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Mathematics LibreTexts

2.1: Substitution

( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)

Recall that the chain rule states that

(f(g(x)))=f(g(x))g(x).

Integrating both sides we get:

[f(g(x)]dx=[f(g(x)g(x)dx]

or

f(g(x))g(x)dx=f(g(x))+C

Example 1

Calculate

2xx2+1dx=2x(x2+1)2dx.

Solution

Let

u=x2+1

then

dudx=2x

and

du=2xdx.

We substitute:

u2du=u1+C=(x2+1)1+C.

Steps:

  1. Find the function derivative pair (f and f).
  2. Let u=f(x).
  3. Find du/dx and adjust for constants.
  4. Substitute.
  5. Integrate.
  6. Resubstitute.

We will try many more examples including those such as

xsin(x2)dx,

xx2dx.

Contributors and Attributions


This page titled 2.1: Substitution is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Larry Green.

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