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Introduction
When you were rst introduced to integration as the reverse of dierentiation, the integrals
you dealt with were indenite integrals. The result of nding an indenite integral is usually a
function plus a constant of integration. In this Block we introduce denite integrals, so called
because the result will be a denite answer, usually a number, with no constant of integration.
Denite integrals have many applications, for example in nding areas bounded by curves, and
nding volumes of solids.
understand integration as the reverse of
Prerequisites dierentiation
Before starting this Block you should . . . be able to use a table of integrals
Solution
Now
x2 dx = 13 x3 + c
x3
Here f (x) = x2 and F (x) = 3
. Thus, according to our denition
4
43 13
x2 dx = F (4) F (1) = = 21
1 3 3
Now writing F (b) F (a) each time we calculate a denite integral becomes laborious so we
replace this dierence by the shorthand notation [F (x)]ba . Thus
[F (x)]ba F (b) F (a)
Thus, from now on, we shall write
b
f (x)dx = [F (x)]ba
a
so that, for example
4 4
x3 43 13
2
x dx = = = 21
1 3 1 3 3
Solution
Since cos xdx = sin x + c then
/2
cos x dx = [sin x]/2
0
0
= sin sin 0
2
= 10
= 1
Always remember, that if you use a calculator to evaluate any trigonometric functions, you must
work in radian mode.
Part (b) Now insert the limits of integration, the upper limit rst, and hence nd the value of
the integral.
Answer
Key Point
If you interchange the limits, you must introduce a minus sign:
b a
f (x) dx = f (x) dx
a b
2. Evaluate ex dx
1 1
3. Evaluate (1 + t2 )dt
/3 1
4. Find cos 2xdx
0
5. Find sin xdx
0 3
6. Find e2t dt
1
Answer
Example Find the denite integral of e x
from 0 to ; that is, nd ex dx.
0
Solution
The integral is found in the normal way:
ex dx = ex 0
0
There is no diculty in evaluating the square bracket at the lower limit. We obtain simply
e0 = 1. At the upper limit we must examine the behaviour of ex as x gets innitely
large. This is where it is important that you are familiar with the properties of the exponential
function. If you refer to the graph you will see that as x tends to innity ex tends to zero.
Consequently the contribution to the integral from the upper limit is zero. So
x
ex dx = e 0
0
= (e ) (e0 ) ex
= (0) (e0 )
= 1
x
Thus the value of 0
ex dx is 1.
Now, b b
ex dx = ex 0 = eb e0 = eb + 1
0
Then as b tends to innity eb tends to zero, and the resulting integral has the value 1, as
before.
Many integrals having innite limits cannot be evaluated in a simple way like this, and many
cannot be evaluated at all. Fortunately, most of the integrals you will meet will exhibit the sort
of behaviour seen in the last example.
For example to nd the denite integral of cos 3x from 1 to 3 you would key in Author:Expression
cos(3x) followed by Calculus:Integrate. Then, in the Variable box choose x and in the Integral
box choose Denite. The Denite integral box then requests Lower and Upper limits. Key in
1 in the Lower box and 3 in the Upper box. If you hit the OK button DERIVE responds with
3
COS(3 x)dx If instead you hit the Simplify button DERIVE responds with the denite
1
SIN(9) SIN(3)
integral You will need to Simplify:Approximate to obtain the numerical value
3 3
of 0.0903329 (6dp) As an alternative approach you could use the INT function. This takes the
form INT(f unction, variable) for indenite integrals
and INT(f unction, variable, lower, upper)
for denite integrals. So, for example, to nd cos(3x)dx you would key in INT(cos(3x), x) and
3
SIN(3 x)
DERIVE responds with Similarly, to nd cos(3x)dx you would key in INT(cos(3x), x, 1, 3)
3 1
SIN(9) SIN(3)
and DERIVE responds with DERIVE can also be used to obtain denite inte-
3 3
grals containing innite limits. For example, to nd ex dx you would key in INT(
e(x), x, 1, );
1
followed by Simplify. DERIVE responds with the value 1. (Dont forget to use e for the expo-
nential number e, and nd from the toolbar in the Expression box).