Roberto’s Notes on Integral Calculus

Chapter 1: Indefinite integrals Section 3

Basic integration formulae

What you need to know already: What you can learn here:
 What an indefinite integral is and what its  How to compute indefinite integrals in simple
notation and terminology are. cases.

Computing general antiderivatives (another name for indefinite integrals,

remember?) is an inverse operation, just like division is the inverse of multiplication
x n1
and taking roots is the inverse of taking powers. Therefore, in general, integration

 x dx  n  1  c, n  1
tends to be a more difficult and complicated process than differentiation. In fact, in n
Power rule:
some situations it cannot be done at all, just like dividing by 0 and square rooting a
negative number cannot be done.
Exponential rule:  e dx  e  c
x x
Also, as for other inverse operations, the simplest way to start learning how to
do it is by reversing the original operation in particularly easy cases. For integration,
 x dx  ln x  c
1
this means reversing basic differentiation formulae. So, here are the simplest Reciprocal rule:
integration formulae, obtained by reading the corresponding differentiation rules.

Trig rules:  cos x dx  sin x  c

Technical fact:
 sin x dx   cos x  c
Basic integration formulae
 sec x dx  tan x  c
2

 a dx  ax  c

Constant rule: 1
Inverse trig rules: dx  sin 1 x  c
1 x 2
Coefficient rule:  a  f  x  dx  a  f  x  dx

1
dx  tan 1 x  c
Addition rule:   f  g  dx   f dx   g dx x 1
2

Integral Calculus Chapter 1: Indefinite integrals Section 3: Basic integration formulae Page 1
 What about the exceptional value? What is the integral of the reciprocal
Hyperbolic rules:  cosh x dx  sinh x  c function?

 ln x  
1
 x 1 , but this
 sinh x dx  cosh x  c
When dealing with derivatives we learned that
x
is valid only for positive values of x, since that is the domain of the natural
Inverse hyperbolic rules: logarithm. But we can use the chain rule to see that:
d
 ln x  
d

ln x 2 
1 1
 x 1
2x  2 

1 1
dx  sinh x  c dx dx x2 2 x2 x x
x 1
2
Since this time the original function is defined for all non-zero values of x,

x
1


1 the formula dx  ln x  c is valid.
dx  cosh 1 x  c
x2  1
Before showing you some examples, let me remind you of a technical fact that


1
dx  tanh 1 x  c, if  1  x  1 will not have any major impact in this course, but will become important in more
1 x 2 advanced uses of integrals.

Proof
Knot on your finger
Most of these formulae follow immediately from the corresponding
differentiation formulae and you can check them on your own. The only two The formulae listed in the previous table provide the
that need a little attention are the formulae to integrate a power.
general antiderivative of the corresponding integrand.
Since  x   nx
n n 1
, as long as n  0 , the power rule tells us that for any To obtain the indefinite integral we need to consider
non-zero power of x, the derivative is obtained by:
a different constant on each interval of continuity.
1. multiplying the power by the exponent, then
2. decreasing the exponent by 1.
Therefore, in order to invert the process we need to: Can you identify the formulae to which this technical difference applies?
1. increase the exponent by 1
2. divide the power by the new exponent.


 3 4
This works, as long as the new power is not the old exception, that is, as long Example:  cos x    dx
x n 1  x2 x 
as n  1  0 . This leads to the formula  x dx   c , n  1 .
n

n 1 To compute this integral, we first apply the addition rule:

Integral Calculus Chapter 1: Indefinite integrals Section 3: Basic integration formulae Page 2
     
 3 4 3 4  3 xe x 
 cos x  2   dx  cos x dx  dx  dx  cos x  2   dx 
2
 x x x2 x  x 2 4 

  
Notice how the differential is repeated in each new integral: it cannot be 1 1
absent from any of them! Now we use the coefficient rule, thus taking the  cos x 2 dx  3 2 dx  xe x dx
coefficients out of the last two integrals: x 2 4

  
But now we must stop: we do not have formulae for any of these three
 cos x dx  3 x 2 dx  4 x 1dx functions! We have formulae that look similar to them, but we can only use
what we know to be true. For similar cases we need to verify that the formula
For the first integral we can now use the basic trig rules, on the second the still holds, and in none of the three remaining integrals this is true. You may
power rule, while on the third we use the reciprocal rule: want to check by differentiating that what you believe to be the correct
x 21 antiderivative based on the similar formulae you do NOT get the original
 sin x  3  4 ln x  c integrand. It’s a great exercise!
2  1
If there is a next step in the problem at hand, we may want to re-write this
expression as: When the integrand consists of a basic derivative composed with a linear


 3 4 3 function, we may guess and check its antiderivative by using the simple outcome of
 cos x  2   dx  sin x   4 ln x  c the linear rule.
 x x x
What does that mean?
We could stop here, but to be precise, we notice that the original function is


discontinuous at x  0 , so that what we have so far is the general
antiderivative. The technically correct indefinite integral is: Example: cos  2  3x  dx
 3
 sin x   4 ln x  c1 if x  0


 3 4 x This integrand consists of a function whose antiderivative we know (the
 cos x  2   dx   cosine) composed with a linear function whose derivative is simply the
 x x sin x  3  4 ln x  c if x  0 constant -3. The chain rule would produce that constant as a coefficient, but
 x
2
we can take care of it by suitably multiplying and dividing:
1
 cos  2  3x  dx 
3   3 cos  2  3x  dx
The next example reminds you that we are still at the very beginning of our
work with integrals! Now we recognize the integrand as the derivative of a function we know, so
that we can conclude that:
1
 cos  2  3x  dx  3 sin  2  3x   c

 3 xe  x

 cos x  2 
2
Example:  dx
 x  2 4  That is neat! Is that an example of a general rule?
To compute this integral we can still use the addition and coefficient
formulae:
Integral Calculus Chapter 1: Indefinite integrals Section 3: Basic integration formulae Page 3
 Well, it is an example of a general method that we shall see in detail in the next sinh 0 0 sinh t t
section. For now, try using it in similarly simple cases and look forward to the   c  6  c  6  v t    6
splendid method from which it comes! 50 2 50 2
Now that we have a few basic integration rules, we can use them in applied Now that we have the velocity, we can find the position:
 sinh t t  cosh t t 2

problems. Here is a basic one.
s t      6  dt    6t  c
 50 2  50 4
Problem:
Since the initial position of the ball is 0, we have:
Suppose that a bowling ball is released at the player’s cosh 0 02 1
m  0c  0  c  
end with a speed of 6 and, due to the friction, it is 50 4 50
s 2
cosh t t 1
subject to an deceleration given by  s t     6t 
cosh t 1 m 50 4 50
a t    Therefore after two seconds the ball has travelled:
50 2 s2
cosh 2 1
What is the exact distance travelled by the ball in the s  2   1  12  m
first 2 seconds?
50 50

In future sections, we shall see many more applications of antiderivatives. In

fact, integration is a much more applied method than differentiation. By
Solution: differentiating, we compute a rate of change and all we can do to extend its use is
Since we know the acceleration, we can compute the velocity: give it different interpretations. But with integration we can compute quantities that
at first sight look substantially different, such as forces and volumes. Isn’t that
 cosh t 1 

sinh t t
v t      dt   c interesting? Stay tuned for more fun on this.
 50 2 50 2
Since the initial velocity, that is, at time t  0 , is 6, we have:

Summary
 Basic integration formulae are obtained by reversing simple differentiation formulae.

Integral Calculus Chapter 1: Indefinite integrals Section 3: Basic integration formulae Page 4
 Common errors to avoid
 Just because an integrand looks similar to one whose antiderivative you know, it does NOT follow that the true antiderivative is similar to what you expect!
 Apply an integration formula ONLY if it applies exactly to the integrand you are dealing with.

Learning questions for Section I 1-3

Review questions:

1. Describe how the basic integration formulae are obtained. 2. Explain why there are two different integration rules for power functions.

Memory questions:

1. What is the general antiderivative of f  x   x n if n  1 ? 8. What is the general antiderivative of f  x  

1
?
1  x2
1
2. What is the general antiderivative of f  x   ? 9. What is the general antiderivative of f  x   sinh x ?
x

3. What is the general antiderivative of f  x   e x ? 10. What is the general antiderivative of f  x   cosh x ?

4. What is the general antiderivative of f  x   sin x ? 1

11. What is the general antiderivative of f  x   ?
1  x2
5. What is the general antiderivative of f  x   cos x ?
1
12. What is the general antiderivative of f  x   ?
6. What is the general antiderivative of f  x   sec x ? 2
x2 1

1
13. What is the general antiderivative of f  x  
1
7. What is the general antiderivative of f  x   ? ?
1  x2 1  x2

Integral Calculus Chapter 1: Indefinite integrals Section 3: Basic integration formulae Page 5
 Computation questions:

 1 1   1 
1. Compute
   2 
 1 x 1 x 
2
dx . 10. Find a function that belongs to the indefinite integral
  3
x
 4 x  dx and is

such that f 1  2 .
 

1
2. Determine  cos x   dx .

1
 1  x2  11. Compute dx .
x 1


3
  x  1
3. Compute dx . 1
4x  4
2 12. Determine 2
dx .

4. What is the general antiderivative of the function y  5 x ?

e x 4
13. Find the general antiderivative of the function y  
1 3 1  x2
5. Find a function y  f  x  such that y ' 3  2 1  x 2  2 , y 1  2 .


3
14. Compute the general antiderivative of y  e x 
4  3x 2
1  x2
6. Which function f  x  is such that f '  x   and f  4  2 ?
x
2
15. Find all functions y  f  x  for which y ''  cos 2 x 
7. Determine the function f  x  whose derivative is y  3sin x  e and whose x
x2
y-intercept is at  0, 3 . 3
16. Determine a function y  f  x  whose derivative is y '  5sinh x 
1  x2
8. Determine the function f  x  whose derivative is y  e x  cos x and whose
and whose graph contains the point  0, 3 .
y-intercept is at  0, 5 .
17. Find a function y  f  x  such that y " 3 x  1  0, y  0   1 and
9. Which function    is such that  '    sin 2  e and   0   1 ?

y ' 1  2

Integral Calculus Chapter 1: Indefinite integrals Section 3: Basic integration formulae Page 6
 
 3x 2  1 
18. Compute  cos 2 x   dx .
 x3 

Theory questions:

1. Does the formula  x 1 dx  ln x  c express the general antiderivative, the 3. Is it true that   af  x   bg  x   dx  a  f  x  dx  b  g  x  dx ?
indefinite integral or both?
4. For which value of the exponent is the power rule for integrals NOT valid?
2. The list of basic integration formulae does not involve the hyperbolic tangent
and its inverse. Why do you think that is?

Application questions:

1. Two balls are thrown vertically up at the same time with initial speeds of 15m/s 3. A drag racing car begins a race by traveling for 5 seconds with a constant
and 10m/s. Use antiderivatives to construct their position functions and use acceleration of 15 m/sec2, after which a parachute slows it down for 4 seconds to
these functions to determine how long the first ball will remain in the air after a speed of 25 m/sec, before being detached by the lack of further deceleration.
the second will hit the ground. If the car’s deceleration decreases linearly over time, how far will the car travel
from the start until the parachute is detached?
2. An object is dropped through a fluid, so that its acceleration is given by the
9.8 4. Prove that if an object moves on a straight line with constant acceleration (for
function a  t    2  5 . Which formula represents the velocity of the instance, a falling object with no air resistance) the average velocity between
t 1 any two times equals the average of the velocities at those same times. This is a
object? famous fact proved by Galileo and that arguably provided the motivation for
Newton’s general work on calculus.

Templated questions:

1. For any indefinite integral you compute, determine how many constants are technically needed.

2. In your answer to any computation or application question, clearly identify which formulae of integration are needed, at the step where they are needed.
Integral Calculus Chapter 1: Indefinite integrals Section 3: Basic integration formulae Page 7
 What questions do you have for your instructor?

Integral Calculus Chapter 1: Indefinite integrals Section 3: Basic integration formulae Page 8