U-substitution

Introduction

The method of 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 is used to simplify the function you are integrating so that you can easily recognize it's antiderivative.

This method is closely related to the chain rule for derivatives.

One question that is frequently asked is "How do you know what substitution to make?" In general, this is a difficult question to answer since it is dependent on the integral. The best way to master 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 is to work out as many problems as possible. This will help you:

(1) understand the 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 method and

(2) correctly identify the necessary substitution.

NOTE: After you plug-in your substitution, all of the 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 x} 's in your integral should be gone. The only variables remaining in your integral should be 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} 's.

Warm-Up

Evaluate the following indefinite integrals.

1) 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 (8x+5)e^{4x^2+5x+3}~dx}

Solution:
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=4x^2+5x+3.} 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=(8x+5)~dx.}
Plugging these into our integral, 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 \int e^u~du,} which we know how to integrate.
So, 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 (8x+5)e^{4x^2+5x+3}~dx} & = & \displaystyle{\int e^u~du}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{e^u+C}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{e^{4x^2+5x+3}+C.} \\ \end{array}}

Final Answer:
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 e^{4x^2+5x+3}+C}

2) 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\frac{x}{\sqrt{1-2x^2}}~dx}

Solution:
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=1-2x^2.} 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=-4x~dx.} Hence, 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 \frac{du}{-4}=x~dx.}
Plugging these into our integral, 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\frac{x}{\sqrt{1-2x^2}}~dx} & = & \displaystyle{\int -\frac{1}{4}~u^{-\frac{1}{2}}~du}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{-\frac{1}{2}u^{\frac{1}{2}}+C}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{-\frac{1}{2}\sqrt{1-2x^2}+C.} \\ \end{array}}

Final Answer:
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 -\frac{1}{2}\sqrt{1-2x^2}+C}

3) 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\frac{\sin(\ln x)}{x}~dx}

Solution:
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=\ln(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=\frac{1}{x}~dx.}
Plugging these into our integral, 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\frac{\sin(\ln x)}{x}~dx} & = & \displaystyle{\int \sin(u)~du}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{-\cos(u)+C}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{-\cos(\ln x)+C.} \\ \end{array}}

Final Answer:
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 -\cos(\ln x)+C}

4) 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 xe^{x^2}~dx}

Solution:
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^2.} 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=2x~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 \frac{du}{2}=x~dx.}
Plugging these into our integral, 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 xe^{x^2}~dx} & = & \displaystyle{\int \frac{1}{2}e^u~du}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{\frac{1}{2}e^u+C}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{\frac{1}{2}e^{x^2}+C.} \\ \end{array}}

Final Answer:
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 \frac{1}{2}e^{x^2}+C}

Exercise 1

Evaluate the indefinite integral 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 \frac{2}{y^2+4}~dy.}

First, we factor out 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 4} out of the denominator.

So, we have

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 \frac{2}{y^2+4}~dy} & = & \displaystyle{\frac{1}{4}\int \frac{2}{\frac{y^2}{4}+1}~dy}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{\frac{1}{2}\int \frac{1}{(\frac{y}{2})^2+1}~dy.}\\ \end{array}}

Now, we 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=\frac{y}{2}.}

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=\frac{1}{2}~dy} 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 2~du=dy.}

Plugging these into our integral, 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 \frac{2}{y^2+4}~dy} & = & \displaystyle{\frac{1}{2}\int \frac{2}{u^2+1}~du}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{\int \frac{1}{u^2+1}~du}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{\arctan(u)+C}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{\arctan\bigg(\frac{y}{2}\bigg)+C.}\\ \end{array}}

So, we have

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 \frac{2}{y^2+4}~dy=\arctan\bigg(\frac{y}{2}\bigg)+C.}

Exercise 2

Evaluate the indefinite integral 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 \frac{\cos(x)}{(5+\sin x)^2}~dx.}

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=5+\sin(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 u=\cos(x)~dx.}

Plugging these into our integral, 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 \frac{\cos(x)}{(5+\sin x)^2}~dx} & = & \displaystyle{\int \frac{1}{u^2}~du}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{-\frac{1}{u}+C}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{-\frac{1}{5+\sin(x)}+C.} \end{array}}

So, we have

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 \frac{\cos(x)}{(5+\sin x)^2}~dx=-\frac{1}{5+\sin(x)}+C.}

Exercise 3

Evaluate the indefinite integral 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 \frac{x+5}{2x+3}~dx.}

Here, the substitution is not obvious.

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=2x+3.} 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=2~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 \frac{du}{2}=dx.}

Now, we need a way of getting rid of 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 x+5} in the numerator.

Solving for 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 x} in the first equation, 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 x=\frac{1}{2}u-\frac{3}{2}.}

Plugging these into our integral, 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 \frac{x+5}{2x+3}~dx} & = & \displaystyle{\int \frac{(\frac{1}{2}u-\frac{3}{2})+5}{2u}~du}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{\frac{1}{2}\int \frac{\frac{1}{2}u+\frac{7}{2}}{u}~du}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{\frac{1}{4}\int \frac{u+7}{u}~du}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{\frac{1}{4}\int 1+\frac{7}{u}~du}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{\frac{1}{4}(u+7\ln|u|)+C}\\ &&\\ & = & \displaystyle{\frac{1}{4}(2x+3+7\ln|2x+3|)+C.}\\ \end{array}}

So, we get