For $n \geq 2$, let $I_n=\int_0^{\pi / 4} \tan ^n x d x$ and $F_n=I_n+I_{n-2}$. Then, $F_n-F_{n+1}=$

For $n \geq 2$, let $I_n=\int_0^{\pi / 4} \tan ^n x d x$ and $F_n=I_n+I_{n-2}$. Then, $F_n-F_{n+1}=$
  1. $\frac{1}{n}$
  2. $\frac{1}{(n-1)}$
  3. $\frac{1}{n(n-1)}$
  4. $1+n$

Solution

$\because I_n=\int_0^{\pi / 4} \tan ^n x d x, n \geq 2$ and $ \begin{aligned} F_n & =I_n+I_{n-2} \\ & =\int_0^{\pi / 4}\left(\tan ^n x+\tan ^{n-2} x\right) d x \\ & =\int_0^{\pi / 4}\left(\tan ^2 x+1\right) \tan ^{n-2} x d x \\ & =\int_0^{\pi / 4} \tan ^{n-2} x \sec ^2 x d x \end{aligned} $ Let $\tan x=t$ $ \Rightarrow \quad \sec ^2 x d x=d t $ Then, $\quad$ at $x=\frac{\pi}{4} \Rightarrow t=1$ and $ x=0 \Rightarrow t=0 $ So, $ \begin{aligned} F_n & =\int_0^1 t^{n-2} d t=\left.\frac{t^{n-1}}{n-1}\right|_0 ^1 \\ & =\frac{1}{n-1}(1)^{n-1}=\frac{1}{n-1} \\ F_{n+1} & =\frac{1}{n} \end{aligned} $ $ \therefore \quad F_{n+1}=\frac{1}{n} $ So, $F_n-F_{n+1}=\frac{1}{n-1}-\frac{1}{n}$ $ =\frac{n-(n-1)}{n(n-1)}=\frac{1}{n(n-1)} $

Asked in: AP EAMCET 2018 (22 Apr Shift 2)

Practice more Definite Integration questions on Aicharya