Proving $\int_0^{\infty} \frac{\sin^3(x)}{x^2} dx = \frac{3\ln(3)}{4} $

calculusdefinite integralsintegrationreal-analysis

So this integral reminds me of the Dirichlet integral but I am not sure if I can use similar methods to solve it. I want to prove

$$\int_0^{\infty} \frac{\sin^3(x)}{x^2} dx = \frac{3\ln(3)}{4} $$

I tried parameterizing with

$$ I(a) := \int_0^{\infty} \sin(ax)\frac{\sin^2(x)}{x^2}dx$$

or

$$ I(a) := \int_0^{\infty} \frac{\sin^3(x)}{x^2}e^{-ax}dx$$

But none of them worked out for me. Not sure what to do. I would really like to use real methods and not complex analysis, since I haven’t learned it yet.

Best Answer

METHODOLOGY $1$: Using the Laplace Transform

Let $I$ be given by the integral

$$I=\int_0^\infty \frac{\sin^3(x)}{x^2}\,dx$$

Appealing to This Theorem of the Laplace Transform, we first note that for $f(x)=\sin^3(x)$ and $g(x)=\frac1{x^2}$ we have $$\begin{align}\mathscr{L}\{f\}(x)&=\frac{6}{x^4+10x^2+9}\tag 1\\\\ \mathscr{L}^{-1}\{g\}(x)&=x\tag2 \end{align}$$ whence using $(1)$ and $(2)$ in the theorem shows that $$\begin{align} I&=\int_0^\infty \frac{\sin^3(x)}{x^2}\,dx\\\\ &=\int_0^\infty \mathscr{L}\{f\}(x)\mathscr{L}^{-1}\{g\}(x)\,dx\\\\ &=\int_0^\infty \frac{6x}{x^4+10x+9}\,dx\\\\ &=\frac34\int_0^\infty\left(\frac{x}{x^2+1}-\frac{x}{x^2+9}\right)\,dx\\\\ &=\frac38\left.\left(\log(x^2+1)-\log(x^2+9)\right)\right|_{0}^\infty\\\\ &=\frac34\log(3) \end{align}$$ as was to be shown.


METHODOLOGY $2$: Using Feynman's Trick

Let $F(s)$ be given by the integral

$$F(s)=\int_0^\infty \frac{\sin^3(x)}{x^2}e^{-sx}\,dx$$

Differentiating $F(s)$ twice, we find that

$$F''(s)=\frac{6}{s^4+10s^2+9}$$

Integrating $F''(s)$ once reveals

$$F'(s)=\frac34 \arctan(s)-\frac14\arctan(s/3)+C_1$$

Integrating $F'(s)$ we find that

$$F(s)=\frac34 s\arctan(s)-\frac38 \log(s^2+1)-\frac14 s\arctan(s/3)+\frac38\log(s^2+9)+C_1s+C_2$$

Using $\lim_{s\to\infty}F(s)=0$, we find that $C_1=-\pi/4$ and $C_2=0$. Setting $s=0$ yields the coveted result

$$\begin{align} F(0)&=\int_0^\infty \frac{\sin^3(x)}{x^2}\,dx\\\\ &=\frac34\log(3) \end{align}$$

as expected!