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Exercise 2068Calculus › Single-variable calculus › Integration › Riemann integralOlympiadAdded 2 Nov 2026

An absolute value integral with a parameter

#absolute value#parameters#trigonometry

Statement

Find all real numbers tt such that
∫0π/2∣sin⁡x+tcos⁡x∣ dx=1.\int_0^{\pi/2}\left|\sin x+t\cos x\right|\,dx=1.

Hint

On [0,π2][0,\frac\pi2] both sin⁡\sin and cos⁡\cos are non-negative, so consider the sign of tt. When t<0t<0 the integrand changes sign at one point: split there.

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Solution

Case t≥0t\ge0. The integrand is non-negative, so
∫0π/2(sin⁡x+tcos⁡x) dx=1+t.\int_0^{\pi/2}(\sin x+t\cos x)\,dx=1+t.
Setting 1+t=11+t=1 gives t=0t=0.

Case t<0t<0. Write t=−kt=-k with k>0k>0. The function sin⁡x−kcos⁡x\sin x-k\cos x vanishes at x0=arctan⁡kx_0=\arctan k, is negative before and positive after. Using sin⁡x0=k1+k2\sin x_0=\frac k{\sqrt{1+k^2}} and cos⁡x0=11+k2\cos x_0=\frac1{\sqrt{1+k^2}}:
∫0x0(kcos⁡x−sin⁡x) dx=[ksin⁡x+cos⁡x]0x0=1+k2−1,\int_0^{x_0}(k\cos x-\sin x)\,dx=\bigl[k\sin x+\cos x\bigr]_0^{x_0}=\sqrt{1+k^2}-1,
∫x0π/2(sin⁡x−kcos⁡x) dx=[−cos⁡x−ksin⁡x]x0π/2=1+k2−k.\int_{x_0}^{\pi/2}(\sin x-k\cos x)\,dx=\bigl[-\cos x-k\sin x\bigr]_{x_0}^{\pi/2}=\sqrt{1+k^2}-k.
The total is 21+k2−k−12\sqrt{1+k^2}-k-1. Setting it equal to 11:
21+k2=k+2 ⟹ 4+4k2=k2+4k+4 ⟹ 3k2=4k.2\sqrt{1+k^2}=k+2\ \Longrightarrow\ 4+4k^2=k^2+4k+4\ \Longrightarrow\ 3k^2=4k.
Since k>0k>0, k=43k=\frac43.

Answer. t=0t=0 or t=−43t=-\dfrac43.