Difficulties with Substitution Rule (integration)

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on the difficulties encountered with the Substitution Rule in integration, particularly in relation to the Chain Rule and Leibniz Rule. Users clarify that the correct application of the Substitution Rule involves recognizing that the integral of a product does not allow for factor-wise multiplication as suggested. The correct method is demonstrated using Leibniz notation, where the substitution of variables leads to the integral transformation: ∫[f(g(x))g'(x)dx] = ∫[f(u)du]. This highlights the importance of understanding the relationship between differentiation and integration rules.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of the Chain Rule in calculus
  • Familiarity with Leibniz notation for differentiation and integration
  • Knowledge of indefinite integrals and their properties
  • Basic proficiency in manipulating functions and derivatives
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  • Study the application of the Chain Rule in various integration problems
  • Learn about Leibniz notation and its implications in calculus
  • Explore the concept of integration by parts and its relationship to the Leibniz Rule
  • Practice solving indefinite integrals using substitution techniques
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Students of calculus, mathematics educators, and anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of integration techniques, particularly the Substitution Rule and its connection to differentiation principles.

quicksilver123
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I can obviously do the chain rule and see how the final expression of the derivative is related to the original function but I can't seem to figure out the substitution Rule as an intuitive way of solving the indefinite integral of functions... bear with me if I'm too verbose, I've attached an image with ,y reasoning...
 
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The Lamar university web page on integration offers the same material and proof.
 
If ##g(x)=v## then ##\int [f(g(x))g'(x)]dx= \int [f(v)v'(x)]dx=\int [f(v)]dv = \int f(u)du##.

Your mistake is ##\int [f(v)v'(x)]dx \neq [\int f(v)dv] \cdot [\int v'dv]##.

The essential reason for this is, because a differentiation obeys the Leibniz rule, i.e. leads to a derivative: ##d(f\cdot g)= (df)\cdot g + f\cdot (dg),## and does not allow a factor-wise multiplication: ##d(f\cdot g)\neq (df)\cdot (dg)\,.##
 
Could you explicitly explain the correct method in terms of your liebnitz Rule?
 
quicksilver123 said:
Could you explicitly explain the correct method in terms of your liebnitz Rule?
Sorry, I confused the chain rule and the Leibniz rule. The chain rule corresponds to the substitution rule and the Leibniz rule corresponds to integration by parts. The shortest way to see the equation in (4) is to use the notation with the ##d##'s, also called Leibniz notation. Here we get by the substitution ##g(x)=u##
$$
\int [f(g(x))g'(x)dx] = \int [f(g(x)) \frac{dg(x)}{dx} dx] = \int [f(g(x))dg(x)] = \int [f(u)du]
$$
where I have only calculated with the terms under the integration. Nothing goes outside as I understood your remark.

You haven't written (in your hand writing) what your integration variable is, so I assume you meant ##\int [f(g(x))g'(x)]dx = [\int f(g(x))dx] \cdot [\int u'dx] =[\int f(g(x))dx] \cdot u##. But the integral of a product (and that is why I brought up the Leibniz rule) is given by
$$
[f(g(x))\cdot g(x)]' = f(g(x)) \cdot g'(x) + [f(g(x)]' \cdot g(x) \Longrightarrow \int [f(g(x)) \cdot g'(x)]dx = f(g(x))\cdot g(x) - \int [f(g(x))]' \cdot g(x)dx
$$
 

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