Porisma

Worked solution

Expand or match the inner derivative

Integrate with respect to xx: (a) x(1−x)\sqrt{x}(1-x); (b) (x1/2+3)2(x^{1/2}+3)^2; (c) (5x+4)5(5x+4)^5; (d) x(2x2−3)4x(2x^2-3)^4; (e) 2x+3(x2+3x)3\frac{2x+3}{(x^2+3x)^3}.

CJC · Lecture · Example 2

(a) Expand the product

∫x(1−x) dx=∫(x1/2−x3/2) dx=23x3/2−25x5/2+C\int\sqrt{x}(1-x)\,dx=\int(x^{1/2}-x^{3/2})\,dx=\frac23x^{3/2}-\frac25x^{5/2}+C, for x>0x>0 (with a right-hand endpoint value at x=0x=0).

How did this part go?

(b) Expand the square

Use (a+b)2=a2+2ab+b2(a+b)^2=a^2+2ab+b^2: ∫(x1/2+3)2 dx=∫(x+6x1/2+9) dx=12x2+6(23)x3/2+9x+C=12x2+4x3/2+9x+C\int(x^{1/2}+3)^2\,dx=\int(x+6x^{1/2}+9)\,dx=\frac12x^2+6(\frac23)x^{3/2}+9x+C=\frac12x^2+4x^{3/2}+9x+C, on x>0x>0.

How did this part go?

(c) Supply the constant factor

Take f(x)=5x+4f(x)=5x+4, f′(x)=5f^{\prime}(x)=5. Then ∫(5x+4)5 dx=15∫5(5x+4)5 dx=15(5x+4)66+C=(5x+4)630+C\int(5x+4)^5\,dx=\frac15\int5(5x+4)^5\,dx=\frac15\frac{(5x+4)^6}{6}+C=\frac{(5x+4)^6}{30}+C.

How did this part go?

(d) Match 4x

Take f(x)=2x2−3f(x)=2x^2-3, f′(x)=4xf^{\prime}(x)=4x. Then ∫x(2x2−3)4 dx=14∫4x(2x2−3)4 dx=14(2x2−3)55+C=(2x2−3)520+C\int x(2x^2-3)^4\,dx=\frac14\int4x(2x^2-3)^4\,dx=\frac14\frac{(2x^2-3)^5}{5}+C=\frac{(2x^2-3)^5}{20}+C.

How did this part go?

(e) Rewrite the denominator as a power

Take f(x)=x2+3xf(x)=x^2+3x, f′(x)=2x+3f^{\prime}(x)=2x+3. Thus ∫2x+3(x2+3x)3 dx=∫(2x+3)(x2+3x)−3 dx=(x2+3x)−2−2+C=−12(x2+3x)2+C\int\frac{2x+3}{(x^2+3x)^3}\,dx=\int(2x+3)(x^2+3x)^{-3}\,dx=\frac{(x^2+3x)^{-2}}{-2}+C=-\frac1{2(x^2+3x)^2}+C, on intervals excluding x=−3,0x=-3,0.

How did this part go?

Common mistakes

Supplying a missing constant factor requires compensating outside the integral; an extra factor depending on x cannot simply be inserted.

Read the hint