Substitution in a definite integral

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the method of substitution in definite integrals, particularly focusing on the theoretical aspects and the application of the substitution theorem. Participants explore the conditions under which substitution is effective and the relationship between composite functions and integration techniques.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that the method of substitution may not always be applicable, as illustrated by the integral ##\int{x(2+x^7)^{1/5}}\,dx##, while others point out that the integral ##\int{x^6(2+x^7)^{1/5}}\,dx## can be solved using substitution.
  • There is a discussion about the theorem stating that if ##g## is a differentiable function on ##[a,b]## and ##f## is continuous on the range of ##g##, then the equality ##\int_a^b{\,f(g(x))g'(x)dx}=\int_A^B{\,f(u)du}## holds.
  • Participants explore the nature of the integrand as a composite function and relate this to the inverse of the chain rule, suggesting that integration by substitution parallels differentiation techniques.
  • Some participants emphasize the importance of the correction factor ##g'## in the substitution process, which allows for the conversion of ##dx## to ##du##.
  • There are mentions of the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus and its application in deriving the substitution rule, with some participants questioning the necessity of using it twice in the context of the theorem.
  • One participant raises a point about the definition of the composite function ##F\circ{g}## and its implications for the substitution theorem.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various interpretations of the substitution theorem and its proof, indicating that there is no consensus on certain aspects, particularly regarding the necessity of using the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus twice and the nature of composite functions in this context.

Contextual Notes

Some participants highlight the potential confusion between different theorems related to integration and differentiation, noting that the proofs for these theorems differ significantly. There is also mention of the dependence on the continuity and differentiability of the functions involved.

mcastillo356
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TL;DR
Need some help understanding the so-called Theorem.
Hi, PF
I am going to reproduce the introduction of the textbook; then the Theorem:

The method of substitution cannot be forced to work. There is no substitution that will do much good with the integral ##\int{x(2+x^7)^{1/5}}\,dx##, for instance. However, the integral ##\int{x^6(2+x^7)^{1/5}}\,dx## will yield to the substitution ##u=2+x^7##. The substitution ##u=g(x)## is more likely to work if ##g'(x)## is a factor of the integrand.

The following theorem simplifies the use of the method of susbstitution in definite integrals.

THEOREM 6 Substitution in a definite integral

Suppose that ##g## is a differentiable function on ##[a,b]## that satisfies ##g(a)=A## and ##g(b)=B##. Also suppose that ##f## is continous on the range of ##g##. Then

$$\displaystyle\int_a^b{\,f(g(x))g'(x)dx}=\displaystyle\int_A^B{\,f(u)du}$$

PROOF Let ##F## be an antiderivative of ##f: F'(u)=f(u)##. Then

##\displaystyle\frac{d}{dx}\,F(g(x))=F'(g(x))g'(x)##.
Thus,
$$\displaystyle\int_a^b{f(g(x))g'(x)}=F(g(x))\Bigg |_a^b=F(g(b))-F(g(a))
=F(B)-F(A)=F(u)\Bigg |_A^B=\displaystyle\int_A^B{\,f(u)du}$$

EXAMPLE 5 Evaluate the integral ##I=\displaystyle\int_0^8{\displaystyle\frac{\cos{\sqrt{x+1}}}{\sqrt{x+1}}\,dx}##.

Solution Let ##u=\sqrt{x+1}##. Then ##du=\displaystyle\frac{dx}{2\sqrt{x+1}}##. If ##x=0##, then ##u=1##; if ##x=8##, then ##u=3##. Thus

$$I=2\displaystyle\int_1^3{\cos{u}\,du}=2\sin{u\Bigg |_1^3}=2\sin{3}-2\sin{1}$$

Paradoxically, I understand the example 5, but can't deal with the theory, ie, the theorem 6. Try to focus the doubt about the theorem will be my attempt: why in the equality ##\displaystyle\int_a^b{\,f(g(x))g'(x)dx}=\displaystyle\int_A^B{\,f(u)du}##, at the left, the integrand is a composite function?.

Greetings

PD: Post without preview
 
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mcastillo356 said:
Try to focus the doubt about the theorem will be my attempt: why in the equality ##\displaystyle\int_a^b{\,f(g(x))g'(x)dx}=\displaystyle\int_A^B{\,f(u)du}##, at the left, the integrand is a composite function?.
What do you mean "why is it a composite function"? Because the theorem deals with the integral of a composite function. Note that "Integration by substitution" is like the inverse of the chain rule. And "integration by parts" is like the inverse of the product rule.
 
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Substitute ##g(x)=u.## Then ##\dfrac{du}{dx}=\dfrac{g(x)}{dx}=g'(x)## and the integrand becomes
\begin{align*}
\int_a^b f(g(x)) g'(x)\,dx= \int_{x=a}^{x=b}f(u) \dfrac{du}{dx}\,dx=\int_{g(a)}^{g(b)}f(u) \,du=\int_A^B f(u)\,du
\end{align*}
which is the standard substitution method.

The crucial point is that we have ##f(\;g\;)\cdot g'## which allows to not only substitute ##u=g(x)## but simultaneously get rid of ##dx## by substituting it with ##du.## ##g'## is the correction factor that cancels out.

Here is the general n-dimensional transformation theorem of integrals:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integration_by_substitution#Substitution_for_multiple_variables
 
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1) ##\frac{d}{dx}f(g(x))=f'(g(x))g'(x)##
2) use the Fundamental theorem of calculus twice: ##\int_a^bf'(g(x))g'(x)dx = f(g(b))-f(g(a))=\int_{g(a)}^{g(b)}f'(x)dx##

Remark: in the multidimensional case ##g## must be a diffeomorphism (if only we have no intention to measure the topological degree of ##g##).
 
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wrobel said:
1) ##\frac{d}{dx}f(g(x))=f'(g(x))g'(x)##
2) use the Fundamental theorem of calculus twice: ##\int_a^bf'(g(x))g'(x)dx = f(g(b))-f(g(a))=\int_{g(a)}^{g(b)}f'(x)dx##
The inverse chain rule!
 
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By the way, there are two pretty different theorems which are usually confused. The proofs are very different as well.

Theorem 1. Assume that ##f\in C[a,b].## Then
$$\frac{d}{dx}\int_a^xf(s)ds=f(x),\quad x\in[a,b].$$

Theorem 2. Assume that a function ##g\in C[a,b]## is differentiable in [a,b] and such that ##g'## is Riemann integrable in [a,b]. Then
$$\int_a^x g'(s)ds=g(x)-g(a).$$
 
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Hi, PF
wrobel said:
1) ##\frac{d}{dx}f(g(x))=f'(g(x))g'(x)##
Nice introduction.
wrobel said:
2) use the Fundamental theorem of calculus twice: ##\int_a^bf'(g(x))g'(x)dx = f(g(b))-f(g(a))=\int_{g(a)}^{g(b)}f'(x)dx##
Let ##g:[a,b]\rightarrow{I}## be a differentiable function with a continous derivative, where ##\mbox{I}\subset{\mathbb{R}}## is an interval. Suppose that ##f\,I\,\rightarrow{\mathbb{R}}## is a continous function. Then
$$\displaystyle\int_a^b{\,f(g(x))g'(x)dx}=\displaystyle\int_A^B{\,f(u)du}$$
In Leibniz notation, the substitution ##u=g(x)## yields
##\displaystyle\frac{du}{dx}=g'(x)##.
Working heuristically (investigating or discovering? Wikipedia doesn't support nor refuse infinitesimals?) with infinitesimals yields the equation
##du=g'(x)dx##,
which suggests the substitution formula above.
Proof
Integration by substitution can be derived from the fundamental theorem of calculus as follows. Let ##f## and ##g## be two functions satisfying the above hypothesis that ##f## is continous on ##I## and ##g'## is integrable on ##[a,b]##. Hence the integrals
##\displaystyle\int_a^b{\,f(g(x))g'(x)dx}##
and
##\displaystyle\int_{g(a)}^{g(b)}{\,f(u)du}##
in fact exist, and it remains to show that they are equal.

Applying the fundamental theorem of calculus twice gives (here I say: the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus is, in my personal opinion, is not the issue of this thread; it is ment to be part of the comprehended background; however, a doubt has raised: the term "twice"):

wrobel said:
By the way, there are two pretty different theorems which are usually confused. The proofs are very different as well.

Theorem 1. Assume that ##f\in C[a,b].## Then
$$\frac{d}{dx}\int_a^xf(s)ds=f(x),\quad x\in[a,b].$$

Theorem 2. Assume that a function ##g\in C[a,b]## is differentiable in [a,b] and such that ##g'## is Riemann integrable in [a,b]. Then
$$\int_a^x g'(s)ds=g(x)-g(a).$$

Now what I think is that when we mention to use twice, we talk about the left and the right sides of the theorem of substitution in a definite integral, this is, demonstrate the following:

wrobel said:
2) use the Fundamental theorem of calculus twice: ##\int_a^bf'(g(x))g'(x)dx = f(g(b))-f(g(a))=\int_{g(a)}^{g(b)}f'(x)dx##
Since ##f## is continous, it has an antiderivative ##F##. The composite function ##F\circ{g}## is then defined (why is it then defined?) Since ##g## is differentiable, combining the chain rule and the definition of an antiderivative gives

##(F\circ{g})'(x)=F'(g(x))\cdot{g'(x)}=f(g(x))\cdot{g'(x)}##

Applying the fundamental theorem of calculus twice gives

##\displaystyle\int_a^b{f(g(x)\cdot{g'(x)\,dx}}=\displaystyle\int_a^b{(F\circ{g})'(x)\,dx}##
##=(F\circ{g})(b)-(F\circ{g})(a)##
##=F(g(b))-F(g(a))##
##=\displaystyle\int_{g(a)}^{g(b)}\,f(u)du##

which is the substitution rule
Source, Wikipedia. Thanks, @fresh_42
Greetings.
 

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