Arkansas Tech University

MATH 2924: Calculus II

Dr. Marcel B. Finan
1 Integration by Substitution
The purpose of this section is to evaluate the integral

(g(x))g

(x)dx. (1)
This is done by recalling the Chain rule for nding the derivative of a com-
posite function of the form f(g(x)) given by
d
dx
[f(g(x))] = f

(g(x)) g

(x).
Hence, we have the following

(g(x))g

(x)dx =

d
dx
[f(g(x))]dx = f(g(x)) + C. (2)
An alternative way for evaluating integral (1) is to let u(x) = g(x). In this
case, the dierential of u is du = g

(x)dx. Therefore, we can write

(g(x))g

(x)dx =

(u)du = f(u) + C = f(g(x)) + C. (3)

The above procedure is referred to as the method of integration by
substitution. Thus, when the integrand looks like a composite function
times the derivative of the inside function then try using substitution to
integrate. Note that this method of antidierentiation reverses the chain
rule of dierentiation.
The following examples illustrate the use of this method.
Example 1.1
Find

3x
2
cos x
3
dx.
Solution.
The inside function is u(x) = x
3
. Then du = 3x
2
dx and therefore

3x
2
cos x
3
dx =

cos udu = sinu + C = sinx

3
+ C
The method of substitution works even when the derivative of the inside is
missing a constant factor as shown in the next couple of examples.
1
Example 1.2
Find

xe
x
2
+1
dx.
Solution.
If the inside function is u(x) = x
2
+ 1 then du = 2xdx. Thus, the constant
factor 2 is missing in the given integral. In order to use (3) we multiply the
integrand by 2 and divide the whole thing by 2 as shown below.

xe
x
2
+1
dx =
1
2

2xe
x
2
+1
dx
=
1
2

e
u
du =
e
u
2
+ C
=
1
2
e
x
2
+1
+ C.
You may wonder why
1
2

e
u
du =
1
2
e
u
+ C and not
1
2

e
u
du =
1
2
(e
u
+ C) =
e
u
2
+
C
2
. The convention is always to add C to whatever antiderivative we
have calculated.
Example 1.3
Find

x
3

x
4
+ 5dx.
Solution.
Let u(x) = x
4
+ 5. Then du = 4x
3
dx. Thus,

x
3

x
4
+ 5dx =
1
4

4x
3

x
4
+ 5dx
=
1
4

udu =
1
4

u
1
2
du
=
1
4

u
3
2
3
2
+ C
=
1
6
(x
4
+ 5)
3
2
+ C
In some situations, the integrand consists of a fraction having a function in
the denominator and its derivative in the numerator. This leads to a natural
logarithm as seen in the next two examples.
Example 1.4
Find

e
x
e
x
+1
dx.
2
Solution.
Let u(x) = e
x
+ 1. Then du = e
x
dx. Thus,

e
x
e
x
+ 1
dx =

du
u
= ln|u| + C (4)
=ln|e
x
+ 1| + C = ln(e
x
+ 1) + C.
Note that |e
x
+ 1| = e
x
+ 1 since e
x
+ 1 > 0 for all x
Example 1.5
Find

tanxdx.
Solution.
Since tanx =
sin x
cos x
, we let u(x) = cos x and we nd that du = sinxdx.
Therefore

tanxdx =

du
u
= ln|u| + C = ln| cos x| + C
Next, we discuss the evaluation of a denite integral using the technique
of substitution. From (2) we have that f(g(x)) is an antiderivative of the
function f

(g(x))g

(x). Applying the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus we

can write

b
a
f

(g(x))g

(x)dx = f(g(x))|
b
a
= f(g(b)) f(g(a)).
If we let u(x) = g(x) then the previous formula reduces to

b
a
f

(g(x))g

(x)dx = f(g(b)) f(g(a)) =

g(b)
g(a)
f

(u)du.
Warning: When evaluating denite integrals, there is no constant of inte-
gration in the nal answer. Also, when converting the original limits to new
limits then use these limits with the new variable. You DO NOT need to
convert back to the original variable.
Example 1.6
Compute

2
0
xe
x
2
dx.
3
Solution.
Let u(x) = x
2
. Then du = 2xdx, u(0) = 0, and u(2) = 4. Thus,

2
0
xe
x
2
dx =
1
2

4
0
e
u
du =
e
u
2

4
0
=
1
2
(e
4
1)
Example 1.7
Compute


4
0
tan
3
x
cos
2
x
dx.
Solution.
Let u(x) = tanx. Then du =
dx
cos
2
x
, u(0) = 0, and u(

4
) = 1. Thus,

4
0
tan
3
x
cos
2
x
dx =

1
0
u
3
du =
u
4
4

1
0
=
1
4
Example 1.8
Find

1 +

xdx.
Solution.
Let u = 1 +

x. Then du =
dx
2

x
=
dx
2(u1)
or dx = 2(u 1)du. Thus,

1 +

xdx =

u(u 1)du =

(2u

u 2

u)du
=

(2u
3
2
2u
1
2
)du
=2
u
5
2
5
2
2
u
3
2
3
2
+ C
=
4
5
(1 +

x)
5
2

4
3
(1 +

x)
3
2
+ C
Remark 1.1
As you have noticed by now, one learns how to pick the right substitution
from experience. However, keep in mind that remembering most of the
dierentiation formulas is crucial!
4