How did the book do this integration

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the integration of the function (x^2/(x-1)) dx. Participants are exploring different methods to arrive at the integral and comparing their approaches to that presented in a textbook.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts a u-substitution method but expresses confusion regarding the book's approach. Other participants clarify the algebraic manipulation of the integrand to separate it into simpler components.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively discussing their different methods of integration. Some have provided clarifications on how to rewrite the integrand, which has helped in understanding the equivalence of the approaches. There is no explicit consensus, but productive insights are being shared.

Contextual Notes

There is a mention of assumptions regarding constants of integration and the need to align results with the textbook answer. The original poster expresses uncertainty about their initial approach.

kdinser
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I'm sure it's pretty simple, but I'm just not seeing it.

Integrate (x^2/(x-1)) dx

I did it with a u substitution, letting u = x-1 and then x = u+1

which ultimately leads me to integrate (u^2/u) + (2u/u) + (1/u)

After canceling, integrating, and substituting I'm left with
(x^2/2) + x + ln(abs)(x-1) + C (I assume I'm alright rolling the -3/2 that I had left over into C to make it match the book answer?)

The book does it like this and I'm not sure what's going on
Integrate (x^2/(x-1)) dx = Integrate (x+1) dx + Integrate (1/(x-1)) dx

I think they are splitting it up somehow, hence the 1/x-1, but I'm not sure how they got to x+1

which yields the same answer I had.
 
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[tex]x^2=x^2-1+1=(x+1)(x-1)+1[/tex]
 
All they are doing is rewriting the integrand this way:

[tex]\frac {x^2}{x-1} = \frac {x^2 -1 + 1}{x-1} = \frac {x^2-1}{x-1}+\frac {1}{x-1} = x+1 + \frac {1}{x-1}[/tex]
 
Bah, I must have been way off my game this morning, thanks.
 

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