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The following problem is proposed by Cornel Valean:$$\operatorname{P.V.} \int_0^1 \frac{1}{x (1-x)}\arctan \left(\frac{8 x^2-4 x^3+14 x-8}{2 x^4-3 x^3-11 x^2+16 x+16}\right) \textrm{d}x=\log \left(\frac{5}{4}\right) \arctan\left(\frac{1}{2}\right).$$

The question is how can we prove this equality without using the main result in this paper and without the use of complex numbers?

Ali Shadhar
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  • @FDP did your idea work out? – Ali Shadhar Feb 01 '21 at 22:39
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    @Ali Shadhar: Of course not (for now) ;). Still searching ! – FDP Feb 02 '21 at 03:56
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    The arctangent term splits into $\arctan\left(\frac {2}{x^2-x-4}\right)+ \arctan\left(\frac {-4x}{2x^2-x-4}\right)$. I don’t think that helps though. – Sophie Feb 04 '21 at 12:58
  • @Sophie: the problem is the second term. First one is nice: $x^2-x=-x(1-x)$ – FDP Feb 04 '21 at 13:17
  • Are you sure the numerator is $8x^2-4x^3+..$ and not $8x^3-4x^2+...$? – pisoir Feb 06 '21 at 16:21
  • @pisoir That would change the numerical value of the integral from $0.10346$ to $-0.169121$. Comparing to $\ln{\frac54}\arctan{\frac12}\approx0.103459974$, the numerator is probably correct as written. – David H Feb 06 '21 at 18:05
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    does this integral has any application? – NN2 Feb 06 '21 at 19:15
  • The integral doesn't converge (principal value?) $\displaystyle \lim_{x\rightarrow 0} \frac{8 x^2-4 x^3+14 x-8}{2 x^4-3 x^3-11 x^2+16 x+16}=-\dfrac{1}{2}$ – FDP Feb 07 '21 at 11:53
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    @FDP Since the value of the integral is given and because the behavior of the integrand at the integration limits is clear, it is obvious the integral must be understood as a P.V. integral - otherwise it has no meaning. – Ali Shadhar Feb 07 '21 at 13:32
  • @pisoir the integrand is right. – Ali Shadhar Feb 07 '21 at 13:33
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    @Ali Shadar: Sorry but here in my country this integral doesn't exist. To be correct the question needs to mention that this is the principal value that is required. – FDP Feb 07 '21 at 13:58
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    @FDP first of all, the "P.V" is mentioned in the article linked in the OP. Second, the "P.V" tag is there ( not sure if you noticed it ). Anyway, I edited the question and I hope the integral now does exist in your country. Good luck solving the problem :) – Ali Shadhar Feb 07 '21 at 15:02
  • @lone student I know that and thats why I am posting this problem here. – Ali Shadhar Feb 07 '21 at 15:23
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    The question does not really fulfill the conditions of a question on this site. We have indeed the origin of the question, but there is a lot of context missing. As it is stated, it is rather a puzzle, some integral which somebody could compute has some value, the puzzle being to reconstruct this value constrained to the prohibition of solving the integral without the simplest methods used to solve such integrals. Well, i will drop an answer, but please show the own effort to solve the integral. In this way, we will clearly see what is allowed. – dan_fulea Feb 08 '21 at 11:59
  • @dan_fulea This part of the comment "... without the simplest methods used to solve such integrals ..." is as full of meaning to me as "... without the simplest methods used to fly to the Mars ...". – user97357329 Feb 08 '21 at 16:11
  • @user97357329 Well, imagine that "such problems" may be somewhere in the range between the copy-shop at the next corner and Saturn. For me it is next corner, for you may be Saturn or whatever. At any rate, there are some methods to solve such integrals, they are almost algorithmically designed to solve, and this is prohibited in the given OP. Explicitly or implicitly, no complex analysis is allowed, so one cannot split further the atan, there is no residue calculus (for pieces) allowed, and the cited source used derivation under the integral, this seems also to be not ok. Now think again. – dan_fulea Feb 08 '21 at 16:30
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    @dan_fulea There is no doubt about it, and I recall the powerful answer you got here https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/3854736. I'm sure any answer you get is interesting. – user97357329 Feb 08 '21 at 19:13