Part One: Show that int (from 0 to a) f(x) dx = int (from 0 to a) f(a - x) dx
Consider I = int (from 0 to a) f(x) dx
Let u = a - x. It follows that du = - dx, and when x = 0, u = a, and when x = a, u = 0.
So, I = int (from a to 0) f(a - u) * -1 du = - int (from a to 0) f(a - u) du = int (from 0 to a) f(a - u) du.
But, u is a dummy variable, and hence can be replaced by any other variable.
That is, int (from 0 to a) f(a - u) du = int (from 0 to a) f(a - x) dx.
Hence, I = int (from 0 to a) f(x) dx = int (from 0 to a) f(a - x) dx, as required.
Part Two: Show that int (from 0 to pi/2) cos<sup>3</sup>x / (cos<sup>3</sup>x + sin<sup>3</sup>x) dx = int (from 0 to pi/2) sin<sup>3</sup>x / (sin<sup>3</sup>x + cos<sup>3</sup>x) dx
Applying the result from part one, it follows that:
LHS = int (from 0 to pi / 2) cos<sup>3</sup>x / (cos<sup>3</sup>x + sin<sup>3</sup>x) dx
= int (from 0 to pi / 2) cos<sup>3</sup>[(pi / 2) - x] / (cos<sup>3</sup>[(pi / 2) - x] + sin<sup>3</sup>[(pi / 2) - x]) dx
= int (from 0 to pi / 2) {cos[(pi / 2) - x]}<sup>3</sup> / ({cos[(pi / 2) - x]}<sup>3</sup> + {sin[(pi / 2) - x]}<sup>3</sup>) dx
= int (from 0 to pi / 2) [sin x]<sup>3</sup> / ([sin x]<sup>3</sup> + [cos x]<sup>3</sup>) dx, as cos[(pi / 2) - x] = sin x and sin[(pi / 2) - x] = cos x
= int (from 0 to pi / 2) sin<sup>3</sup>x / (sin<sup>3</sup>x + cos<sup>3</sup>x) dx
= RHS
Part Three: Hence evaluate these integrals.
Well, from part three we know that
int (from 0 to pi / 2) cos<sup>3</sup>x / (cos<sup>3</sup>x + sin<sup>3</sup>x) dx = int (from 0 to pi / 2) sin<sup>3</sup>x / (sin<sup>3</sup>x + cos<sup>3</sup>x) dx = I (say).
So, 2I = I + I = int (from 0 to pi / 2) cos<sup>3</sup>x / (cos<sup>3</sup>x + sin<sup>3</sup>x) dx + int (from 0 to pi / 2) sin<sup>3</sup>x / (sin<sup>3</sup>x + cos<sup>3</sup>x) dx
2I = int (from 0 to pi / 2) [cos<sup>3</sup>x / (cos<sup>3</sup>x + sin<sup>3</sup>x)] + [sin<sup>3</sup>x / (sin<sup>3</sup>x + cos<sup>3</sup>x)] dx
= int (from 0 to pi / 2) (cos<sup>3</sup>x + sin<sup>3</sup>x) / (sin<sup>3</sup>x + cos<sup>3</sup>x) dx
= int (from 0 to pi / 2) 1 dx
= [x] (from 0 to pi / 2)
= (pi / 2) - 0
So, 2I = pi / 2, and hence I = pi / 4