Chapter 1

Indefinite integrals

This chapter is devoted to the presentation of the different methods ma-

king it possible to determine the indefinite integral for some classes of ele-
mentary functions.

1.1 Primitive and indefinite integrals

In the analysis1, we studied in chapter five, the following problem : given
a function F (x), find its derivative, that is to say the function f (x) = F 0 (x).
In this chapter we will consider the inverse problem : given a function f (x),
find a function F (x) such that its derivative is equal to f (x) i.e : F 0 (x) = f (x).

Definition 1. We say that the function F (x) is an antiderivative (primi-

tive) of the function f (x) on I, if at any point of this segment we have the
equality : F 0 (x) = f (x).

Example 1 Find an antiderivative (primitive) of the function f (x) = x.

We immediately verify, that the primitive of f (x) is
x2 x2
F (x) = , F (x)0 = ( )0 = x.
2 2
We easily notice that following functions
x2 x2 x2 x2
F (x) = +4, F (x) = +1, F (x) = −7, orF (x) = +c (c it is arbitrary constant)
2 2 2 2
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are primitives functions of f . Indeed

x2
( + c)0 = x.
2

Definition
R 2. We say indefinite integrale of the function f (x) and we deno-
ted f (x)dx any expression of the form F (x) + c, where F (x) is a primitive
of f (x). so, by definition
Z
f (x)dx = F (x) + c, if F 0 (x) = f (x)

Theorem 1 any continuous function f : [a, b] → R, has a primitive F , we

write
Zx
F (x) = f (t) dt.
a

and
Zb
f (x) dx = F (b) − F (a).
a

1.2 Some properties of indefinite integral

R R R
– R [f 1 (x) + f 2 (x)]dx
R = f 1 (x)dx + f2 (x)dx
– R kf (x)dx = k f (x)dx, k=constant
R R
– R [αf1 (x) + βf2 (x)]dx R = α R f1 (x)dx + β f2 (x)dx
– f (x).g(x)dxR
6= f (x)dx. g(x)dx
R f (x) f (x)dx
– g(x)
dx 6= g(x)dx
R

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1.3 Primitive of common functions

C it is a real constant
R α xα+1 R dx
x dx = + C (α 6= −1) = ln |x| + C
R α+1 R x1 √
exp (x) dx = exp (x) + C √ dx =
2 x
x+C
R dx R dx
2
= arctg x + C √ = arcsin x + C
R 1+x R 1 − x2
cos x dx = sin x + C sin x dx = − cos x + C
R dx R dx
= tan x + C = −cotg x + C
R cos2 x R sin2 x
R tan x dx = − ln |cos x| + C R cotg x dx = ln |sin x| + C
ax 1
x
R a 1dx = ln a + C x2 +a2
dx = a1 arctan( xa ) + c.
1
a2 −x2
dx = 2a
ln | a+x
a−x
| + c.

Example 2 Calculate the integral (3x2 + e−x − cos 2x)dx.

R

we have
Z Z Z
2 −x
I = 3x dx + e dx − cos 2xdx
Z Z Z
2 −x 1
= 3 x dx − −e dx − 2 cos 2xdx
2
1
= x3 − e−x − sin 2x + c.
2
R
Example 3 Calculate the integral x exp (x2 ) dx.
we have
Z Z   Z
2 1 2 1 1
2x exp x2 dx = exp x2 +c.





x exp x dx = × 2 x exp x dx =
2 2 2
R2 √
 
1
Example 4 Calculate the integral 1 x+ √ dx.
x
we have
Z 2 Z 2 Z 2 Z 2 Z 2
√ √

1 1 1 1
x+ √ dx = xdx + √ dx = x dx +
2 x− 2 dx
1 x 1 1 x 1 1
" 1 #2 " 1
#2
+1 − +1
x2 x 2
= 1 +
2
+1 − 12 + 1
1 1
2 h
2√ √  10 √
   
2 3 1
i 2 2 8
= x 2 + 2x 2 = 8− + 2 2−2 = 2− .
3 1 1 3 3 3 3

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Example 5 Calculate the integral x−x

R
2 +3 dx.

we have
−x −1 − ln(x2 + 3)
Z Z
2x
dx = dx = + c.
x2 + 3 2 x2 + 3 2

1.4 integration by part

Proposition 1 For f, g ∈ C 1 (I, R), we have
Z Z
f (x).g(x)dx = f (x).g(x) − f (x).g 0 (x)dx.
0

In case I = [a, b], and using the definite integrals

Z b Z b
0
f (x).g(x)dx = [f (x).g(x)]ba − f (x).g 0 (x)dx
a a

R
Example 6 I = ln(x + 1)dx,
Let :
1
g(x) = ln(x + 1) =⇒ g 0 (x) =
x+1
0
f (x) = 1 =⇒ f (x) = x + 1
So
Z
1
I = (x + 1) ln(x + 1) − (x + 1). dx
x+1
Z
= (x + 1) ln(x + 1) − 1dx
= (x + 1) ln(x + 1) − x + c.
R2
Example 7 Calculate the integral 0 x exp (x) dx.
Let g (x) = x and f 0 (x) = exp (x) we then have :
Z 2 Z 2
2
x exp (x) dx = [x exp (x)]0 − exp (x) dx = [x exp (x)]20 − [exp (x)]20
0 0
= (2 exp (2) − 0) − (exp (2) − 1) = exp (2) + 1.

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1.5 integration by change of variable

Proposition 2 Let be f : I → R continuous and ϕ : J → I is a continuous
function, as well as its derivative, and admits an inverse function. Then
dx = ϕ0 (t)dt, and
ϕ(b)
Z Zb
f (x)dx = f (ϕ(t))ϕ0 (t)dt.
ϕ(a) a

R √
Example 8 Calculate the integral x 1 + x2 dx.
We pose u = 1 + x2 ⇒ 2xdx = du. Thus
1 √ 1 √
Z
I= udu = u u.
2 3
From where
1
√
1 + x2 1 + x2 + c.
I=
3
R √ π2
Example 9 Calculate integral 0 x cos (x2 ) dx.
We pose
u = x2 ⇒ du = 2xdx and bounds of integration become 0 and
π
pπ 2
2
= 2
.

Z √π Z π Z π
2
2

1 2 1 2 1 π
x cos x dx = cos (u) du = cos (u) du = [sin (x)]02
0 0 2 2 0 2
1   π   1
= sin − sin (0) = .
2 2 2

1.6 Integration of real rational functions

Definition 1 A rational function F (x) is the quotient of to polynomial func-
P (x)
tion P and Q, Q being non-identically zero. So we have F (x) = Q(x) for all
x ∈ R such that Q(x) 6= 0.
We say that the fraction F is reducible when the polynomials P and Q admits
a common factor of degree ≥ 1. Otherwise, we say that F is irreducible.

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P (x)
Definition 2 Let F (x) = Q(x) be an irreducible fraction.
We call the integer part of F the polynomial function of the Euclidian divi-
sion of P by Q.
We call pole of F any root of the denominator Q in R or C. We then call
multiplicity of a pole of F , its multiplicity as root of Q.

R P (x)
1.6.1 Method for calculating Q(x) , with deg(P (x)) <
deg(Q(x))
1. If Q(x) = 0 admits simple real roots

P (x) A1 A2 An
= + + ... + .
Q(x) x − x1 x − x2 x − xn

2. If Q(x) = 0 admits multiple real roots

P (x) A11 A12 A1m1

= + 2
+ ... + +
Q(x) x − x1 (x − x1 ) (x − x1 )m1

A21 A22 A2m2 An1 An2 Anmn

+ + 2
+...+ m
+...+ + 2
+...+ .
x − x2 (x − x2 ) (x − x2 ) 2 x − xn (x − xn ) (x − xn )mn
3. If Q(x) = 0 admits simple complex roots

P (x) M1 x + N1 M2 x + N2 Mn x + Nn
= 2 + 2 + ... + 2
Q(x) x + p1 x + q1 x + p2 x + q2 x + pn x + qn

4. If Q(x) = 0 admits multiple complex roots

P (x) M11 x + N11 M12 x + N12 M1m1 x + N1m1

= 2 + 2 2
+ ... + 2
Q(x) x + p11 x + q11 (x + p11 x + q11 ) (x + p11 x + q11 )m1

Mn1 x + Nn1 Mn2 x + Nn2 Mnmn x + Nnmn

+... + + 2 + ... + 2
x2 + pn1 x + qn1 (x + pn1 x + qn1 )2 (x + pn1 x + qn1 )mn
So, the integral of a rational fraction amounts to calculating 4 types of inte-
grals :
R A
1. Type 1 : x−a dx = ln |x − a| + c

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A A 1
R
2. Type 2 : − (x−a)m dx = m−1 (x−a)m−1
M x+N
R
3. Type 3 : x2 +px+q
dx
M x+N
R
4. Type 4 : (x2 +px+q)n
dx
To calculate type 3 and 4 integrals, we change the variable :
p p p2
t = x + , we will have dt = dx and x2 + px + q = (x + )2 + q −
2 2 4
R P (x)
1.6.2 Method for calculating Q(x) , with deg(P (x)) ≥
deg(Q(x))
We perform the Euclidean division of P (x) on Q(x) until we obtain a
remainder R(x) whose degree is strictly less than the degree of Q(x).
P (x)
= E(x) + R(x)
Q(x) | {z } | {z }
polynomial regularf raction
R P (x) R R P (x)
Then, Q(x)
dx = E(x) dx + R(x)
dx.
R 2x−5
Example 10 Calculate the integral : (x−1)(x−2) dx
The rational function F admits two real poles 1 and 2. the idea is to separate
the denominator factors (x − 1) and (x − 2)
A B
we search A and B such that F (x) = x−1 + x−2 . we reduce to the same
(A+B)x−2(2A+B)
denominator : F (x) = (x−1)(x−2)
, we identify with the initial expression
we find A = 3 and B = −1.
It becomes easy to calculate an antiderivative of F
2x − 5 −1
Z Z Z
3
dx = dx + dx = 3 ln |x − 1| − ln |x − 2| + c
(x − 1)(x − 2) x−1 x−2
Example 11 Calculate the integral : x22x−5
R
(x−2)
dx
The rational function F admits two real poles 1 and a double pole 0.
We look for real numbers a, b and c,such that F (x) = ax+b
x2
c
+ x−1 . we reduce to
2
the same denominator : F (x) = (a+c)xx2 (x−1)
+(b−a)x−b
, we identify with the initial
expression we find a = 3, B = 5 and c = −3.
It becomes easy to calculate an antiderivative of F
2x − 5
Z Z
3x + 5 3
2
dx = 2
− dx
x (x − 2) x x−1

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we obtain
2x − 5
Z Z
3 5 3 5
2
dx = + 2− dx = 3 ln |x| − 3 ln |x − 1| − + c.
x (x − 2) x x x−1 x
2
Example 12 Calculate the integral : x21+2x
R
(1+x2 )
dx
The rational function F admits a real poles double 0, and two simple complex
poles i and −i.
2
The fraction x21+2x
(1+x2 )
is decomposed into simple elements as follows :

1 + 2x2 a b Mx + N
= + +
x2 (1 + x2 ) x x2 1 + x2

Calculate of coefficients by the method of indeterminate coefficients, we ob-

tain : a = 0, b = 1, M = 0, and N = 1, so

1 + 2x2 1 1
2 2
= 2+
x (1 + x ) x 1 + x2

Calculate of the integral

1 + 2x2
Z Z
1 1 1
2 2
dx = 2
+ 2
dx = − + arctan(x) + c.
x (1 + x ) x 1+x x
6
Example 13 Calculate the integral : (x2x−1)2 dx.
R

The denominator of F is factorized according to (x2 − 1)2 = (x − 1)2 (x + 1)2 .

The rational function F therefore admits two real double poles 1 and −1.
The Euclidian division of x6 by (x2 − 1)2 gives the quotient the integer part
of F : E(x) = x2 + 2.
The rational function F admits a decomposition of the form

x6 2 a1 b1 a2 b2
= x + 2 + + + +
(x2 − 1)2 x − 1 (x − 1)2 x + 1 (x + 1)2

Calculate of coefficients by the method of indeterminate coefficients, we ob-

tain : a1 = 45 , b1 = 14 , a2 = −5
4
, and b2 = 14 . So

x6 5 1 5 1
2 2
= x2 + 2 + + 2
− +
(x − 1) 4(x − 1) 4(x − 1) 4(x + 1) 4(x + 1)2

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Calculate of the integral

x6
Z Z
5 1 5 1
2 2
dx = x2 + 2 + + 2
− + dx
(x − 1) 4(x − 1) 4(x − 1) 4(x + 1) 4(x + 1)2

x3 5 1 5 1
= + 2x + ln |x − 1| − − ln |x + 1| − + c.
3 4 4(x − 1) 4 4(x + 1)
x3 x 5 x−1
= + 2x − 2
+ ln | | + c.
3 2(x − 1) 4 x+1