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JEE Main 2019 · Mathematics · Indefinite and Definite Integrals · medium

Let In=∫0^π/2sin ^n x dx. Then 10 I10 I9 equals

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Let In=∫0π/2sin⁡nx dxI_n=\displaystyle\int_0^{\pi/2}\sin^n x\,dx. Then 10 I10 I910\,I_{10}\,I_{9} equals
  1. A. π\pi
  2. B. π2\dfrac{\pi}{2}
  3. C. π4\dfrac{\pi}{4}
  4. D. 9π20\dfrac{9\pi}{20}
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Answer: (B) π2\dfrac{\pi}{2}

Integration by parts gives the reduction formula In=n−1nIn−2I_n=\dfrac{n-1}{n}I_{n-2}, so nIn=(n−1)In−2nI_n=(n-1)I_{n-2}. Multiply both sides by In−1I_{n-1}: nInIn−1=(n−1)In−1In−2nI_nI_{n-1}=(n-1)I_{n-1}I_{n-2}. Thus the quantity Pn=nInIn−1P_n=nI_nI_{n-1} does not depend on nn; it is constant. Evaluate at n=1n=1: P1=1⋅I1⋅I0=1⋅1⋅π2=π2P_1=1\cdot I_1\cdot I_0=1\cdot1\cdot\dfrac{\pi}{2}=\dfrac\pi2. Hence 10I10I9=π210I_{10}I_9=\dfrac\pi2. Direct check: I10=63π256I_{10}=\dfrac{63\pi}{256} and I9=128315I_9=\dfrac{128}{315}, whose product times 1010 is π2\dfrac{\pi}{2}. Both factors are positive, so the product is positive, as expected. This recurrence-based product trick is a standard shortcut for Wallis-type integrals and avoids computing either integral separately, which would take many repeated reductions.
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