Which trigonometric substitution is most appropriate for evaluating an integral containing the expression √(a² + x²)?
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x = a tan(theta)
This substitution uses the identity 1 + tan²θ = sec²θ to simplify the square root, transforming the algebraic expression into a single trigonometric function.
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- To evaluate an integral with the expression √(a² + x²), what specific substitution for x is typically used?