Indeterminate Integration with Integration Constant

In summary, the conversation involved a calculation of the integral of a rational function and a discussion of the derivatives and integrals of certain functions. The final result was a reminder to include an integration constant in all indeterminate integrals.
  • #1
mathmari
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Hey! 😊

I want to calculate the integral $$\int\frac{1}{(x+4)(x^2-8x+19)}\, dx$$ I have done the following : $$\frac{1}{(x+4)(x^2-8x+19)}=\frac{1}{67}\frac{1}{x+4}+\frac{1}{67}\frac{12-x}{x^2-8x+19}$$ and so we get \begin{align*}\int\frac{1}{(x+4)(x^2-8x+19)}\, dx&=\frac{1}{67}\int \frac{1}{x+4}\, dx+\frac{1}{67}\int \frac{12-x}{x^2-8x+19}\, dx\\ & =\frac{1}{67}\cdot \ln |x+4|+\frac{1}{67}\int \frac{8+4-x}{x^2-8x+19}\, dx\\ & =\frac{1}{67}\cdot \ln |x+4|+\frac{1}{67}\int \frac{8 }{x^2-8x+19}\, dx+\frac{1}{67}\int \frac{4-x}{x^2-8x+19}\, dx \\ & =\frac{1}{67}\cdot \ln |x+4|+\frac{1}{67}\int \frac{8 }{x^2-8x+19}\, dx +\frac{1}{67}\cdot \ln | x^2-8x+19| \end{align*} Is everything correct so far? How could we continue to calculate the middle term? :unsure:
 
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  • #2
Hey mathmari!

If I take the derivative of the last term with "ln" in it, I do not get what we integrated. (Worried)

To integrate the middle term, we can use the derivative of arctan. What is that derivative? (Wondering)
 
  • #3
Klaas van Aarsen said:
If I take the derivative of the last term with "ln" in it, I do not get what we integrated. (Worried)

Ah I forgot to divide by $-2$. It should be:
\begin{align*}\int\frac{1}{(x+4)(x^2-8x+19)}\, dx&=\frac{1}{67}\int \frac{1}{x+4}\, dx+\frac{1}{67}\int \frac{12-x}{x^2-8x+19}\, dx\\ & =\frac{1}{67}\cdot \ln |x+4|+\frac{1}{67}\int \frac{8+4-x}{x^2-8x+19}\, dx\\ & =\frac{1}{67}\cdot \ln |x+4|+\frac{1}{67}\int \frac{8 }{x^2-8x+19}\, dx+\frac{1}{67}\int \frac{4-x}{x^2-8x+19}\, dx\\ & =\frac{1}{67}\cdot \ln |x+4|+\frac{1}{67}\int \frac{8 }{x^2-8x+19}\, dx-\frac{1}{134}\int \frac{2x-8}{x^2-8x+19}\, dx \\ & =\frac{1}{67}\cdot \ln |x+4|+\frac{1}{67}\int \frac{8 }{x^2-8x+19}\, dx -\frac{1}{134}\cdot \ln | x^2-8x+19| \end{align*}

:unsure:
Klaas van Aarsen said:
To integrate the middle term, we can use the derivative of arctan. What is that derivative? (Wondering)

It holds that $\left (\text{arctan}(x)\right )'=\frac{1}{1+x^2}$.
$$\int \frac{8 }{x^2-8x+19}\, dx=\int \frac{8 }{(x-4)^2+3}\, dx=\frac{8}{3}\cdot \int \frac{1 }{\left (\frac{x-4}{\sqrt{3}}\right )^2+1}\, dx\overset{u=\frac{x-4}{\sqrt{3}}}{=} \frac{8}{3}\cdot \int \frac{1 }{\left (u\right )^2+1}\, \sqrt{3}du=\frac{8}{\sqrt{3}}\text{arctan}(u)=\frac{8}{\sqrt{3}}\cdot \text{arctan}\left (\frac{x-4}{\sqrt{3}}\right )$$

Therefore we get \begin{align*}\int\frac{1}{(x+4)(x^2-8x+19)}\, dx& =\frac{1}{67}\cdot \ln |x+4|+\frac{1}{67}\int \frac{8 }{x^2-8x+19}\, dx -\frac{1}{134}\cdot \ln | x^2-8x+19| \\ & =\frac{1}{67}\cdot \ln |x+4|+\frac{1}{67}\cdot \frac{8}{\sqrt{3}}\cdot \text{arctan}\left (\frac{x-4}{\sqrt{3}}\right ) -\frac{1}{134}\cdot \ln | x^2-8x+19|\\ & =\frac{1}{67}\cdot \ln |x+4|+\frac{8}{67\sqrt{3}}\cdot \text{arctan}\left (\frac{x-4}{\sqrt{3}}\right ) -\frac{1}{134}\cdot \ln | x^2-8x+19| \end{align*}
Is everything correct? :unsure:
 
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  • #4
mathmari said:
Is everything correct?
It looks correct to me. (Nod)
 
  • #5
Klaas van Aarsen said:
It looks correct to me. (Nod)

Great! Thank you! (Sun)
 
  • #6
Ah, one more thing... there should be a $+C$ at the end. (Blush)
Every indeterminate integral must have an indeterminate integration constant.
 
  • #7
Klaas van Aarsen said:
Ah, one more thing... there should be a $+C$ at the end. (Blush)
Every indeterminate integral must have an indeterminate integration constant.

Ahh yes (Blush)
 

What is an integral?

An integral is a mathematical concept that represents the area under a curve on a graph. It is a fundamental tool in calculus and is used to solve problems involving rates of change and accumulation.

How do you calculate an integral?

To calculate an integral, you need to first find the antiderivative of the function you are integrating. Then, you can use the fundamental theorem of calculus to evaluate the integral at specific limits of integration. Alternatively, you can use numerical methods such as Riemann sums or Simpson's rule to approximate the integral.

What is the purpose of calculating an integral?

Integrals have many practical applications in fields such as physics, engineering, and economics. They can be used to calculate quantities such as displacement, velocity, acceleration, work, and area. They are also essential in solving differential equations, which are used to model many real-world phenomena.

What are the different types of integrals?

There are two main types of integrals: definite and indefinite. A definite integral has specific limits of integration and represents the area under a curve between those limits. An indefinite integral does not have limits of integration and represents a family of functions that differ by a constant.

What are some common techniques for solving integrals?

Some common techniques for solving integrals include substitution, integration by parts, trigonometric substitution, and partial fractions. These techniques can be used to simplify integrals and make them easier to solve. It is important to choose the appropriate technique based on the form of the integrand.

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