Integration question, u substitution

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
4 replies · 1K views
jonc1258
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
The problem statement
Evaluate the indefinite integral

∫[itex]\frac{\sqrt{x}}{\sqrt{x}-3}[/itex]dx

The attempt at a solution
My first thought was to substitute u for √(x)-3, but then du would equal [itex]\frac{1}{2\sqrt{x}}[/itex]dx, and there's no multiple of du in the integrand.

Next, I tried splitting up the problem like this:
∫[itex]\frac{1}{\sqrt{x}-3}[/itex]*[itex]\sqrt{x}[/itex]
When u is substituted for the [itex]\sqrt{x}[/itex], du still equals[itex]\frac{1}{2\sqrt{x}}[/itex]dx , but the minus 3 in the denominator of the first factor prevents cleanly substituting a multiple of du for [itex]\frac{1}{\sqrt{x}-3}[/itex]dx.

Any ideas or hints?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Notice that if ##u = \sqrt{x} - 3##, then ##u + 3 = \sqrt{x}##.

Since ##\displaystyle du = \frac{1}{2\sqrt{x}} dx, 2\sqrt{x}\ du = dx##

Does this make things easier?
 
The denominator is kind of hard to see, it's sqrt(x)-3. Thanks for all the replies, I'll see if I can figure it out
 
Last edited:
jonc1258 said:
The problem statement
Evaluate the indefinite integral

∫[itex]\frac{\sqrt{x}}{\sqrt{x}-3}[/itex]dx

The attempt at a solution
My first thought was to substitute u for √(x)-3, but then du would equal [itex]\frac{1}{2\sqrt{x}}[/itex]dx, and there's no multiple of du in the integrand.
If [itex]\displaystyle \ \ du=\frac{1}{2\sqrt{x}}dx=\frac{1}{2u}dx\,,[/itex]

then [itex]\displaystyle \ \ dx=2u\,du\ .[/itex]

Next, I tried splitting up the problem like this:
∫[itex]\frac{1}{\sqrt{x}-3}[/itex]*[itex]\sqrt{x}[/itex]
When u is substituted for the [itex]\sqrt{x}[/itex], du still equals[itex]\frac{1}{2\sqrt{x}}[/itex]dx , but the minus 3 in the denominator of the first factor prevents cleanly substituting a multiple of du for [itex]\frac{1}{\sqrt{x}-3}[/itex]dx.

Any ideas or hints?