Some Handy Integrals

Gaussian Functions
1 π½
0 e–ax2 dx = 2 a
1
0 x e–ax 2
dx = 2a
1 π½
0 x2 e–ax2 dx = 4a a
1
0 x3 e–ax 2

2a2
dx =
3 π½
0 x4 e–ax2 dx = 8a2 a
1
0 x5 e–ax2 dx = a3
1·3·5···(2n–1) π½
0 x2n+1 e–ax2 dx = 2 an+1
n! 1
0 x2n e–ax2 dx = 2n+1an a
 

Exponential Functions
 n!
 0 xn e–ax dx = n+1
a

Integrals from - to : Even and Odd Functions

The integral of any even function taken between the limits - to  is twice the integral from 0 to
. The integral of any odd function between - and  is equal to zero, see Figure 1.

even
y

odd
y

0 x

0 x
integrals cancel
integrals add
2 2
(a). f(x) = e–ax (b). [g(x) f(x)] = x e–ax
even odd*even

Figure 1. Even and odd integrals.

To determine if a function is even, check to see if f(x) = f(-x). For an odd function, f(x) = –f(-x).
Some functions are neither odd nor even. For example, f(x) = x is odd, f(x) = x2 is even, and
f(x) = x + x2 is neither odd nor even. The following multiplication rules hold:
even*even = even odd*odd =even odd*even = odd

Consider the integral of f(x) = e–ax , Figure 1a. The function is even so that - = 20 . Next
2 
2
consider g(x) = x, which is odd, giving [g(x) f(x)] = x e–ax as overall odd (Figure 1b). The
integral is zero for the product function.

Colby College