Integration by parts not working for a particualr integral

In summary: I disagree. IMO you learn better by trying a few things that fail and then something that succeeds, than you do when someone shows you.What's more, this is the philosophy of this forum, as exemplified in its rules, which you agreed to abide by when you joined.
  • #1
DocZaius
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11
Integration by parts not working for a particular integral

When I attempt to use the method of integration by parts on the below integral, I don't get anywhere since I only arrive at the statement a = -b +b -a where a is the integral and b is the boundary term.

[itex]\int e^{-x}\text{Cos}[k x]dx=-e^{-x}(-\text{Cos}[k x])-\left(-e^{-x}(-\text{Cos}[k x])-\int e^{-x}\text{Cos}[k x]dx\right)[/itex]

Do you know of another method I could use to evaluate this integral?

Thanks
 
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  • #2


DocZaius said:
When I attempt to use the method of integration by parts on the below integral, I don't get anywhere since I only arrive at the statement a = -b +b -a where a is the integal and b is the boundary term.

[itex]\int e^{-x}\text{Cos}[k x]dx=-e^{-x}(-\text{Cos}[k x])-\left(-e^{-x}(-\text{Cos}[k x])-\int e^{-x}\text{Cos}[k x]dx\right)[/itex]

Do you know of another method I could use to evaluate this Intgral?

Thanks


$$u=e^{-x}\Longrightarrow\,u'=-e^{-x}\;\;\;\;,\;\;\;v'=\cos kx\Longrightarrow v=\frac{1}{k}\sin kx\Longrightarrow$$

$$\int e^{-x}\cos kx\,dx=\frac{1}{k}e^{-x}\sin kx+\frac{1}{k}\int e^{-x}\sin kx\,dx$$

Once again by parts:

$$u=e^{-x}\Longrightarrow u'=-e^{-x}\;\;\;,\;\;v'=\sin kx\Longrightarrow v=-\frac{1}{k}\cos kx$$

so

$$\int e^{-x}\cos kx\,dx=\frac{1}{k}e^{-x}\sin kx-\frac{1}{k^2}e^{-x}\cos kx-\frac{1}{k^2}\int e^{-x}\cos kx\,dx\Longrightarrow$$

$$\left(1+\frac{1}{k^2}\right)\int e^{-x}\cos kx\,dx =\frac{e^{-x}}{k^2}\left(k\sin kx-\cos kx\right)$$

...and etc.

DonAntonio
 
  • #3
A nifty trick would be to write [itex] \cos k x = \mathfrak{Re}\left(e^{ikx}\right) [/itex].
 
  • #4


DonAntonio said:
*snip complete solution*

I have to question the value for the OP of having his problem solved completely. It would have been better just to point out that if he integrates [itex]e^{-x}\cos(kx)[/itex] by parts he should get
[tex]
\int e^{-x}\cos kx\,\mathrm{d}x=\frac{1}{k}e^{-x}\sin kx+\frac{1}{k}\int e^{-x}\sin kx\,\mathrm{d}x
[/tex]
and let him try to integrate [itex]e^{-x}\sin(kx)[/itex] himself, since he clearly needs the practice.
 
  • #5


pasmith said:
I have to question the value for the OP of having his problem solved completely. It would have been better just to point out that if he integrates [itex]e^{-x}\cos(kx)[/itex] by parts he should get
[tex]
\int e^{-x}\cos kx\,\mathrm{d}x=\frac{1}{k}e^{-x}\sin kx+\frac{1}{k}\int e^{-x}\sin kx\,\mathrm{d}x
[/tex]
and let him try to integrate [itex]e^{-x}\sin(kx)[/itex] himself, since he clearly needs the practice.

Yeah, I picked the wrong parts of my integral as my u and dv. Definitely redoing it all myself so don't worry, I'm getting that practice :)
 
  • #6


pasmith said:
I have to question the value for the OP of having his problem solved completely. It would have been better just to point out that if he integrates [itex]e^{-x}\cos(kx)[/itex] by parts he should get
[tex]
\int e^{-x}\cos kx\,\mathrm{d}x=\frac{1}{k}e^{-x}\sin kx+\frac{1}{k}\int e^{-x}\sin kx\,\mathrm{d}x
[/tex]
and let him try to integrate [itex]e^{-x}\sin(kx)[/itex] himself, since he clearly needs the practice.
The OP specifically stated that he tried integrating by parts and, obviously, he got that wrong. Showing the way

to him, even if it is a huge portion of the complete solution, is imo more helping than merely saying to do something

he already failed at.

DonAntonio
 
  • #7


DonAntonio said:
The OP specifically stated that he tried integrating by parts and, obviously, he got that wrong. Showing the way

to him, even if it is a huge portion of the complete solution, is imo more helping than merely saying to do something
I disagree. IMO you learn better by trying a few things that fail and then something that succeeds, than you do when someone shows you.

What's more, this is the philosophy of this forum, as exemplified in its rules, which you agreed to abide by when you joined.
DonAntonio said:
he already failed at.

DonAntonio
 

1. Why is integration by parts not working for this particular integral?

There could be multiple reasons why integration by parts may not work for a specific integral. Some possible reasons could be that the integral is not in a suitable form for integration by parts, the limits of integration are not properly defined, or there may be a mistake in the calculations.

2. What can I do if integration by parts is not working?

If integration by parts is not working, you can try using other integration techniques such as substitution or partial fractions. You can also try breaking the integral into smaller parts and applying integration by parts to each part separately. If all else fails, you may need to use numerical methods to approximate the integral.

3. Is it possible for integration by parts to not work for any integral?

Yes, it is possible for integration by parts to not work for certain integrals. There are some integrals that cannot be solved using any of the standard integration techniques, including integration by parts. In these cases, numerical methods or other advanced techniques may be necessary.

4. Can mistakes in the calculations cause integration by parts to not work?

Yes, mistakes in the calculations can definitely cause integration by parts to not work. It is important to double-check your work and make sure all the steps are correct. Even a small error can result in an incorrect answer or prevent the integration from working.

5. Is there a way to determine beforehand if integration by parts will not work for a particular integral?

No, there is no foolproof way to determine beforehand if integration by parts will not work for a specific integral. However, there are some signs that may indicate that the integral may not be suitable for integration by parts, such as when the integral is already in the form of a product of functions or when it involves trigonometric or logarithmic functions.

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