Porisma

Worked solution

Practise difference-of-squares forms

Integrate with respect to xx: (a) 1/(x2−1)1/(x^2-1); (b) 1/(16−x2)1/(16-x^2).

CJC · Lecture · Self-Practice 5

(a)

∫1x2−1 dx=12ln⁡∣x−1x+1∣+C\int\frac1{x^2-1}\,dx=\frac12\ln\left|\frac{x-1}{x+1}\right|+C, on intervals avoiding x=±1x=\pm1.

How did this part go?

(b)

∫116−x2 dx=18ln⁡∣4+x4−x∣+C\int\frac1{16-x^2}\,dx=\frac18\ln\left|\frac{4+x}{4-x}\right|+C, on intervals avoiding x=±4x=\pm4.

How did this part go?

Common mistakes

The coefficient is 1/(2a), and reversing the ratio reverses the logarithm sign.

Read the hint