MethodMath
IM
Apr 28, 2026

How to integrate ∫ e^x sin(x) dx using integration by parts?

I am studying AP Calculus BC and I keep going in circles when trying to evaluate this integral:

exsin(x)dx\int e^x \sin(x) \, dx

I tried using integration by parts with u=exu = e^x and dv=sin(x)dxdv = \sin(x)\,dx, which gave me:

exsin(x)dx=excos(x)+excos(x)dx\int e^x \sin(x)\,dx = -e^x\cos(x) + \int e^x\cos(x)\,dx

Then I applied integration by parts again on excos(x)dx\int e^x\cos(x)\,dx and ended up back where I started. Could someone explain the standard technique for solving this type of cyclic integral?

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1 Answer

AO
Amara OkaforApr 29, 2026 Accepted
This is a classic example of a **cyclic integration by parts** problem. The trick is to treat the integral as an unknown variable and solve algebraically. Let $I = \displaystyle\int e^x \sin(x) \, dx$. Apply integration by parts with: \begin{align*} u &= \sin(x), & dv &= e^x \, dx \\ du &= \cos(x) \, dx, & v &= e^x \end{align*} Then: $$I = e^x \sin(x) - \int e^x \cos(x) \, dx$$ Now apply integration by parts again on $J = \displaystyle\int e^x \cos(x) \, dx$: \begin{align*} u &= \cos(x), & dv &= e^x \, dx \\ du &= -\sin(x) \, dx, & v &= e^x \end{align*} So: $$J = e^x \cos(x) - \int e^x (-\sin(x)) \, dx = e^x \cos(x) + I$$ Substituting back: $$I = e^x \sin(x) - \left(e^x \cos(x) + I\ ight)$$ $$I = e^x \sin(x) - e^x \cos(x) - I$$ $$2I = e^x (\sin(x) - \cos(x))$$ Therefore: $$\boxed{\int e^x \sin(x) \, dx = \frac{e^x}{2}(\sin(x) - \cos(x)) + C}$$
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