Methods of Integration

Integration
by Parts

Example: x3 ex dx
u dv = uv v du

1
x3 ex dx = x3 ex 3 x2 ex dx 1 u = x3 dv = ex dx
du = 3x2 dx v = ex

3 x 2 x x
= x e 3 x e 2 xe dx 2 2
u = x2 dv = ex dx
Integration by parts is useful when the integrand is du = 2x dx v = ex
a product of two different kinds of pieces. For in- = x3 ex 3 x2 ex 2 xex ex dx 3
3
stance, an exponential term times a trigonometric term, u=x dv = ex dx
or a logarithmic term times an algebraic term. = x3 ex 3x2 ex + 6xex 6ex +C du = dx v = ex

Note that it may be necessary to do the procedure

more than once.

If after a few iterations you end up back at the start-

ing integral, you may be able to solve the integral by
gathering the occurrences of that integral on one side
of the equation.

Rule of Thumb for choosing u (expressions at the top

of the list tend to make better choices of u):

Inverse trigonometric
Logarithmic
Algebraic
Trigonometric
Exponential expression


Trigonometric sin5 x cos2 x dx

Examples:
Integrals
5 2
sin x cos x dx = sin x sin4 x cos2 x dx

= sin x(1 cos2 x)2 cos2 x dx

= sin x(cos2 x 2 cos4 x + cos6 x) dx
u = cos x
m n
sin x cos x dx du = sin x dx
= (u2 + 2u4 u6 ) du

u3 2u5 u7
= + +C
3 5 7
cos3 x 2 cos5 x cos7 x
= sin4 x cos+4 x dx +C
3 5 7

If n is odd, use the identity

4
sin2 x + cos2 x = 1, 1
sin4 x cos4 x dx = sin(2x) dx
2
to convert all but one cosine terms to sine. Then sub-

stitute u = sin x. Similarly, if m is odd, convert the 1
sine terms to cosine, leaving one sine term, and sub- = sin4 (2x) dx
16
stitute u = cos x.
2
1 1
= [1 cos(2x)] dx
16 2
If both powers are even, then you must use a com-
bination of double angle identities to simplify the
1
integrand. Begin with: = 1 2 cos(2x) + cos2 (2x) dx
64
1
sin(x) cos(x) = sin(2x) 1 1
2 = x sin(2x) + (1 + cos(4x)) dx
64 2
Then use:
1 1 sin(4x)
1 = x sin(2x) + x+ +C
sin2 (x) = [1 cos(2x)] 64 2 4
2
1 3 1
1 = x sin(2x) + sin(4x) +C
cos2 (x) = [1 + cos(2x)] 64 2 8
2
 Example:

tanm x secn x dx
tan3 x sec2 x dx

tan3 x sec2 x dx = tan x(sec2 x 1) sec2 x dx
If n is even, use the identity

sec2 x = 1 + tan2 x = (sec3 x sec x) sec x tan x dx u = sec x
du = sec x tan x dx

to convert all but two of the secants into tangents.
Then substitute u = tan x. If m is odd, convert all but = (u3 u) du
one of the tangents into secant, and substitute u =
sec x. u4 u2
= +C
4 2
Similar strategies work for combinations of powers
sec4 x sec2 x
of cotangent and cosecant. = +C
4 2

multiple angles Use the identities (derived from addition formulas for
sine and cosine):

1
sin(mx) sin(nx) dx sin A sin B = [sin(A B) cos(A + B)]
2

1
cos(mx) cos(nx) dx cos A cos B = [cos(A B) + cos(A + B)]
2

1
sin(mx) cos(nx) dx sin A cos B = [sin(A B) + sin(A + B)]
2
Trigonometric
Substitution

dx

9x2 + 4
Examples:

dx (2/3) sec2 1
= d 1
2 9x2 + 4 2 sec
x2 a 4
x 1 2
= sec d 9x
3 3x

1
a = ln | sec + tan | +C
3 2

1 9x2 + 4 3x x = 23 tan
= ln + +C
3 2dx 2
x

9x2 + 4 = 2 sec
x 2 a2

x2 + 2x + 10
dx = 23 sec2 d

a
dx

dx
=
2
2
x + 2x + 10 (x + 1)2 + 32
u = x+1

du du = dx
a 2

=
u2 + 9
a2 x2

3 sec2 3
= d 3
3 sec
x 9
sec d
= u2
u
= ln | sec + tan | +C
Trigonometric substitution is useful when the inte- 3
u2 + 9 u
grand has a term of the form x2 + a2 , x2 a2 , or
= ln

+ +C
a2 x2 . This term is often (but not always) inside of a 3 3 u = 3 tan

square root or in the denominator of a fraction. There u2 + 9 = 3 sec
are essentially three cases, all involving replacing al- (x + 1)2 + 9 x + 1
du = 3 sec2 d
gebraic expressions with trigonometric expressions. = ln + +C
3 3

Note that it may be necessary to complete the square.

Partial
Fractions
If the degree of the numerator is higher than the de- Example:
gree of the denominator, before beginning the partial

fractions procedure, you must perform polynomial 5x2 + 3
dx
long division. x3 + x

The first step in determining the partial fractions de-

composition is to factor the denominator. While in
practice this may be very difficult, in theory it is 5x2 + 3 A Bx +C
= + 2
possible to factor the denominator into the following x3 + x x x +1
types of forms:
A(x2 + 1) + x(Bx +C)
=
1 x+a x3 + x

2 x2 + ax + b

3 (x + a)n 5x2 + 3 = Ax2 + A + Bx2 +Cx

4 (x2 + ax + b)n
5 = A + B

= 3 = A = B = 2


The corresponding terms in the partial fraction de- 0=C
composition:
A
1
x+a 5x2 + 3 3 2x
dx = + dx u = x2 + 1
x3 + x x x2 + 1
Ax + B
2 du = 2xdx
x2 + ax + b du
= 3 ln |x| +
A1 A2 An u
3 + ++
x + a (x + a)2 (x + a)n = 3 ln |x| + ln |u| +C
A1 x + B1 A2 x + B2 An x + Bn
4
2
+ 2 2
++ 2 = 3 ln |x| + ln(x2 + 1) +C
x + ax + b (x + ax + b) (x + ax + b)n

Use linear algebra to find the values of the coeffi-

cients in the numerators of these fractions.