Understanding Integration by Parts

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the method of integration by parts, specifically addressing a nontraditional approach presented by a professor. Participants are exploring the application of the theorem and clarifying the roles of the functions involved in the integration process.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes their understanding of integration by parts as stated by their professor, presenting a specific example involving the integral of e^x sin(x).
  • Another participant clarifies that sin(x) can only be used as dv, not v, and provides a derivation based on the product rule to explain the integration by parts formula.
  • A participant questions how the professor's method is equivalent to the standard approach, suggesting that the professor's formulation appears to involve integrating twice.
  • A later reply specifies that the correct substitution for dv is sin(x)dx, indicating that v should be the integral of sin(x)dx.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the professor's method and its equivalence to the traditional integration by parts approach. There is no consensus on the correctness of the professor's method or its implications.

Contextual Notes

Participants have not resolved the assumptions regarding the roles of u and v in the integration by parts formula, and there are unresolved questions about the equivalence of the methods discussed.

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Hello.

I'm just trying to understanding something here. I was taught integration by parts by my professor in what looks to be like an untraditional way.

From my understanding, the theorem states:

∫udv = uv - ∫vdu

We were given an example in class of:

∫exsin(x)dx
=∫ex∫sin(x)dx - ∫[(ex)'∫sin(x)dx]dx
=-excos(x) + ∫excos(x)dx

I don't understand how this is the same thing as if I were to use, ex as u and sin(x) as v, since the outcome would then be:

∫exsin(x)dx
=exsin(x)dx - ∫exsin(x)dx

Any help understanding this professors method would be great, thanks!
 
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You can't use sin(x) as v, you can only use it as dv. A simple derivation can be given by the product rule:
[tex]d(uv)=u\,dv+v\,du[/tex]
and so, integrating both sides yields
[tex]\int d(uv)=\int u\,dv + \int v\,du[/tex]
Here, the LHS is seen to be equal to uv, and hence this takes the form
[tex]uv=\int u\,dv + \int v\,du[/tex]
in which one can subtract [itex]\displaystyle \int v\,du[/itex] from both sides to obtain
[tex]uv-\int v\,du=\int u\,dv[/tex]
which is the well-known integration by parts.

In your example, one needs to integrate by parts twice to obtain an equation satisfied by the integral which thence can be solved for the integral itself, whereas a simpler method might lie in Euler's formula.
 
Okay, I understand that.

But also, based on that understanding, how is the method provided by the professor equivalent and yielding the proper answer?

=∫e^x∫sin(x)dx - ∫[(e^x)'∫sin(x)dx]dx

This looks to me like ∫udv - ∫dudv.
 
The substitution needed is dv = sin(x)dx. I.e. v = ∫sin(x)dx.
 

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