How Can Simple Functions Help Find Lower Bounds for Integrals?

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The discussion focuses on finding positive valued simple functions that serve as lower bounds for two specific integrals. The first integral involves the expression 1/∫(e^(-y)/y) dy, while the second integral can be exactly evaluated as e^(-x)(1+x). Participants suggest various substitutions and integration techniques, including replacing y in the denominator with e^y or using integration by parts. There is some confusion regarding the terminology used to refer to the integrals, but the main goal remains to identify simpler functions that can approximate or bound the given integrals. Overall, the conversation emphasizes the search for effective lower bounds using straightforward mathematical functions.
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Looking for some positive valued simple functions which are less than (or equal to) the following two integrals (given in the following post).By simple I mean that they may not involve integrals or imaginary components or some infinite series. Again, the functions may not be as simple as f(x) =0.

Please find the integrals in the following post, as I could not fix the latex problem in this post.

Thanks for any idea.
 
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The integrals as referred in the previous post are as follows:


1/ \int_{x}^{\infty}\frac {e^{-y}}{y}dy , x>0

2/ \int_{x}^{\infty} y e^{-y}dy , x>0
 
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The second one can be integrated to (exactly) e^{-x}(1+x).

In the first one you can replace the y in the denominator by e^y which will give you an easy integral. It will be a pretty bad lower bound though.
 
Eighty said:
The second one can be integrated to (exactly) e^{-x}(1+x).

In the first one you can replace the y in the denominator by e^y which will give you an easy integral. It will be a pretty bad lower bound though.

Thank you very much, I missed the substitution in that.
EDIT: I also missed that it simply can also be done 'by parts'.

What I thought was to replace y in the denominator by e^y/2 or e^{y-1} in the other problem.
Any better idea about the second?...EDIT: I mean the other, problem no.1.
 
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Better how? It's an exact antiderivative. What do you want?

edit: You can edit your posts, you know. :) Click the EDIT button next to the QUOTE button.
 
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Eighty said:
Better how? It's an exact antiderivative. What do you want?

edit: You can edit your posts, you know. :)
Sorry for the misunderstanding, by 'second' I meant the other problem.
Thanks again for the help though.
 
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