you are

here

illustrated by @landandworld
 BOOK OF
INTEGRALS
 To the bystander, looking to be entertained by these math
scribbles

To the math student, tempted to pick up pens of their own and

follow along

To those currently studying the art of integrals and ready to

improve their skills

This book is for you

It’s happening and I’m so excited. Grab your favorite drink, your
favorite snack, put on your favorite music (if that's your thing) and
come solve some integrals with me.

Let me ask you something: how do you imagine integrals? Do you

just see the weird looking symbol that Leibniz introduced to the
world, or through a Riemann sum as the number of rectangles
tends to infinity?

okay?

i put this on
the map!!!

or maybe your mind immediately goes to the anti derivative of the

function f(x)

This is all correct, since they obviously are all related. The integral
of a function f(x) is in fact the anti derivative, and geometrically it
represents the area underneath the curve from interval [a,b]
where the area is traditionally calculated by finding infinitely
many areas of rectangles whose widths are infinitesimally small.
Finding definite integrals (the area underneath the curve) is much
easier that finding the general solution to an indefinite integral.

We can use various techniques to find the area (definite integral)

that lead to our solution, but the indefinite needs much more
work, patience, and techniques to uncover the integral’s secrets
and inner-workings.

Call me crazy, but I relate integrals to the big massive trees I so

often see outside my window. Every single one reaches towards
the sky, pointing its branches in different directions and has its
own story worth telling. These trees require specific environments
in order survive. It’s our job to go out and discover these
requirements.
We’re going to do a lot of exploring and uncover the trail of
integrals. We’re here to examine the beauty of integration, a list of
techniques, and understand what’s hiding behind these
behemoths without making too much of a mess.

We will review common integrals worth memorizing to use in

future adventures (which will make our experience more
enjoyable). I will show my math scribbles for some of the
integrals, but the majority of the time you’ll be encouraged to solve
them on your own!
Our adventure starts off with the basics and slowly starts
increasing in difficulty. I encourage you to take your time and not
rush into the book. Alot of the techniques we uncover will be
necessary to survive the ones coming after it. At the end of our
journey I lay out some species of integrals that show, not only how
powerful they are in uncovering our world’s secrets, but just how
much more there is to study about them.

Living in the Pacific Northwest, surrounded by luscious

evergreens, I find myself hiking the trails observing wild and plant
life constantly. I’m always in awe at what’s out there and what can
be discovered. Often times my wife and I will hike very small
portions of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), a 2650 mile-long trail
that traverses through Mexico, California, Oregon, Washington,
and finishing at the Canadian border.

It is a treacherous journey when hiking the PCT. Spending months

on your own (or with little friends) one can only imagine what
hikers encounter and how different of a person they come out
from this experience.

This book, my friend, is hiking your very own PCT. Let’s see what
these integrals have to teach us how we change as a students of the
field.
"lost in the lore of trees
my soul sings earthen
melodies” - Angie Weiland
Croshy
 Table of Contents
the power rule .......................................................................... 6
trig, exponentials and logs ...................................................... 12
u-sub integration ...................................................................... 18
manipulating the root ............................................................... 24
special trig integrals .................................................................. 28
completing the square .............................................................. 33
trig substitution ......................................................................... 38
partial fraction decomposition .................................................. 47
long division then PFD .............................................................. 58
rational root theorem ................................................................ 63
the p.u.n. integral ...................................................................... 68
ultra violet voodoo .................................................................... 72
ultra violet voodoo, but with a ghost .........................................76
ultra violet voodoo, but move that sh!t to the other side ......... 79
ultra violet voodoo, but with tic-tac-toe ................................... 83
power reducing integrals .......................................................... 87
the wallis integrals .................................................................... 93
sine-cosine with different angles .............................................. 95
weierstrass substitution ............................................................ 97
the radicals ................................................................................ 101
area under the curve - the beginning......................................... 105
king’s rule .................................................................................. 112
the s.e. - one method ................................................................. 117
more, please .............................................................................. 121
a PFD trick (sometimes) ........................................................... 132
euler’s formula ...........................................................................142
controversial quad-root trick ................................................... 146
demoivre and 1/(x^5+1) .......................................................... 156
feynman technique .................................................................... 163
taylor (no, not that taylor) expansion ....................................... 168
the dilogarithm function .......................................................... 178
6
THE POWER RULE
I really don’t think that we need to discuss this very much, but let’s
see 4 scenarios encountered on trail that requires some basic
manipulation, which will lead to the power rule!

Notice the progression and how one can change the way the
integral looks so that the power rule works!
 7
YOUR TURN!
I used to struggle with these in high school. Mostly because I
couldn’t add fractions. How silly of me - don't make the same
mistake please! I will leave you here to explore and practice these
integrals and will catch up with you when you’re finished.

Have fun!

The first integral starts off really easy, just using the power rule.
However, the next ones will require you to rewrite radicals into
rational exponents, and denominator exponents into negative
ones. The real fun has begun, in my opinion!
8
Now we begin to encounter integrals that can be expanded. I’m
sure you’re familiar with u-sub but we are going to try and avoid
that in the meantime. We’ll take the scenic route and try
expanding the binomial and then applying the power rule.

Should you need a refresher on expanding binomials, here ya go:

Try using these rules on this next integral and maybe on Prob. 9
 9
So what happens when we begin to deal with integration problems
involving fractions?

Well, first, start with the basics:

Is it being divided by a single term? If the answer is yes then,

shoot, we’re off the hook! Divide each term on the numerator by
the denominator we were just examining. Allow me to show you:

Notice how I not only separated these into 3 different integrals,

but I also changed the radical into a rational exponent and then
combined my powers. Then we were left with a power rule
situation! Try it for yourself:
10
I pray for your forgiveness. I know that I did not leave you with
enough space to even start the previous problem. I do hope you
have your favorite math journal or notebook next to you and are
beginning to create your own canvas of math scribbles to show
off...
Let’s get a little crazy with the next few problems. I have not only
given you some radicals, but with a binomial expansion mixed in.
Be sure to watch your fractions.

and now we have expansions on distributions - can we be having

any more fun?
 11

Hope you felt your algebra skills tested. Unsure if you got the right
answer? Check the answer key - or don’t - this is truly all about
learning. This is a perfect opportunity to say that the answer key in
the back will look not unison. Answers will vary in format, and
that’s because other math nerds have solved them!

Behind the scenes, 4 math nerds have connected with me on

discord and have solved these problems to give the answer key you
will discover in the back of this book. I am incredibly proud of
them and appreciative them, not only for their time, but for their
resilience to complete each integral.
12
Trig, exponential and logarithmic
integrals
The following integrals are simply all about memorizing. Yes we
will have to manipulate some of the integrals presented, but let‘s
not forget the BASICS. Guard these integral rules with you life!
 13
I am not going to lie to you. I still forget some of these basic
integrals that I reference them from time-to-time. So say it with
me: page 12, page 12, page 12.

Of course we begin with easy ones, but don’t forget that there are
certain trig identities that become very helpful for these types of
integrals.
14
The following problem cannot be solved using u-sub, as much as
our initial instincts tell us. You should revisit some trusted
identities, which (in the words of Fermat) these margins are too
small to contain them. So, look them up!

You know, these problems are so fun to write. I’m always thinking,
“what would the reader expect next?” and I’m willing to bet you
were not expecting another expansion-type problem. DM me on
Insta if I was right!

and how about some distribution of trig functions?

 15
I don’t quite remember where I read the following quote. It must
have been on a reddit forum where OP struggled with calculus,
specifically integration. Someone responded with, “you can solve
any derivative out there, but can solve very little integrals.”

Why is this so true? I’m not saying this because the integrals in
this book are impossible, but sometimes integrals take you on an
unexpected journey. This is what makes them so fascinating.

For example, we’re currently covering trig and exponential

integrals, thinking it’ll be straight forward. However, you get
something like this:

and we are back to exploring what method to use. It’s all about
being clever, realizing that this is a quadratic in disguise that can
be factored, and hopefully have a solution.

Give it a go and we’ll go back to some familiar integrals.

16

Above we have another doozy. Given the skills that we have

covered so far, this problem is close to unsolvable. But what
happens when you play with it? (not too much, though!)

Try messing around with factoring and see what happens.

When you’re finished with that, the nexts one will require some
playing of their own. The fun never stops!

Wait, what’s this?? Some helpful formulas to help guide us

through these integrals. Where were they when we needed them
previously?

This is life.
 17

Hope you’re enjoying yourself. Almost 40 integrals in and I feel

like we’ve learned so much.

Let’s prep for the next adventure.

18
u-sub integration
Now that we covered the basic integrals we may encounter (along
with some algebraic fun) let’s review what many will agree is the
most fundamental technique of integration. It’s easy to master and
can save you from a whole lot of trouble while out on trail.

u-sub comes in many forms and finding what to make your u-

value is part of the fun! Here’s an example
 19
the point of u-sub integration is to decipher a function that was
differentiated by chain rule. It turns our otherwise “difficult”
looking integral into a basic one we recognize from previous
examples.

Now, quickly identifying the u-value takes time, especially for a

first-timer, but you’ll eventually get the hang of it and even do alot
of the work in your head.

Trust me when I saw that u-sub will show up in almost all of the
problems moving forward. Sorry - we can’t avoid it!

Let’s get to practicing, ya nerd.

Often times students ask about the constant hanging out in the
integral (look at problem 41) and if we can simply pull it outside
the integral. The answer is 100% yes you can!
20
Okay, we’re gonna get some good practice with the last three
problems.

things are going to start heating up...just a bit.

you know the next problem is a juicer when the font is smaller

use those handy-dandy trig identities! (page 16 btw)

 21

well, I didn’t think I’d show this one, but now is a good time to
discuss the integral above.

Yes, it is a u-sub, where the u = denominator (sorry I gave it

away). However, the top will not fully simplify...or will it? Try it
out and you should see that we can factor out a constant to make
it 2(2x+6) and now we got things rolling.

Alright, let’s continue

the next one requires some properties of exponents!

and didn’t we see something similar to Prob 52 in Prob 31???

22

The problem above reminds of similar integrals students of mine

encounter in class. At this point their instincts tell them to
distribute the square root. If you try that - BAM! - you’ll hit a wall.

So, try u-sub!

and for this one! 1 or 2 substitutions might be needed. It all

depends on how to you want to approach it. One thing I will say
is:
 23

Oh, look at this! plenty of space for you to write out your work.
Only if want to, of course.
24
manipulating the root
Sometimes we encounter an opportunity to not only make the
value inside the root our u, but we invite the entire root to become
our substitution. This is helps us “get rid of” the root and pay it a
visit once our integral is re-written. Here’s what I mean:
 25
Some readers will apply this differently.

They would:
make the value inside the root become the u
find du and dx
manipulate the u-value to accommodate the strangling x’s
solve

Here is a walkthrough using the same integral

26
Time to do some exploring of your own!

I heard you like roots, so I gave you a root multiplied to a root

within another root!

The next one is kinda fun! It starts the same way, but you’ll find
yourself manipulating the u-value just a little bit differently this
time.
 27

please ignore that comma - I don’t know how it got there. Well, I
do - it was a typo.

If you didn’t already know I am the self-proclaimed “King of

Typos”. I try my best to re-read my problems numerous times,
but there is always some typo that other math nerds point out to
me.

I am human and mistakes are meant to be embraced. I have no

shame in showing my cracks as they can be sealed.

That being said, should you find any typos in my work (in this
book or other published work) please point them out to me and
I will be sure to make the necessary adjustments and be forever
grateful to your services.
28
special trig integrals
I have done countless posts on Instagram, filmed tons of videos
for TikTok/YouTube, and have performed lots of Integration
Practice LIVES and you can almost guarantee the most technical
of integrals always include forms that I am about to show you.

The proofs for integrals A, B, and C will be shown later in the book
since they need another skillset I’ve yet to cover. But, I will show
you D, E, and F right now.
 29

the proof to this one is soooo simple it’s almost a crime for it to be
straight forward.

The proofs for E and F are very similar in technique so I will go

ahead and show you E in its entirety and leave you with a teaser
for F. Also, I will not be like Fermat and say the margin is too
small to contain it...instead I will include the proof on the next
page.

l alert
trol
Hope that helps. Again, as for A, B, and C we will prove those
later. In the meantime, keep these shortcut integrals in mind for
the next few problems we have.

Wait, I wound’t even suggest to keep them in mind - MEMORIZE

THEM!! You’ll thank me later.
 31

Let’s start by using a u-sub here (hint: x+2) and making a = 5 then
see if you recognize the integral mentioned in the beginning of this
chapter.

Try the same method for the next problem.

And for this next one, we will continue using our trig identities.

and just like learning to ride a bike, the training wheels are
removed and off you go!
32

This next one is where your radical skills are put to the test. Let’s
see what you’ll make your a-value equal to!
 33
completing the square review
Boo!!!! Seriously, why do I even have this section? If you have
followed me for some time you’ll know that I just hate completing
the square, for no reason other than the way it’s taught.

As a private math tutor I have met with hundreds of students from

schools all across the country and let me tell you this: completing
the square is either taught differently, or not taught at all
(what???) Another reason why American academics is suffering.

But nonetheless let’s do a brief review of the topic. We will start

with a non-factorable quadratic with the leading coefficient a = 1

The point is to take your b-value (the one multiplying x) and

dividing it by 2, then squaring it. As we introduce this to our
equation we need to make sure to subtract it at the end. This
makes sure that we preserve our equation. From there we factor
into a perfect square with some constants chilling at the end.
34
I also gave you an example to see it play out irl.

When the a-value is NOT equal to 1 the situation gets a little

tricky:

In this scenario we first need to factor out a from the first two
terms. This gives us a factored form with a “new” b-value. The
same process is applied: divide it by 2 and square it. But watch
those fractions.

We now introduce our new value inside the parantheses, but check
out what happens on the outside. Instead of subtracting by the
value we found, we’ll need to first multiply it by a. Since the term
is inside the parentheses we need recognize the a-value and
subtract by the actual value we just introduced. I left an example
for you to look at.

Try simplifying it and see if you get the same expression as the
original.
 35
completing the square gives TWO
special integrals
I’d leave some exercises for you to complete the square, but trust
me when I say we’ll get plenty of practice in this section.

Check out the integrals below. The denominators have non-

factorable quadratics, but if we complete the square on both of
them you’ll discover that some familiar integrals pop up. They are
the ones I talked about in Page 28 - yay!

So, if an integral has a non-factorable quadratic in its

denominator, completing the square saves the day!
36
Ready to take a crack at some of these? Let’s goooo
 37
I threw a little curveballs there, but I certainly hoped you enjoyed
working them out.

One of the reasons why I love integrals so much is how these little
beauties put your algebra skills to the test. One small mistake, or
something gets over-looked, and you’re toast!

The more you practice these methods, the better you’re skillset
will get. These skills can be transferred to your career in STEM, or
future math classes. One day, you’ll remember these gentle giants
and thank them for their service.
38
Trig Substitution: The Battle of
Triangles

These were taught to me in high school (shoutout Mr. Bolen!!!) as

a series of formulas we had to remember. It wasn’t until I sat down
and drew my right triangles that I found the beauty injected in
these type of integrals. They come in many forms, but here are
some of the most recognizable:

The clue that trig-sub must be used here is the inability to do

u-substitution. It won’t work here!

So, instead of giving up, crumbling our paper, throwing it on the

ground, lighting it on fire, and find a corner to cry in, we are given
a pretty convenient guide to follow.
 39

This is great to have handy and memorize. Some students prefer

this, like most of my classmates in high school. But since I’m a
libra and in touch with feelings I like for these integrals to have a
bit more meaning. So we’ll paint them a beautiful canvas!

The next three pages will include the right triangle set up for
every specific integral and what they simplify to. A few things to
note:

1) The integral we reviewed together on Page 28 will be proven in

part C
2) The integrals are not fully solved. It will be your job to rewrite
them in terms of u (or x if that’s the variable you’re using)

Enjoy the proofs!

40

Look this one up!

41
42

Finish up this integral, rewrite in terms of u and see how this is

integral A from page 28
 43
There you have it. I think it’s finally time to do some problems!

Let’s start with some basics:

Okay, I hope you got some practice under your belt, cause we’re
about to get crazyyyy.
44
Remember ye olde completing the square? Well, it’s back to haunt
us! Check out what happens when we not only have to complete
the square within the square root, but also use trig sub.

What did you think? More of this later on (trust me, it won’t go
away unfortunately) but let’s solve some tame-looking integrals.
 45

We’ve made it to 100

Watch your negatives on the next one.

46

I’m not gonna lie, these can be a pain in the ass sometimes. They
are long in terms of finding the correct u-sub AND trig sub,
solving the integral, then rewriting in terms of x.

They are so important to recognize, though. They will continue to

show up time and time again, especially in the next type of
integrals I am about to introduce.

Seriously, take a break from integration if you want to, cause the
next few pages are going to be exhausting.
 47
Partial Fraction Decomposition

So far we have had integrals of this form

but they have been able to be solved using completing the square,
then recognizing them as integrals discussed on page 28.
Completing the square was our method of choice since the
quadratic was not factorable.

Well, imagine if they were in fact factorable? Now what?! This is

where Partial Fraction Decomposition (PFD) comes into play. It’s
an exciting trick, but can become very annoying.

Consider the following integral. It’s perfectly factorable on the

bottom, so let’s rewrite it:

Nice. The next step begins the PFD process. We’ll focus on just the
value and ignore the integral for now. Since the denominator is a
product of two factors then we can rip this expression apart into a
sum of two fractions, where the denominators are the separate
factors we originally found.
48
Here it is in play:

and now we’ll sorta work backwards and try to combine the terms
on the right side. We need common denominators so we’ll
introduce (x+5) to the first fraction and (x+3) to the second.

Combining the two fractions gives an expression that is equal to

the left hand side, since both denominators are equal then it leaves
us no choice but to make both numerators equal to each other.

Now our job is to find the values of A and B.

We’ll use something called “cover up” method. The trick is to cover
up one of the parentheses by setting x equal to a value that’ll turn
the parentheses into zero. Check this out
 49

Doing this helps us find the values of A & B, then go back to our
integral

Since we now know the correct values of A and B our integral

becomes easy to solve using a natural log discussed earlier in this
book.

Let’s play a little bit.

50

don’t forget your GCF on this one!

 51
We’re keeping it tame right now. So far, every single expression
factored has been relatively easy (if you didn’t think so it’s a sign
you need to revisit factoring quadratics. The more practice the
better the skills) but what happens when you end up having a non-
factorable quadratic after we factor out initially?

Check this integral out. We broke the denominator down by

grouping, then we’re left with a quadratic as one of our factors.

The same rule will apply. We rewrite the rational expressions as a

sum of two fractions, but look at how write the one with the
quadratic.

It’s important to write the number as a linear expression, since our

denominator was quadratic (degree 2).
52
We continue by adding the two fractions by getting common
denominators and make it equal to the left hand side.

In this particular instance, unfortunately, the “cover up” method

cannot be used. Instead, we need to distribute and combine like
terms and make each term equal to the term values that we have
on the left.

We then solve using system of equations.

 53
Once we find the values for A, B, and C, we then start integrating
using methods discussed in the past.

I know - whatttt?! Yeah, that’s integration for you. Sometimes an

innocent integral can turn more complex by switching a few
things, but this is why I have outlined the book this way - we’re
taking it one step at a time.

Alright, time for you to attempt some of these!

54

this next one is a classic! Try using sum/difference of cubes and go

from there!
 55
Will you hate me if I tell you there’s another scenario to look out
for when it comes to PFD?

Awww, that’s so sweet of you! Trust me, I too am a little tired but
it would be a disservice if this method was not presented.

Below we have a situation where our denominator was a perfect

square. Well, we still need to write it as a sum of two fractions, and
we do so by making sure to account for every power!

in this case since it was only a power of 2 we stopped

there. but if it was a power of 3 we would continue and
add another fraction accounting for that power.

Lastly, notice how our factor was a linear term so we only need to
write an A or B as our numerator.

Now we go ahead and combine these fractions by getting common

denominators. Oh, what do you know, the fraction with the B
terms doesn’t need anything, only the A term!
56

We end up following the same method here and find our solution
to the integral. Yay, PFD!

Ready for some problems of your own?

 57

I think it’s time for a break. Thoughts?

58
Long Division THEN PFD
Okay, we just completed a hefty section of integration. Whether
you find PFD difficult or not we can definitely agree that they are
some long ass problems!

Admittedly, they are one of my favorite types of integrals. We get

taken into a whole different algebraic world that truly test our
skills, always expecting us to make the wrong move.

I want to emphasize that PFD will not go away. We will definitely

be seeing it for sections to come. So, be prepared - just saying!

Let’s explore what happens when we encounter integrals involving

rational functions where the degree of numerator is greater
than or equal to the degree of denominator

This is where Long Division comes into play.

 59
Look at those integrals very carefully. Every single one of them has
the degree of numerator greater than or equal to the degree of
denominator.

And while some of them look like PDF can be used, attemping that
first will lead to a dead end. (I double dare you to try it!)

So instead you must first simplify these rational functions using

long or synthetic division. I encourage you to revisit long and
synthetic division if you don’t remember it - especially synthetic -
because it will also be covered in the next section.

I’ll leave you with one final note: after dividing this the rational
function turns into something much simplier and recognizable.
Let’s see if you’ve got the skill set.
60
Hope you enjoyed the “easy” ones, but let’s continue this madness.

whoops! make this a 3

 61

Don’t fall for the trick I am about to give you on the next one!
62
Wow. What just happened? I can’t believe that we just covered,
what I think, is the most exhausting section of integration.

**there’s a noise in the distance**

Wha-what is that? It’s coming closer. I’m scared - you feel that?

**the floor violently shakes**

Oh no! What’s going on?? Let me call out to this entity.

Hello? Anybody there?

“You think you are finished? We’re just getting started!!!”

This isn’t good.

“I come before you to block anything that comes through this

path. You shall not pass unless you can defeat me! It is I, the
Rational Root Theorem! GRRRRRRR!”

Damn...
 63

Rational Root Theorem

I honestly contemplated leaving this section out of this book. It’s
long, ugly, and almost no one likes it.

But it’s just a beast of a method once in a while we have to face.

First let’s start with what this theorem states.

Rational Root Theorem

A rational root of polynomial function

is of the form:

Okay, easier said than done, but how and when do we use it?

It all starts when we have an innocent looking integral:

64
Shoot. Well, we can’t use long division since it does not satisfy the
conditions.

PFD can’t be done since it can’t factored...yet! This is when

Rational Root Theorem is used.

Let’s take a look at that theorem. The factors of a polynomial is a

ratio of the factors of the constant value and the leading
coefficient. Since I am hinting that PFD could be used we will
focus on factoring out the denominator !
 65
Yes, they both happen to be 5, but make sure to put the factors of
the constant on top, and factors for leading coefficient on the
bottom.

I went ahead and wrote all the positive and negative factors on a
list and now I found every single combination of ratios while
getting rid of repeating factors.

Okay, time for some synthetic division. Now that we have our
possible roots we need to sorta guess which one is could be.

This is the sucky part - we have to hope for the best and eliminate
the ones that don’t work along the way.

checking if
1works...nope, it
doesn’t!

but -1 does work -

whoo hoo!
66
Now that we found one of them, we could continue using synthetic
division to find the rest, but the quotient is a quadratic so we can
just factor out the rest!

Once we have the factored form our original integral can be

written and off we go with PFD. Told ya it’s here to stay!

Let’s see if you can finish off this problem.

Let’s continue the fun, my friend.

 67

I’d like to apologize for putting you through this pain. The
Rational Root Theorem monster made me do it, I swear!

We have a few more in this section and then we’re done. The
madness will end soon.

Okay, I think that’s enough of that. You will encounter more of

these integrals in the wild. Until then, I think it’s time to move on
and get a little punny.
68
The P.U.N Integral
Prepare for U-sub in Numerator is something I came up with to
help me memorize the next type of integral. If you’re familiar with
other methods, that’s great! If you’re not, today is your lucky day!

Let’s talk about the PUN Integral.

In this particular situation the integral (A) cannot be solved using

PFD and (B) completing the square won’t simplify the answer (or
will it?) and most importantly (C) the top is almost the
derivative of the bottom.

Look at it. If we make

You will see that the top is almost the same value for du. All we
need to do is have a +6....so that’s what we will do to the top.
 69
we add and subtract a 6 so that we have the desired du value and
the remaining stuff at the end. This helped us rewrite the integral
into two separate problems

where the first was solved using u-sub and the second a
completing the square + arctan combo.

Sometimes a PUN integral requires you to change the first term,

too.

in this case we begin by multiplying the top by 2 and bringing a

1/2 on the outside. We do that because our du value will have a 2x.
70
once that’s complete a +6 and -6 is introduced to the top. We save
the 2x + 6 and leave the rest at the end. This leaves us with two
integrals where one is solved using u-sub and the second by
completing the square + arctan. I love me a good pun integral!

Let’s see your skill set with these next problems.

For the next one, when life gives you fractions, you say “Damnnit
to hell!”, and keep solving.
 71

whoo, that was fun! Time to put on our wizard/witches hat, pull
out our crystal balls and practice some voodoo magic.
72
Ultra Violet Voodoo
You can tell a lot about a person by what they call the next
method.

“Integration By Parts”: This person plays by the book, follows all

the rules in society, and can be trusted to be a good friend.

“it’s just u-sub”: Stay far away from this person. I will not let them
near my children.

“ILATE”: probably a big nerd. Nice person to have around, but will
probably correct your work and grammar.

“Ultra Violet Voodoo”: The definition of the perfect human. This

individual is down to earth and down for whatever. Make a math
mistake? They won’t judge you. Ask them to hang out? They
probably will cancel all their plans to be with you. If you hear
someone mention this phrase rest assured they are good people.
That’s all I gotta say about that!

Obviously I’m being a little facetious, but I like the ring to “Ultra
Violet Voodoo”.

Ultra Violet Voodoo

 73
So when do we use this trick? Typically, if all the previous methods
covered in this book fail, but really it’s when you can identify a
problem where

1) One function has an easy derivative

2) The other function is easily integratabtle .

Easier said than done, but allow me to give you an example.

Here we identify the x as our u-value. Why? Because taking the

derivative yields an easier function (in this case it is dx) and our dv
is easy enough we can integrate. If you did this the other way
around you’ll find it to be more difficult (don’t believe it? try it!)
74
It’s quite “simple” and I will give you some problems to practice in
a second.

Before I do that let’s answer a question students often ask:

“How do I know which one to choose as my u?”

The answer is ILATE:

I - Inverse Trig Functions

L - Logarithmic Functions
A - Algebraic
T - Trig Functions
E - Exponential Functions

This is the guideline you should follow. Whatever is present in a

particular integral is our u value, in this particular order.

Okay, let’s give it a try:

 75

heads up - the next problem will probably require two steps of

integration by parts (ultra violet voodoo)

Let’s finish it up with a labyrinth of a definite integral!

76
Ultra Violet Voodoo, But With a Ghost

I hope you’re enjoying these so far. Integration by parts can be

extremely useful when tackling integrals that otherwise look
almost impossible to solve.

I want to talk about about when happens when we encounter IBP

with a ghost function.

Consider the integral above. There is only ONE function, so how

the heck are we supposed to use IBP??

Here, make u = the only function given

and dv = dx (or the ghost in this case)

From there, see if you can finish off the integral.

Heads up: just because we identify the proper u and dv doesn’t

mean the integral is easier to solve!
 77

I gotta say - integrals like 180 and 181 are sorta fun to solve. If you
have not tackled these already, we find the ghost and eventually
find yourself doing a partial fraction decomposition, an arctan
special integral, or perhaps some long division - who knows what
will happen!
78

We’re still vibing with ultra violet voodoo, right? If not, feel free to
take a break because we’ve got TWO more unique cases of it.
 79
Ultra Violet Voodoo, But Move That
SH!T to the Other Side

Let’s hope we’re pretty comfortable with this now, cause this next
little trick feels like cheating.

Pretty innocent looking. Using ILATE we will cosine our u-value

and e^x dx = dv

Okay, this is not that different. So we have another rendition of

ultra violet voodoo doo, no big deal.
80

This looks a bit weird since it seems as though we are back to the
original integral - which it is! Look what I do next:

I end up setting our current work equal to the original integral and
add that sh!t to the other side. I divide by 2 and we have our
solution.

Nice.

K, your turn!
 81

Now it’s time to tackle the final integral outlined in Page 28

82
 83
Ultra Violet Voodoo, But with Tic Tac
Toe
If you’ve seen the movie Stand and Deliver you’ll recognize Mr.
Escalante’s “Tic-Tac-Toe” method. Most teachers, and books, will
call this the tabular method, which is an extension of integration
by parts.

But “Tabular Method” is so boring!!!! Tic Tac Toe sounds fun,

exciting, provocative, and it gets the people going.

Let’s say you’re given the integral above. Yes, you absolutely can
give this the ultra violet voodoo treatment, but will soon find that
you will need to do it again. I challenge you to try it for yourself!

Now, when do we use Tic Tac Toe?

Notice that

1) Integration by Parts is needed

2) One of our functions can be differentiated multiple times and
eventually get to zero (more on that later)
3) The other function can easily be integrated.

This is the perfect recipe for Tic Tac Toe. Check it out
84

it’s important to note that you stop when the derivative becomes
zero. Now add a + and - down the list...
 85
Our final step is to multiply and combine each teach in this right-
diagonal fashion. There forms the tic-tac-toe!

There is going to be instances where arriving to zero on the

derivative end takes a while. That is okay...continue this process
with as many right-diagonal action necessary.
86
 87
Power Reducing Integrals

Whoo - that last section was a bit exhausting! Honestly, even

writing it took a while. but I’m ready to move on. Are you?!

Let’s discuss some integrals of the form:

here both m and n are positive integers. The trick with these is
breaking them down into combinations of trig integrals we
recognize, apply u-sub, and end with the power rule.

Here’s are the guidelines:

1) If the power of the sine is odd and positive, save one sine for
your du value, then convert everything into cosines:
88
2) If the power of the cosine is odd and positive, save one of the
cosines for you du value, then convert everything into cosines:

3) In the event that both sine and cosine are even and positive,
then convert using the half angle formulas in Page 28 and follow
guidelines 1 and 2.

Check this out:

since sine is odd we

follow guideline 1

one we establish u-sub

the rest is easy!
 89

the integral above has BOTH sine and cosine as an odd

power...guideline 1 or 2, the choice if yours!

don’t fear 205...simply convert that cotangent and take it from

there.
90
Now let’s review the integrals that look like

Here are the guidelines:

1) If the power of secant is even and positive, save a sec^2 for our
du value and convert the remaining into tangents.

2) If the power of the tangent is off and positive, save a

secant/tangent combo for our du value, convert the tangents into
secants.
 91
3) If there are no secants and the power of the tagent is even and
positive, convert a tan^2 into the sec^2 - 1 and expand if
necessary

4) If the integral has nothing but secants, use integration by parts

(look at problem 192)

5) If none of these work, try converting into sines and cosines!!!

Honestly, let’s hope we never have to use guideline 5.

Let’s see you take a wack at some of these problems.

92

Here to apologize for the last two problems before you get mad at
me.
 93
The Wallis Integrals

Believe it or not, Newton and Leibniz did not in fact invent

calculus. They take credit for it (who takes the most is up for
debate), but along with other great mathematicians before them
one particular dude is worth mentioning.

.....
hey, buddy ol pal!

ya’ll don’t
talk much, huh?

This is John Wallis. He takes credit for the infinity symbol (weird
flex, but okay) truth is John did alot of his work on calculus before
the Newton and Leibniz.

But we’re not here to argue who takes credit for introducing
calculus to the world (it was Newton), but talk about the incredible
Wallis Integral Formulas
94
The Wallis Integral Formulas:

1) If n is odd and greater than or equal to 3

2) If n is even and greater than or equal to 2

What’s fascinating (or perhaps not?) about this is the integrals

hold true is the cosine is now replaced with sine

Now it’s easy to just plug these into the formula, but how about we
verify some integrals!

Verify:
 95
Sine-Cosine with Different Angles

We’ve come this far without admitting that power reducing

integrals are my ultimate kryptonite. They truly scare me and
always hate talking about them during LIVES or private tutoring
sessions. Eventually, this fear will go away, but what scares me
even more are these sons of bitches:

Grrrr....I’ve seen them on MIT Integration Bee’s and when certain

teachers assign them to my students. For some reason, they make
me quiver.

Nonetheless, here are the formula we should follow:

96
Save me from these horrendous integrals!
 97
Weierstrass Substitution

I know - what a weird name!! But Karl Weierstrass deserves a

shoutout for his method we call W-sub

It all begins with integrals involving trig

functions. When no u-sub, identity, or
power reducing methods help, then w-sub
takes over and hopefully gives us an
integral recognized using methods
discussed in this book.

here’s the formula:

this is just a fancy way of saying that when we have an integral

involving sine and cosine, we can convert every sine and cosine
value into the respective values in terms of t and change our dx
into the new value on the outside.

This is extremely powerful, and while it can create a head ache of a

problem, it’s actually solvable.
98
Let’s do an example:

It’s easier said than done, but notice that I converted my sine and
dx value in terms of t, which turned into a nicer integral and re-
wrote in terms of x.

Let’s see you do some problems of your own. Should you have
questions don’t hesitate to reach out via Instagram, TikTok,
Discord, or email!
 99

okay, we can start with a u-sub, then w-sub, or maybe use an

identify for that cosine?? Up. To. You!
100
 101
The Radicals

I always find the following species of integrals fascinating. The

roots can stump many calculus students but knowing the way to
break them down and feed them specific u-subs saves us from a lot
of heart ache.

These are the forms I am referring to:

We have reviewed integrals of the form (1) in Page 24, but now we
are able to extend it cause we have plenty of practice under our
belt. The idea is having some random linear or quadratic function
inside the root and a linear or quadratic on the the outside.
102
Alright, so let’s talk about the methods we’ll need to use:

For both of these use the following substitution

this one may look funky, but trust me it works!

I want to take this time and shoutout my indian mathematicians

since they make great use of this substitution, but instead of u they
loooove using t
 103

And here’s the last substitution to use in these scenarios.

I’d be lying to you if I said these were easy. In my opinion, they are
not! Once again, the algebra shows up to call you on your bullshit.

But that does not mean you should be scared and avoid these
beasts. Absolutely not!! I encourage you to tackle them, make
mistakes, and learn from them. That is the only way to grow as a
calculus student and mathematician.

Good luck, friend!

104

Sorry, had to throw a wild card in here!

 105
Area Under the Curve - The Beginning

The purpose of integrals is to accurately find the area underneath

the curve. All the methods to solve them is an added bonus, but at
the end we always apply the First Fundamental Theorem of
Calculus:

where F is the anti derivative of f(x) then calculate F(b)-F(a). If

you’ve come this far into the book I am sure that you already knew
that, but it doesn’t hurt to review a bit.

Here are some practice problems to get the wheels turning.

106
 107
We’re gonna get to some fun definite integration problems in a bit,
but first let’s lay out some fundamental concepts worth
remembering:

1) If f(x) is an odd function, then

as you can see we have a positive area to the left of the y-axis and a
negative on the right. They cancel each other out!

2) If f(x) is an even function, then

the idea here is splitting the function

in half and only focusing on the
interval [0,a] and just doubling it.

Sometimes it’s easier to deal with 0

than -a
108
I’d like to continue unraveling this with more practice problems,
but trust me when I say it is worth the wait!

For now, let’s explore this definite integral:

Very innocent looking and heavily used as the distance of a

particle from time a to time b

So, just how does the absolute value affect the integration here?

Let’s say we are trying to find

visually you can tell we have a negative

area and a positive, adding those up will
probably give us a negative value since the
negative area looks largest.
 109
So what happens when we try finding

compare this to the previous image and

you’ll find the negative area is now
positive!

Calculating this is all about finding

the x-intercepts of the function, since
that is where is changes from
negative to positive.

I will show the work on the next page!

110
The trick is to find the x-intercepts and know which portion of the
area if negative to make the necessary adjustments!
 111
Let’s see you try a few of these problems!
112
King’s Rule

Maybe I am bad at research, but I could not figure out why the
following integration technique is called King’s Rule, or King’s
Property. My guess is the one who discovered it (if that is how the
story played out) needed the praise.

It’s super simple, really, and here it is:

Before we continue, here is the proof for those nerds.

 113
This particular property seems very innocent but it can be
extremely useful when solving definite integrals involving trig and
exponential functions. It makes for some juicy math scribbling!

Let’s say we have something that looks like this:

there is a possibility we can use integration by parts. I encourage

you to try it! But using King’s Rule makes this so much easier.

We’ll start with labeling the integral as “I” this is important to

make some of our steps easier.

Then apply King’s Rule by making another integral “J”

114

So far so good, I’d say!

Now look what happens when we add both integrals together -

which remember are equal to equal other!

Since I and J are equal, then I + J = 2I

or

now all we have to do it solve the right side, which we can do using
power reducing formulas, giving us:
 115
In conclusion, when you identity King’s Property introduce an “I”
for the original integral and make a new “J” integral and combine!

Go ahead and solve the following integrals using the property.

Good luck!
116
 117
The S.E-One Method

We’re now at the point where some integrals are not as easy to
solve as the ones that came before this. For this reason, certain
“tricks” are needed. This next one is a special kind of trick that
helps solve definite integrals on the interval [-a, a]

I call it the S.E - One Method

If you encounter an integral where

S - it’s being evaluated on the same parameters -a and a

E - there is an even function on the numerator
One - the function k(x) on the bottom satisfies k(x)k(-x) = 1

then the integral on the right is true and becomes easier to solve.

You will soon find the k(x) is best suited to be an exponential

function.

Here is the proof and it involved King’s Rule!

Oh what would we do without that King.

118
 119

All it takes is for you to verify the even function and the special
property for k(x) then we are allowed to use this. The proof itself is
pretty cool, but implementing it is a bit of a buzzkill as it takes
away from the charm of breaking some integrals down.

But that’s just me - I want to know what your opinion on this is.

Try some integrals yourself and we’ll see what you think.
120

Thoughts? Are these as difficult as the other integrals we have

solved, or much easier?

This is where our basic technique exploration ends, unfortunately.

There are still numerous methods we can talk about, but since this
book is intended for first time, seasoned, and recreational calculus
students I don’t wish to add too much. The ones mentioned
already are more than enough for your calculus hearts.

Those looking to get their hands a little dirtier: be on the lookout

for more methods and tricks along the way (check table of
contents).
 121
More, Please!

Moving forward I will begin to feed you multiple integrals that are
worth solving. Not only will they continue to help strengthen your
math skills, but - let’s be honest - who doesn’t enjoy solving
integrals!

There will be some integrals where I provide a step-by-step

solution (in my own scribbles) and briefly introduce methods to
approach them.

I’ve gotta say, having you come along for the journey has been
extremely fun. Since my teenage years I dreamt of learning
calculus and trying to figure out just what those weird looking S’s
were. Mathematics has been my passion for years and always
dreamt of a day where I can motivate others to love it as much as I
do.

I hope that this book (and many others) has done just that.

Mathematics is a universal language that does not change, no

matter what corner of the world we stand on. There is no politics
here, there is no divide (except maybe on friendly math quarrels),
and we should continue to be all accepting.

We should encourage each other to learn, interpret, and teach

math in our own unique way. Because there will always be
someone out there that needs your explanation for them to move
forward.

Thanks for being here, math friend, and Happy Trails

122

I want to give you the opportunity to solve this integral yourself,

but check page 124 for my scribbles!
123
 124
Problem 273: Factoring & u-sub

in this particular case I recognized the factoring inside the root

and went with a simple u-sub
 125

okay, I really want to show you this one! Check the next page, but
try solving it first!
126
Problem 286: The fourth polynomial!
 127

oooooh I’m definitely showing you my scribbles for this one!

128
Problem 296: Changing to a tangent
129
130

you most certainly can use PFD on this...but check out the neat
method introduced on page 132.
131
132
A PFD Trick (sometimes)

Problem 310 has a perfect recipe for a cool trick that I

encountered a while back. I don’t know what it’s called, but if
someone out there knows it or would like to come up with
something catchy to name it let the world know!

Here is the general form:

This integral is fully prepped for PFD, but when you have this
product of linear factors then we can make

so that our integral becomes:

give that a try. Or if you don’t want to, then PFD is the way to go!
133
134
135
136

sometimes, integration takes some cleverness. This is one of those.

Try solving it first but I will show a solution on Page 138.
137
138
Problem 343: root tangent
139
140
 141

This is that ultra-violet voodoo integral, but a perfect opportunity

to discuss solving it via Euler’s formula. more on page 142.
142
Problem 364: Euler’s Formula

The following method is brought up from students looking to flex

on their knowledge of euler’s formula. And they deserve to - this
formula is incredibly neat, powerful, and used immensely in
higher level mathematics.
bow down,
First, shoutout to Euler. bitches!
The more I learn about his
work the more I’m convinced he
just might be the greatest mathematician
of all time. The real GOAT.

This is his formula:

It’s derived using a MacLaurin Series for e and rearranged a series

of cosines, sines, and imaginary numbers.

Now we’re able to call for the Real Value of this formula to give us
cosine:

and if we wanted sine (not the imaginary part of sine!) We’ll first
have to do:
 143
this will help us solve:

here we call for sine

and use properties of

exponents

we integrate e

and find the value of this

complex expression

multiply and
simplify!
144

try and see if you can use Euler’s formula on the previous two!
 145

I will have to address the controversy on this problem! Check Page

146.

Hint: divide everything by cos^2

146
Problem 380: the quad-root trick

I found this in an another book of integrals and thought this trick

was just...fun. I made a few videos about it and the comments
either praised me, or dragged me.

One thing a follower mentioned was that he “already knew the

product of four consecutive integers plus 1 was a perfect square.” I
set out to prove that (which was fun!) and realized just how easy
this quad-trick can be! Here it goes:

it starts off by rearranging and multiplying the proper linear

factors. Then we recognize that they both share the alpha value!
 147

Here is the controversy! Since the root is removed, should my

answer include a plus/minus or not?? You tell me.
148
 149

this was brought to my attention by someone on instagram (you

know who you are!) and allow me to give me solution on the next
page!
150
Problem 394: a wild ride

I first attempted this using King’s Rule but nothing to seemed to

work (boo!) So, we take the scenic route.
151
152
153
154

...what just happened?

 155

okay, I’m ready to talk about this! Check out the next page.
156
Problem 405: Demoivre’s Theorem

I have seen some solutions to this particular integral, but

Demoivre’s Theorem calls to me whenever I see

First, let’s give it up for Abraham de Moivre.

Thanks to his contributions we are able
to use a formula that helps us find the
complete complex solutions to an equation
of higher degree.

Merci beaucoup!!

His formula tells us if we have a

complex number in trigonometric form

then we can find the powers of these complex numbers connecting

them to the angle formed on the complex plane:

or better yet, take their roots

 157
So how does this all help us solve for ??

First, let’s break the denominator down. Let me remind you that

thank you - thank you Mr. Euler! Now we can find all the factors of
the denominator by finding the value of -1 using Euler’s formula
and finding the fifth roots by Mr. DeMoivre’s!

Now let’s find all the propers values for k.

158

Given these values we can now re-write our integral using these
factors and get to using PFD.
 159
Now we find the values for A, B, C, D, and E

and we finish it off!

160
 161

I am very excited to show and talk about the following technique.

Trust me, you won’t want to miss Page 162.
162
Remember the scene from Forrest Gump where Forrest is running
on a highway overlooking Monument Valley? He’s been running
for thousands of miles, gathering other runners to accompany him
on the adventure, and he finally comes to a halt.

He turns to face the group of runners, ponders for a second or two

and says

“I’m kinda tired...I’d like to go home now.”

That is the sentiment. Not only has it been a journey writing and
scribbling, but I can only imagine how you as the reader feels. I
think it’s time we start wrapping up.

So, the next couple pages will be filled with 3 specific topics: the
Feynman technique, Taylor/MacLaurin Series, and close it off
with introducing the dilogarithm function.

If you’re looking to explore more, come along with me! If you’re

just taking calculus and feel fulfilled with these integrals, trust me
when I say this is a good stopping point.
 163
Problem 417: The Feynman Technique

I remember reading Surely you’re joking, Mr Feynman? when I

was in high school and was just fascinated with Feynman’s way of
thinking, his quirkiness, and his all around knowledge of the
world. I cannot say better things about this man.

It wasn’t until recent years that I began understanding his

technique to solving integrals, which he talked about in his book!

The idea is to set the integral as a function

of another parameter and “differentiate
under the integral sign.” This
comes down to taking the partial
derivative with respect to the new
parameter we introduced.

This will give us an “easier” integral

to work with and then bring it back
by integrating with respect to the new
parameter, thus giving us the solution
to our integral.

Let’s talk about this technique using:

164
We’ll start by generalizing the integral for some new parameter:

Since we can make alpha whatever we want, at the end we are

concerned with the f(2)

One thing I want to point out right now. If we make alpha 0 we

get:

we will revisit this later!

Back to our integral. This is the feynman technique: take the

derivative under the integral sign, or in other words, take the
partial derivative with respect to alpha.

For those that are not familiar with the partial derivative (which is
why I didn’t talk about this till the end) you essentially treat all the
other variables like a constant and only focus on the variable we
are differentiating with respect to.
 165

look how much easier this becomes. Jeez, this seriously feels like
magic. We’ll now focus on the right hand side we can integrate
with respect to x. In this case alpha is some random integer.

Well will you look at this! Using first fundamental theorem of

calculus gives us a pretty single answer. But this is f’, let’s find the
original function.
166

...but what is the value of C? Remember

that must mean that

Which leave us with:

Mind blown! This technique is so fucken cool, but takes time to

perfect. First, one must be able to identity when to use it, where to
put the alpha parameter, and then taking care of the strangling
constant that comes with it.
 167
Give it a try with the following:

using

using

using

using
168
Taylor (no, not that Taylor)
Expansion

I will not dare badmouth t-swift, include any pics, or defame her
in any way...not only will she suck every penny out of me, but her
swifties will ultimately drag me to the ground harder than any
integral encountered.

But if somehow, in an another dimension, T-Swift was a famous

mathematician that just won an award, I’d storm the stage as she
stood there, grab the mic out of her hand and claim, “Taylor, I’m
really happy for you, but Brook Taylor had one of the best
mathematical findings of all time!”

series is my
boyfriend
series is a god..

I have two more integration techniques that will require

knowledge of Taylor (more specifically MacLaurin) series. The
more you study these the more you realize that, shit, everything is
a series.

That’s right, every single function we integrated previously can

technically be written as a series.
 169
The concept is quite simple. Given a continuous and differentiable
function f(x), this particular function can be written as a series of
its derivatives evaluated at a value a, which we say is centered at
that point.

When the function is centered at a = 0 our series becomes

We call this a MacLaurin series, which is what we’re going to work

with. Taylor generalized it, MacLaurin gave it a deeper meaning.

I encourage you to look up how to find Maclaurin series of

functions. Part of learning mathematical concepts is exploring
them via different avenues. Ask your teacher, find a video online,
or find a textbook explaining it.

Believe it or not, some series are better to work with than the
actual functions, just like most functions are better to work with
than its series counterpart. It’s our job to find out when it’s better
to work with one vs the other.

Before we continue let me introduce some important series that

not only come up often in our problems, but their series are easy
to find!
170

these are four of the basic maclaurin series and there are two more
I want to show you. However, we will use our known series to find
them. I will show you what I mean in a second. But first I want to
talk about

Euler’s formula has three series we now know. Check out the next
page to see how we can derive this formula using their Maclaurin
series.
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I still remember my calculus teacher, Mr. Bolen, showing us this.
At the time I was into rubik’s cubes and was focused on figuring
out an algorithm. Admittedly, I was not paying attention and Mr.
Bolen knew that. So he yells,

“Miguel, you don’t want to miss this!”

Well, good thing I looked up and saw euler’s formula being

derived by its series cause ever since then I could not stop writing
this “proof” any time I had the chance. Euler’s formula became an
obsession.

It wasn’t until I taught calculus did I realize how much we can do

with series! Let’s talk about

we can do all the work of taking multiple derivatives to figure out

its series, but trust me it’s such a struggle! The second and third
derivative is already a pain in the ass, so why go through all the
trouble!

Instead, we will work with the first series I introduced on page

169. From there we change the value of x and integrate, giving us
the series for this function.

Check it out
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whoa - cheat code unlocked!! This is already making our life ALOT
easier.

Not only are we able to find series for other functions using well-
known ones, but later on we will explore definite integrals using
these series (we will have no choice) and then bring in the wild
card - the dilogarithm function.

Let’s find the maclaurin series for

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From the previous page we have

from here we can change the parameter for x into x^2

and now integrate both sides. The left side we will recognize as
arctangent!

As you can see, playing with some of the well-known maclaurin

series helps us find series for other functions without having to do
too much work. Phew!

But why are we even talking about this?

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what if I asked you to estimate:

Sure you can plug it into the calculator, but a maclaurin series is
used here!

Below are the first four non-zero terms of the series for e^x. Now
watch what happens when we plug in x =0.2

compare that to the actual value and you’ll see we are not too far
off.

So what if you were asked to find the following definite integral?

How would you go about it?

certainly you can try some sort of integration technique. If you

gave it a try you’d find the second term to be a pain to work with.

So instead we use a series!

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Let’s start out with the series for cosine and go from there! See if
you can follow my steps.

Here I used the first five non-zero terms to get a more accurate
answer.
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Let’s see if you can find the following definite integrals using
series.
178
The Dilogarithm Function

Well, nerds, this is the last section of integration techniques we’ll

encounter on this journey, in this first edition.

I say first edition because there will always be more to talk about.
Whether it’s due to demand or someone in the future finds
another beautiful technique worth mentioning.

There are still plenty of integrals to discuss. Fresnel Integrals,

Complex Integrals and Residue Theorem, the Gamma Function,
and beyond. The point is, the learning will never stop.

But, instead of lamenting the end of our journey (for now!) look at
this integral:

this dilogarithm function proves useful in areas like physics and

applications to Feynman integral calculations in quantum field
theory. They are also tied to algebraic structures. The dilogarithm
function is recognized as

arriving at this solution requires - wouldn’t you know it - the

Maclaurin series for this natural log function!
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We’ll start off with the series given on page 169

notice that I changed the starting value of n from 0 to 1, so we

adjust the power. Now we integrate both sides!

divide by u and integrate from 0 to z

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Now we use first fundamental theorem of calculus and arrive at
our solution!

I should note that z is complex value in this case!

It can be difficult to know all values for the dilogarithm function,

but we know an important one.

All this to say that if we encounter an integration problem that has

these characteristics then we have no choice but to use the
dilogarithm function!

Let’s prove

on the next page.

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Techniques like this seem sooooo simple. And it sorta is, since alot
of the groundwork has been laid out for us. Someone has a perfect
formula for the dilogarithm function and how it relates to the
series and a natural log integral, but it’s our job to cut away at
problems and arrive at the correct solution!

At this level problems take alot of cleverness and due diligence.

Minor mistakes can crumble your work and perhaps more difficult
to spot. Arriving at the solution is oh-so satisfying, however!

Let’s see how clever you can be with the following:

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The Work Never Ends

Think about all the great mathematicians that came before us. Euler,
Euclid, Newton, Leibniz, Taylor, DeMoivre’s, Descartes, Fermat, the
list goes on and on (no, I’m not dissing those I left out!)

They set the rules for us to follow and to this day mathematical minds
are creating and discovering new ideas, techniques, and solutions to
complex problems.

This is all because we continue to explore the curious world of

mathematics. We continue to share ideas whether it’s through videos,
social settings, or books like this. The field of mathematics needs you!
What use will you make of these integrals?

I am nowhere near the skill set of a PhD math student, but I know my
lane. I am an advocate for mathematics and a firm believer that
ANYONE can contribute to it. One needs to be curious and enjoy the
process of problem solving. I cannot emphasize how much I enjoy
discussing math topics, learning from my mistakes, and sharing them
with you nerds to critique or unpack. I thank you for that.

At the end curiosity is essential to learning math - I want to emphasize

that. Often times schools want to fit all math students into one box, but
that is not the case. Our life experiences shape our train of thought and
sometimes the way we think of math concepts way differently than
your classmates. That is okay! As long as we are following the same
rules how we approach it, or what route we take, is totally up to you.
Solve it whatever fucken way you want. Take the scenic route, cause
THAT is how you learn.

Your journey does not end here, this is just a small portion of it. Go
learn and explore, cause the next great mathematical discovery is
among us!
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EXPLORE MORE

theveganmathguy.com
186
Answer Key

This particular book is so special to me. Not only did I try my absolute
best to write and explain techniques, but the answer key has been
solved by the collaborative effort of some math nerds! As I wrote the
book I called out to my followers to help find and write solutions to the
integrals, and 4 individuals stepped up. I am forever grateful to the
following people:

Károly Bendegúz Bók (@bkbendeguz7)

Edward Hawkins
Jake Rogers (@jakeersan / @satmathtips)
Jenny “feli” Y
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