MHB Integrate Without Expanding Numerator

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The discussion focuses on solving the integral $\int\frac{(x-1)^3}{x^2}dx$ without expanding the numerator. Participants suggest using substitution or integration by parts as alternatives to expansion. One participant proposes substituting $y = 1 - x$, leading to a transformed integral, while another outlines a method involving repeated integration by parts. Ultimately, the conversation emphasizes that both methods can yield correct results without the need to expand the numerator, with various approaches leading to different forms of the final answer. The importance of back-substitution and maintaining variable consistency is also highlighted.
paulmdrdo1
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how to solve this without expanding the numerator.
$\displaystyle \int\frac{(x-1)^3}{x^2}dx$
 
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paulmdrdo said:
how to solve this without expanding the numerator.
$\displaystyle \int\frac{(x-1)^3}{x^2}dx$
Not sure if this counts as cheating or not, but I'd say contract the numerator instead! (Bandit)

Substitute $$y=1-x\,$$ $$\Rightarrow$$$$\int\frac{(x-1)^3}{x^2}\,dx=-\int\frac{y^3}{(1-y)^2}\,dy$$Full solution...

$$\frac{d}{dy}\frac{1}{(1-y)}=-\frac{1}{(1-y)^2}$$

$$\Rightarrow$$

$$\frac{y^3}{(1-y)}-3\int\frac{y^2}{(1-y)}
\,dy=$$

$$\frac{y^3}{(1-y)}-3\left[-y^2\log(1-y)+2\int y\log(1-y)\,dy\right]=$$

$$\frac{y^3}{(1-y)}+3y^2\log(1-y)-6\int y\log(1-y)\,dy$$For that last integral, use the same substitution as before to obtain

$$\int y\log(1-y)\,dy=-\int (1-y)\log y\,dy=-\frac{1}{y}+\int y\log y\,dy= $$

$$-\frac{1}{y}+\frac{y^2}{2}\log y-\frac{1}{2}\int y\,dy=$$

$$-\frac{1}{y}+\frac{y^2}{2}\log y-\frac{y^2}{4}$$

The final answer is then

$$\frac{y^3}{(1-y)}+3y^2\log(1-y)-6\left(-\frac{1}{y}+\frac{y^2}{2}\log y-\frac{y^2}{4}\right)=$$

$$\frac{y^3}{(1-y)}+3y^2\log(1-y)+\frac{6}{y}-3y^2\log y+\frac{3y^2}{2}$$
 
no, your answer doesn't match the answer in my book.
 
paulmdrdo said:
no, your answer doesn't match the answer in my book.

I haven't checked this myself but did you remember to back-substitute $x$ in for $y$? His final answer is in terms of $y$ but he made the initial substitution $y=1-x$.
 
paulmdrdo said:
no, your answer doesn't match the answer in my book.
However, that doesn't make the one above incorrect. What form is given in your book? ;)
 
the answer is in terms of x when expanding the numerator.
 
OK, so here was my solution...
DreamWeaver said:
$$\frac{d}{dy}\frac{1}{(1-y)}=-\frac{1}{(1-y)^2}$$

$$\Rightarrow$$

$$\frac{y^3}{(1-y)}-3\int\frac{y^2}{(1-y)}
\,dy=$$

$$\frac{y^3}{(1-y)}-3\left[-y^2\log(1-y)+2\int y\log(1-y)\,dy\right]=$$

$$\frac{y^3}{(1-y)}+3y^2\log(1-y)-6\int y\log(1-y)\,dy$$For that last integral, use the same substitution as before to obtain

$$\int y\log(1-y)\,dy=-\int (1-y)\log y\,dy=-\frac{1}{y}+\int y\log y\,dy= $$

$$-\frac{1}{y}+\frac{y^2}{2}\log y-\frac{1}{2}\int y\,dy=$$

$$-\frac{1}{y}+\frac{y^2}{2}\log y-\frac{y^2}{4}$$

The final answer is then

$$\frac{y^3}{(1-y)}+3y^2\log(1-y)-6\left(-\frac{1}{y}+\frac{y^2}{2}\log y-\frac{y^2}{4}\right)=$$

$$\frac{y^3}{(1-y)}+3y^2\log(1-y)+\frac{6}{y}-3y^2\log y+\frac{3y^2}{2}$$
In the line just above that last one, the terms on the RHS encased in large brackets have already been back-substituted, so now I'll do the other bit:$$\frac{y^3}{(1-y)}+3y^2\log(1-y)-6\left(-\frac{1}{y}+\frac{y^2}{2}\log y-\frac{y^2}{4}\right)=$$$$\to$$$$\frac{(1-y)^3}{y}+3(1-y)^2\log y-6\left(-\frac{1}{y}+\frac{y^2}{2}\log y-\frac{y^2}{4}\right)=$$$$\frac{(1-y)^3}{y}+3(1-y)^2\log y+\frac{6}{y}-3y^2\log y+\frac{3y^2}{2}$$Also, y is a dummy variable here, much like your x, so the answer above is identical to

$$\frac{(1-x)^3}{x}+3(1-x)^2\log x+\frac{6}{x}-3x^2\log x+\frac{3x^2}{2}$$

Does that match your book?
 
i tried to solve this by expanding the numerator of the integrand,

$\displaystyle\int\frac{(x-1)^3}{x^2}dx = \int \frac{(x^3-3x^2+3x-1)}{x^2}dx = \int\frac{x^3}{x^2}dx-3\int\frac{x^2}{x^2}dx+3\int\frac{x}{x^2}dx-\int\frac{dx}{x^2}$...

...$\displaystyle\int xdx-3\int dx+3\int\frac{1}{x}dx-\int\frac{dx}{x^2} = \frac{x^2}{2}-3x+3ln(x)+\frac{1}{x}+C$
 
Last edited:
DreamWeaver said:
$$\frac{(1-x)^3}{x}+3(1-x)^2\log x+\frac{6}{x}-3x^2\log x+\frac{3x^2}{2}$$

Does that match your book?
I don't know what the book says, but yours is not correct.

bergausstein said:
...$\displaystyle\int xdx-3\int dx+3\int\frac{1}{x}dx-\int\frac{dx}{x^2} = \frac{x^2}{2}-3x+3ln(x)+\frac{1}{x}+C$
This one is correct.

-Dan
 
  • #10
I decided to just keep applying integration by parts until it wasn't needed anymore (i.e. three times):

First time: $u=(x-1)^3$, $dv=\dfrac{1}{x^2}\,dx \implies \,du=3(x-1)^2\,dx$ and $v=-\dfrac{1}{x}$.

Thus,

\[\int\frac{(x-1)^3}{x^2}\,dx = -\frac{(x-1)^3}{x} + 3\color{red}{\int\frac{(x-1)^2}{x}\,dx}\]

Second time: $u=(x-1)^2$, $dv = \dfrac{1}{x}\,dx\implies \,du=2(x-1)\,dx = (2x-2) \,dx$ and $v=\ln x$.

Thus,

\[\color{red}{\int\frac{(x-1)^2}{x}\,dx} = (x-1)^2\ln x - \int (2x-2)\ln x\,dx\]

and hence

\[\int\frac{(x-1)^3}{x^2}\,dx = -\frac{(x-1)^3}{x} + 3(x-1)^2\ln x - 3\color{blue}{\int(2x-2)\ln x\,dx}\]

Third time: $u=\ln x$, $dv = (2x-2)\,dx \implies \,du=\dfrac{1}{x}\,dx$ and $v=x^2-2x$.

Thus,

\[\begin{aligned}\color{blue}{\int(2x-2)\ln x \,dx} &= (x^2-2x)\ln x - \int \frac{x^2-2x}{x}\,dx\\ &= (x^2-2x)\ln x - \int x-2 \,dx \\ &= (x^2-2x)\ln x - \frac{x^2}{2} + 2x + C\end{aligned}\]

Therefore, by not expanding the numerator, we get

\[\int\frac{(x-1)^3}{x^2}\,dx = -\frac{(x-1)^3}{x} + 3(x-1)^2\ln x - 3(x^2-2x)\ln x + \frac{3}{2}x^2 -6x+C\]
 

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