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:
I tried using integration by parts with and , which gave me:
Then I applied integration by parts again on 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 AcceptedThis 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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