Integrate Without Expanding Numerator

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the integration of the function $\displaystyle \int\frac{(x-1)^3}{x^2}dx$ without expanding the numerator. Participants explore various methods and substitutions to approach the problem, including integration by parts and variable substitution.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest contracting the numerator using the substitution $y=1-x$, leading to a transformed integral.
  • Others express concerns that the proposed solutions do not match the answers in their textbooks, questioning the validity of the methods used.
  • A participant provides a detailed solution using integration by parts, applying it multiple times without expanding the numerator, and arrives at a complex expression.
  • Another participant attempts to solve the integral by expanding the numerator and presents a solution that they claim is correct.
  • There are multiple references to the need for back-substitution after variable changes, highlighting a potential source of confusion in the solutions presented.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the correctness of the various solutions presented. Disagreement exists regarding the validity of the answers compared to textbook solutions, and multiple methods are proposed without clear resolution on which is preferable.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note the importance of back-substituting variables after transformations, and there are indications that different interpretations of the integral's solution may depend on the method chosen.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to students and educators in mathematics, particularly those exploring integration techniques and the nuances of solving integrals without expanding expressions.

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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