Properties of Integrals - Tutorial

A tutorial, with examples and detailed solutions, in using the properties of indefinite integrals in calculus is presented. A set of exercises with answers is presented after the tutorial.


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In what follows, c is a constant of integration and can take any contant value.

1 - Integral of k f(x).


   ò k f(x) dx = k ò f(x) dx

Example: Evaluate the integral

ò 5 sinx dx


Solution:

According to the above property

ò 5 sinx dx = 5ò sinx dx

ò sinx dx is given by 2.1 in table of integrals, hence

ò 5 sinx dx = -5cos x + c

2 - Integral of Sum of Functions.


   ò [f(x) + g(x)] dx = òf(x) dx + òg(x) dx

Example: Evaluate the integral

ò [x + e x] dx


Solution:

According to the above property

ò [x + e x] dx = òx dx + òe x dx

ò x dx is given by 1.3 and òe x dx by 4.1 in table of integrals, hence

ò [x + e x] dx = x 2 / 2 + e x + c

3 - Integral of Difference of Functions.


   ò [f(x) - g(x)] dx = òf(x) dx - òg(x) dx

Example: Evaluate the integral

ò [2 - 1/x] dx


Solution:

According to the above property

ò [2 - 1/x] dx = ò2 dx - ò (1/x) dx

ò 2 dx is given by 1.2 and ò(1/x) dx by 1.4 in table of integrals, hence

ò [2 - 1/x] dx = 2x - ln |x| + c

3 - Integration by Substitution.


   ò [f(u) du/dx] dx = òf(u) du

Example: Evaluate the integral

ò (x 2 - 1) 20 2x dx


Solution:

Let u = x 2 - 1, du/dx = 2x and the given integral can be written as

ò (x 2 - 1) 20 2x dx

= ò u 20 (du/dx) dx

= ò u 20 du         according to above property

= u 21 / 21 + c = (x 2 - 1) 21 / 21 + c

3 - Integration by Parts.


   ò f(x) g '(x) dx = f(x) g(x) - òf '(x) g(x) dx

Example: Evaluate the integral

ò x cos x dx


Solution:

Let f(x) = x and g ' (x) = cos x which gives

f ' (x) = 1 and g(x) = sin x

From integration by parts formula above,

ò x cos x dx = x sin x - ò1 sin x dx

= x sin x + cos x + c

Exercises: Use the table of integrals and the properties above to evaluate the following integrals. [Note that you may need to use more than one of the above properties for one integral].

1. ò (1/2) ln x dx

2. ò [sin x + x 5] dx

3. ò [sinh x - 3] dx

4. ò -x sin x dx



Answers to Above Exercises

1. [x ln x] / 2 - x / 2

2. x 6 / 6 - cos x

3. cosh x - 3x

4. x cos x - sin x


More references on integrals and their applications in calculus.


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Updated: 26 November 2007 (A Dendane)