Is This Integral More Challenging Than It Appears?

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Nea
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Integral
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the integral \(\int \frac{{x^3 + 1}}{{x(x^3 - 8)}} dx\). Participants explore various methods for solving the integral, including partial fractions and integration by parts, while debating the complexity of the approaches involved.

Discussion Character

  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant requests assistance in solving the integral.
  • Another suggests using partial fractions, noting that \(x^3 - 8\) can be factored as \(x^3 - 2^3\).
  • A further contribution elaborates on the factorization, providing a specific decomposition and a transformation of \(x^2 + 2x + 4\) into a different form.
  • Integration by parts is proposed by one participant, who outlines a substitution method and provides a detailed formula for the integration process.
  • There is a question posed regarding the complexity of the latter integral compared to the original, with one participant affirming that it appears much more complicated.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the complexity of the integral and the methods proposed for solving it. No consensus is reached on the best approach or the relative difficulty of the integrals discussed.

Contextual Notes

Some participants' contributions involve assumptions about the applicability of certain methods, such as partial fractions and integration by parts, which may depend on the specific context of the integral.

Nea
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Can you help me to solve this integral?
[tex]\int {\frac{{x^3 + 1}}{{x(x^3 - 8)}}} dx[/tex]
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Partial fractions? x^3 - 8 = x^3 - 2^3 is easy to factor.
 
Remember that [itex]8=2^{3}[/itex]
Hence, we have:
[itex]x^{3}-8=(x-2)(x^{2}+2x+4)[/itex]
Use partial fractions decomposition; it might help to note that:
[tex]x^{2}+2x+4=(x+1)^{2}+3=3((\frac{x+1}{\sqrt{3}})^{2}+1)[/tex]
 


Formula for integration by parts by Substitution Rule:
[tex]\int u dv = uv - \int v du[/tex]

[tex]u = x^3 + 1 \; \; \; dv = \frac{dx}{x^4-8x}[/tex]

[tex]du = 3x^2 dx \; \; \; v = \left[\frac{\ln \left(x^3 - 8\right)}{24} - \frac{\ln\left(x\right)}{8}\right][/tex]

[tex]\int \left(x^3 + 1\right)\left(\frac{1}{x^4-8x}\right)dx = \left(x^3 + 1\right)\left[\frac{\ln \left(x^3 - 8\right)}{24} - \frac{\ln\left(x\right)}{8}\right] - \int \left[\frac{\ln \left(x^3 - 8\right)}{24} - \frac{\ln\left(x\right)}{8}\right]\left(3x^2\right)dx[/tex]
[/Color]
 
Last edited:
Orion1 said:
...[tex]\int \left(x^3 + 1\right)\left(\frac{1}{x^4-8x}\right)dx = \left(x^3 + 1\right)\left[\frac{\ln \left(x^3 - 8\right)}{24} - \frac{\ln\left(x\right)}{8}\right] - \int \left[\frac{\ln \left(x^3 - 8\right)}{24} - \frac{\ln\left(x\right)}{8}\right]\left(3x^2\right)dx[/tex]
[/Color]
Orion1, do you think that the latter integral look much more complicated than the former one??
 
VietDao29 said:
much more complicated than the former one??
Affirmative
[tex]\int \left(x^3 + 1\right)\left(\frac{1}{x^4-8x}\right)dx = \frac{1}{8} \left[ \left(x^3 + 1\right)\left[\frac{\ln \left(x^3 - 8\right)}{3} - \ln\left(x\right)\right] - \int \left[ \ln \left(x^3 - 8\right) - 3 \ln\left(x\right)\right]\left(x^2\right)dx\right][/tex]
[/Color]
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
3K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
4K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 27 ·
Replies
27
Views
3K