Is My Solution to This Integral Correct?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the evaluation of the integral $\displaystyle\int\frac{3x-1}{2x^2+2x+3}dx$. Participants explore various substitution methods and transformations to arrive at a solution, while comparing their results to a reference answer found in a textbook. The conversation includes technical reasoning and corrections related to the integration process.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant presents a detailed solution to the integral, including substitutions and transformations.
  • Another participant suggests checking the solution by differentiating the result to see if it matches the original integrand.
  • A participant points out a mistake in the first substitution, noting that a term was missed in the expression for $3x-1$.
  • After acknowledging the mistake, the original poster provides a revised answer and asks for verification of its correctness.
  • Further discussion involves the logarithmic term and its transformation, with participants questioning how to properly express the logarithm in terms of the original variables.
  • One participant confirms that the revised answer is indeed correct, while another explains how the textbook answer is equivalent to the revised answer by rationalizing the denominator.
  • There are multiple approaches suggested for solving the integral, indicating that different methods may lead to equivalent forms of the answer.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on a single correct solution, as multiple methods and forms of the answer are discussed. Some participants agree on the correctness of the revised answer, while others focus on the equivalence of different expressions.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved aspects regarding the transformations and substitutions used in the integral, particularly concerning the logarithmic terms and their dependence on specific variable definitions.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in integral calculus, particularly those looking to understand various methods of integration and the nuances of substitution techniques.

paulmdrdo1
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again, i need some help here guys.$\displaystyle\int\frac{3x-1}{2x^2+2x+3}dx$

=$\displaystyle\int\frac{3x-1}{2\left[\left(x+\frac{1}{2}\right)^2+\frac{5}{4}\right]}dx$

$\displaystyle a=\frac{\sqrt{5}}{2}$; $\displaystyle u=x+\frac{1}{2}$; $\displaystyle du=dx$; $\displaystyle x=u-\frac{1}{2}$

=$\displaystyle\frac{1}{2}\int3\frac{\left(u-\frac{1}{2}\right)}{a^2+u^2}du$;

=$\displaystyle\frac{1}{2}\int\frac{\left(3u-\frac{3}{2}\right)}{a^2+u^2}du$

=$\displaystyle\frac{1}{2}\left(\int\frac{3u}{a^2+u^2}du-\frac{3}{2}\int\frac{du}{a^2+u^2}du\right)$

$\displaystyle v=a^2+u^2$; $\displaystyle dv=2udu$; $\displaystyle du=\frac{1}{2u}dv$

=$\displaystyle\frac{1}{2}\left(3\int\frac{udv}{v\,2u}dv-\frac{3}{2}\int\frac{du}{a^2+u^2}du\right)$

=$\displaystyle\frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{3}{2}\int \frac{dv}{v}-\frac{3}{2}\int\frac{du}{a^2+u^2}du\right)$

=$\displaystyle\frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{3}{2}ln(a^2+u^2)-\frac{3}{2}\frac{2}{\sqrt{5}}\arctan\frac{2x+1}{ \sqrt{5}}\right)$

=$\displaystyle\frac{3}{4}ln\left(x+\frac{\sqrt{5}+1}{2}\right)-\frac{3}{2\sqrt{5}}\arctan\frac{2x+1}{ \sqrt{5}}+C$ ---> FINAL ANSWER.

would you be so generous to check if my solution is correct?

thanks!

the answer in my book is in this form,

$\displaystyle\frac{3}{4}ln(2x^2+2x+3)-\frac{\sqrt{5}}{2}\arctan\frac{2x+1}{\sqrt{5}}+C$

is my answer equivalent to this one?
 
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Re: integrals giving inverse trig.

Hmm. I have several thoughts on this.
  1. You can check your answer by differentiating, and seeing if you get back to the original integrand. What does that give you?
  2. My HP 50g calculator gives me
    $$\int=- \frac{ \sqrt{5}}{2} \arctan \left( \frac{ \sqrt{5}+2 \sqrt{5} x}{5} \right)+ \frac{3}{4} \ln |2x^{2}+2x+3|.$$
  3. You can see for yourself what W/A gives.
  4. In looking over your work, I think your first substitution might have gone awry. I wouldn't do more than one substitution at once.
 
Re: integrals giving inverse trig.

what's wrong with my first substitution? please explain.
 
Re: integrals giving inverse trig.

You have $3x-1$ if we use the substitution $$x=u-\frac{1}{2}$$

we get $3\left(u-\frac{1}{2} \right)-1=3u-\frac{3}{2}-1=3u-\frac{5}{2}$

You missed the $$-1$$ in $$3x-1$$.
 
Re: integrals giving inverse trig.

yes i missed that one.

my new answer is $\displaystyle\frac{3}{4}\ln\left(x+\frac{\sqrt{5}+1}{2}\right)-\frac{5}{2\sqrt{5}}\arctan\frac{2x+1}{\sqrt{5}}+C$

is this correct?
 
Last edited:
Re: integrals giving inverse trig.

You have the term $$\ln(a^2+u^2)$$

what do you get by letting

$$a^2=\frac{5}{4},u=x+\frac{1}{2}$$
 
Re: integrals giving inverse trig.

ZaidAlyafey said:
You have the term $$\ln(a^2+u^2)$$

what do you get by letting

$$a^2=\frac{5}{4},u=x+\frac{1}{2}$$

oh hey, i forgot to square them

$\displaystyle\frac{3}{4}\ln\left(x^2+x+\frac{3}{2}\right)-\frac{5}{2\sqrt{5}}\arctan\frac{2x+1}{\sqrt{5}}+C$ will this be the correct answer?
 
Re: integrals giving inverse trig.

paulmdrdo said:
oh hey, i forgot to square them

$\displaystyle\frac{3}{4}\ln\left(x^2+x+\frac{3}{2}\right)-\frac{5}{2\sqrt{5}}\arctan\frac{2x+1}{\sqrt{5}}+C$ will this be the correct answer?

Yes , sure .
 
paulmdrdo said:
again, i need some help here guys.$\displaystyle\int\frac{3x-1}{2x^2+2x+3}dx$

=$\displaystyle\int\frac{3x-1}{2\left[\left(x+\frac{1}{2}\right)^2+\frac{5}{4}\right]}dx$

$\displaystyle a=\frac{\sqrt{5}}{2}$; $\displaystyle u=x+\frac{1}{2}$; $\displaystyle du=dx$; $\displaystyle x=u-\frac{1}{2}$

=$\displaystyle\frac{1}{2}\int3\frac{\left(u-\frac{1}{2}\right)}{a^2+u^2}du$;

=$\displaystyle\frac{1}{2}\int\frac{\left(3u-\frac{3}{2}\right)}{a^2+u^2}du$

=$\displaystyle\frac{1}{2}\left(\int\frac{3u}{a^2+u^2}du-\frac{3}{2}\int\frac{du}{a^2+u^2}du\right)$

$\displaystyle v=a^2+u^2$; $\displaystyle dv=2udu$; $\displaystyle du=\frac{1}{2u}dv$

=$\displaystyle\frac{1}{2}\left(3\int\frac{udv}{v\,2u}dv-\frac{3}{2}\int\frac{du}{a^2+u^2}du\right)$

=$\displaystyle\frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{3}{2}\int \frac{dv}{v}-\frac{3}{2}\int\frac{du}{a^2+u^2}du\right)$

=$\displaystyle\frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{3}{2}ln(a^2+u^2)-\frac{3}{2}\frac{2}{\sqrt{5}}\arctan\frac{2x+1}{ \sqrt{5}}\right)$

=$\displaystyle\frac{3}{4}ln\left(x+\frac{\sqrt{5}+1}{2}\right)-\frac{3}{2\sqrt{5}}\arctan\frac{2x+1}{ \sqrt{5}}+C$ ---> FINAL ANSWER.

would you be so generous to check if my solution is correct?

thanks!

the answer in my book is in this form,

$\displaystyle\frac{3}{4}ln(2x^2+2x+3)-\frac{\sqrt{5}}{2}\arctan\frac{2x+1}{\sqrt{5}}+C$

is my answer equivalent to this one?

A good strategy is ALWAYS to look for a simple substitution, or to see how you can manipulate your integrand to get a simple substitution...

\displaystyle \begin{align*} \int{ \frac{3x - 1}{2x^2 + 2x + 3} \, dx} &= 3\int{\frac{x - \frac{1}{3}}{2x^2 + 2x + 3}\,dx} \\ &= \frac{3}{4} \int{ \frac{4x - \frac{4}{3}}{2x^2 + 2x + 3} \, dx} \\ &= \frac{3}{4} \int{ \frac{4x + 2 - \frac{10}{3}}{2x^2 + 2x + 3}\,dx} \\ &= \frac{3}{4} \left( \int{ \frac{4x + 2}{2x^2 + 2x + 3}\,dx} - \frac{10}{3} \int{ \frac{1}{2x^2 + 2x + 3} \, dx} \right) \\ &= \frac{3}{4} \int{ \frac{4x + 2}{2x^2 + 2x + 3}\,dx} - \frac{5}{2} \int{ \frac{1}{2x^2 + 2x + 3}\,dx} \\ &= \frac{3}{4} \int{ \frac{4x + 2}{2x^2 + 2x + 3} \,dx } - \frac{5}{4} \int{ \frac{1}{x^2 + x + \frac{3}{2} }\,dx} \\ &= \frac{3}{4} \int{ \frac{4x + 2}{2x^2 + 2x + 3} \,dx} - \frac{5}{4} \int{ \frac{1}{x^2 + x + \left( \frac{1}{2} \right) ^2 - \left( \frac{1}{2} \right) ^2 + \frac{6}{4} } \,dx} \\ &= \frac{3}{4} \int{ \frac{4x + 2}{2x^2 + 2x + 3} \, dx} - \frac{5}{4} \int{ \frac{1}{ \left( x + \frac{1}{2} \right) ^2 + \frac{5}{4} } \, dx} \end{align*}

The first of these integrals can now be solved using the substitution \displaystyle \begin{align*} u = 2x^2 + 2x + 3 \implies du = \left( 4x + 2 \right) \, dx \end{align*} and the second can be solved using the substitution \displaystyle \begin{align*} x + \frac{1}{2} = \frac{\sqrt{5}}{2} \tan{(\theta)} \implies dx = \frac{\sqrt{5}}{2} \sec^2{(\theta)}\,d\theta \end{align*}.
 
  • #10
hey zaid, for educational purposes could you tell me why the answer in my book is in this form,

$\displaystyle\frac{3}{4}ln(2x^2+2x+3)-\frac{\sqrt{5}}{2}\arctan\frac{2x+1}{\sqrt{5}}+C$

is this equivalent to what i get in my answer?
 
  • #11
Yes, they rationalised the denominator.

\displaystyle \begin{align*} \frac{5}{2\sqrt{5}} &= \frac{5}{2\sqrt{5}} \cdot \frac{\sqrt{5}}{\sqrt{5}} \\ &= \frac{5\sqrt{5}}{2 \cdot 5} \\ &= \frac{\sqrt{5}}{2} \end{align*}
 
  • #12
Prove It said:
A good strategy is ALWAYS to look for a simple substitution, or to see how you can manipulate your integrand to get a simple substitution...

\displaystyle \begin{align*} \int{ \frac{3x - 1}{2x^2 + 2x + 3} \, dx} &= 3\int{\frac{x - \frac{1}{3}}{2x^2 + 2x + 3}\,dx} \\ &= \frac{3}{4} \int{ \frac{4x - \frac{4}{3}}{2x^2 + 2x + 3} \, dx} \\ &= \frac{3}{4} \int{ \frac{4x + 2 - \frac{10}{3}}{2x^2 + 2x + 3}\,dx} \\ &= \frac{3}{4} \left( \int{ \frac{4x + 2}{2x^2 + 2x + 3}\,dx} - \frac{10}{3} \int{ \frac{1}{2x^2 + 2x + 3} \, dx} \right) \\ &= \frac{3}{4} \int{ \frac{4x + 2}{2x^2 + 2x + 3}\,dx} - \frac{5}{2} \int{ \frac{1}{2x^2 + 2x + 3}\,dx} \\ &= \frac{3}{4} \int{ \frac{4x + 2}{2x^2 + 2x + 3} \,dx } - \frac{5}{4} \int{ \frac{1}{x^2 + x + \frac{3}{2} }\,dx} \\ &= \frac{3}{4} \int{ \frac{4x + 2}{2x^2 + 2x + 3} \,dx} - \frac{5}{4} \int{ \frac{1}{x^2 + x + \left( \frac{1}{2} \right) ^2 - \left( \frac{1}{2} \right) ^2 + \frac{6}{4} } \,dx} \\ &= \frac{3}{4} \int{ \frac{4x + 2}{2x^2 + 2x + 3} \, dx} - \frac{5}{4} \int{ \frac{1}{ \left( x + \frac{1}{2} \right) ^2 + \frac{5}{4} } \, dx} \end{align*}

The first of these integrals can now be solved using the substitution \displaystyle \begin{align*} u = 2x^2 + 2x + 3 \implies du = \left( 4x + 2 \right) \, dx \end{align*} and the second can be solved using the substitution \displaystyle \begin{align*} x + \frac{1}{2} = \frac{\sqrt{5}}{2} \tan{(\theta)} \implies dx = \frac{\sqrt{5}}{2} \sec^2{(\theta)}\,d\theta \end{align*}.

hey prove it,

can you tell me how did you arrive at 2nd line of your solution?
 
  • #13
paulmdrdo said:
hey prove it,

can you tell me how did you arrive at 2nd line of your solution?

Multiplying by 4?
 
  • #14
Prove It said:
Yes, they rationalised the denominator.

\displaystyle \begin{align*} \frac{5}{2\sqrt{5}} &= \frac{5}{2\sqrt{5}} \cdot \frac{\sqrt{5}}{\sqrt{5}} \\ &= \frac{5\sqrt{5}}{2 \cdot 5} \\ &= \frac{\sqrt{5}}{2} \end{align*}

oh yes, but what about the $\ln(2x^2+2x+3)$?

- - - Updated - - -

Prove It said:
Multiplying by 4?

hmm. what made you decide that you have to multiply it by 4? wouldn't that change the integrand?
 
  • #15
paulmdrdo said:
oh yes, but what about the $\ln(2x^2+2x+3)$?

You can write it as \displaystyle \begin{align*} \ln{ \left[ 2 \left( x^2 + x + \frac{3}{2} \right) \right] } = \ln{(2)} + \ln{ \left( x^2 + x + \frac{3}{2} \right) } \end{align*}, and since \displaystyle \begin{align*} \ln{(2)} \end{align*} is a constant, it can combine with the integration constant.

hmm. what made you decide that you have to multiply it by 4? wouldn't that change the integrand?

I multiplied by 4 because I realized that if we make the simplest substitution \displaystyle \begin{align*} u = 2x^2 + 2x + 3 \end{align*} its derivative \displaystyle \begin{align*} 4x + 2 \end{align*} has to be a factor.

No, it didn't change the integrand, because I also divided by 4 outside.
 
  • #16
No, it didn't change the integrand, because I also divided by 4 outside.

you mean like this,

$\displaystyle 3\int\frac{\left(x+\frac{1}{3}\right)}{2x^2+2x+3} \frac{4}{4}$ ?
 
  • #17
paulmdrdo said:
hey zaid, for educational purposes could you tell me why the answer in my book is in this form,

$\displaystyle\frac{3}{4}ln(2x^2+2x+3)-\frac{\sqrt{5}}{2}\arctan\frac{2x+1}{\sqrt{5}}+C$

is this equivalent to what i get in my answer?

This a common question and this is due to the constant of integration in that sense and since we are working on an indefinite integral let us take the following example :

$$\int \frac{1}{2x+1}\, dx $$

First approach :

$$\frac{1}{2}\int \frac{2}{2x+1}\, dx =\frac{1}{2}\ln(2x+1)+C$$

Second approach :

$$\frac{1}{2}\int \frac{1}{x+\frac{1}{2}}\, dx = \frac{1}{2}\ln\left(x+\frac{1}{2} \right) +C $$

Why the answers differ ? are my approaches correct ?
 

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