009B Sample Final 1, Problem 6

Evaluate the improper integrals:

a) $\int _{0}^{\infty }xe^{-x}~dx$

b) $\int _{1}^{4}{\frac {dx}{\sqrt {4-x}}}$

Foundations:
1. How could you write $\int _{0}^{\infty }f(x)~dx$ so that you can integrate?
You would write $\int _{0}^{\infty }f(x)~dx=\lim _{a\rightarrow \infty }\int _{0}^{a}f(x)~dx$
2. How could you write $\int _{-1}^{1}{\frac {1}{x}}~dx$ ?
The problem is that ${\frac {1}{x}}$ is not continuous at $x=0$.
So, we break up the integral as $\int _{-1}^{1}{\frac {1}{x}}~dx=\lim _{a\rightarrow 0^{-}}\int _{-1}^{a}{\frac {1}{x}}~dx+\lim _{a\rightarrow 0^{+}}\int _{a}^{1}{\frac {1}{x}}~dx$.
3. How would you integrate $\int xe^{x}$ ?
You could use integration by parts.
Let Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle u=x} and Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle dv=e^xdx} .

Solution:

(a)

Step 1:
First, we write Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \int_0^{\infty} xe^{-x}~dx=\lim_{a\rightarrow \infty} \int_0^a xe^{-x}~dx} .
Now, we proceed using integration by parts. Let Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle u=x} and Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle dv=e^{-x}dx} . Then, Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle du=dx} and Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle v=-e^{-x}} .
Thus, the integral becomes
Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \int_0^{\infty} xe^{-x}~dx=\lim_{a\rightarrow \infty} \left.-xe^{-x}\right|_0^a-\int_0^a-e^{-x}dx}

Step 2:
For the remaining integral, we need to use Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle u} -substitution. Let Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle u=-x} . Then, Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle du=-dx} .
Since the integral is a definite integral, we need to change the bounds of integration.
Plugging in our values into the equation Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle u=-x} , we get Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle u_1=0} and Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle u_2=-a} .
Thus, the integral becomes
Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \begin{array}{rcl} \displaystyle{\int_0^{\infty} xe^{-x}~dx} & = & \displaystyle{\lim_{a\rightarrow \infty} -xe^{-x}\bigg|_0^a-\int_0^{-a}e^{u}~du}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{\lim_{a\rightarrow \infty} -xe^{-x}\bigg|_0^a-e^{u}\bigg|_0^{-a}}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{\lim_{a\rightarrow \infty} -ae^{-a}-(e^{-a}-1)}\\ \end{array}}

Step 3:
Now, we evaluate to get
Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \begin{array}{rcl} \displaystyle{\int_0^{\infty} xe^{-x}~dx} & = & \displaystyle{\lim_{a\rightarrow \infty} -ae^{-a}-(e^{-a}-1)}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{\lim_{a\rightarrow \infty} \frac{-a}{e^a}-\frac{1}{e^a}+1}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{\lim_{a\rightarrow \infty} \frac{-a-1}{e^a}+1}\\ \end{array}}
Using L'Hopital's Rule, we get
Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \begin{array}{rcl} \displaystyle{\int_0^{\infty} xe^{-x}~dx} & = & \displaystyle{\lim_{a\rightarrow \infty} \frac{-1}{e^a}+1}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{0+1}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{1}\\ \end{array}}

(b)

Step 1:
First, we write Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \int_1^4 \frac{dx}{\sqrt{4-x}}=\lim_{a\rightarrow 4} \int_1^a\frac{dx}{\sqrt{4-x}}} .
Now, we proceed by Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle u} -substitution. We let Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle u=4-x} . Then, Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle du=-dx} .
Since the integral is a definite integral, we need to change the bounds of integration.
Plugging in our values into the equation Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle u=4-x} , we get Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle u_1=4-1=3} and Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle u_2=4-a} .
Thus, the integral becomes
Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \int_1^4 \frac{dx}{\sqrt{4-x}}=\lim_{a\rightarrow 4} \int_3^{4-a}\frac{-du}{\sqrt{u}}} .

Step 2:
We integrate to get
Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \begin{array}{rcl} \displaystyle{\int_1^4 \frac{dx}{\sqrt{4-x}}} & = & \displaystyle{\lim_{a\rightarrow 4} -2u^{\frac{1}{2}}\bigg|_{3}^{4-a}}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{\lim_{a\rightarrow 4}-2\sqrt{4-a}+2\sqrt{3}}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{2\sqrt{3}}\\ \end{array}}

Final Answer:
(a) Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle 1}
(b) Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle 2\sqrt{3}}

Return to Sample Exam