\) Primitive of Constant Multiple of Function
\(\ds \) \(=\) \(\ds x \arccot x + \paren {\frac 1 2 \map \ln {x^2 + 1} } + C\) Primitive of $\dfrac x {x^2 + a^2}$, setting $a := 1$
\(\ds \) \(=\) \(\ds x \arccot x + \frac a 2 \map \ln {x^2 + 1} + C\) simplifying

$\blacksquare$


Also presented as

This result can also be presented as:

$\ds \int \arccot x \rd x = x \arccot x + \ln \sqrt {x^2 + 1} + C$


Also see


Sources

  • 1998: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Appendix: Table $2$: Integrals
  • 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Appendix: Table $2$: Integrals