36 ESci 113: Calculus for Engineers II

Lesson 1.3: General Properties of Indefinite

Integrals

Lesson Summary
This lesson will introduce the first three integration formulas which are named
the general properties of indefinite integrals. Then it will proceed on showing
how these formulas are used.

Learning Outcomes
Use the general properties of indefinite integrals to simplify the given
integrand.

Motivation Question
Since integration formulas are derived from the differentiation rules, what
differentiation rule is each of the general properties of indefinite integrals
derived from?

Discussion
Before we dive into the different integration formulas and techniques let us
first discuss the three general properties indefinite integrals. These general
properties of indefinite integrals are among the integration formulas. However,
these integration formulas are used most often that they deserve a special
place in our discussion.

Definition of Indefinite Integrals

‫ ܨ‬ሺ‫ݑ‬ሻ is an antiderivative of ݂ሺ‫ݑ‬ሻ

න ݂ሺ‫ݑ‬ሻ݀‫ ݑ‬ൌ ‫ ܨ‬ሺ‫ݑ‬ሻ ൅ ‫ܥ‬
‫ ܥ‬is an arbitrary constant

x It is the set of all antiderivatives of a function ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ, denoted

by ‫݂ ׬‬ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ݀‫ݔ‬
x The indefinite integral is identified by:
o antidifferentiation of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ to determine ‫ܨ‬ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ, and
o adding arbitrary constant ‫ ܥ‬to ‫ܨ‬ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ to represent all
the possible constant terms
x So, this means that:
o Indefinite integral is mainly the inverse of
derivative

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න ‫ ܨ‬ᇱ ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ݀‫ݔ‬ ൌ ‫ ܨ‬ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൅ ‫ܥ‬

න ݀ ሾ‫ܨ‬ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻሿ ൌ ‫ ܨ‬ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൅ ‫ܥ‬

݀
൤න ݂ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ݀‫ݔ‬൨ ൌ ݂ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൅ ‫ܥ‬
݀‫ݔ‬

o Always add C to the antiderivative to complete

the indefinite integral

Do not forget to add ‫ܥ‬

x These pieces of information may be redundant but one of

the most common mistakes of students is forgetting to add
‫ ܥ‬to their final answer.

Sum Rule for Integration

i. The indefinite integral of the sum of different

functions is equal to the sum of the indefinite
integral of each of the functions.

නሾ‫ݒ‬ሺ‫ݑ‬ሻ ൅ ‫ݓ‬ሺ‫ݑ‬ሻ ൅ ‫ ڮ‬൅ ‫ݖ‬ሺ‫ݑ‬ሻሿ݀‫ ݑ‬ൌ න ‫ݒ‬ሺ‫ݑ‬ሻ݀‫ ݑ‬൅ න ‫ݓ‬ሺ‫ݑ‬ሻ݀‫ ݑ‬൅ ‫ ڮ‬൅ න ‫ݖ‬ሺ‫ݑ‬ሻ݀‫ݑ‬

ii. The same way as with differentiation

iii. Take note that this also applies to difference of functions.
‫ ܣ‬൅ ‫ ܤ‬െ ‫ ܥ‬ൌ ‫ ܣ‬൅ ‫ ܤ‬൅ ሺെ‫ܥ‬ሻ

Example 1.3: Sum Rule for Integration

Apply sum rule for integration on the indefinite integral

නሺ‫ ݔ‬ଶ െ •‹ ‫ ݔ‬൅ ݁ ଶ௫ ሻ ݀‫ݔ‬
Solution:
The integrand has three terms. The indefinite integral can be rewritten as
න ‫ ݔ‬ଶ ݀‫ ݔ‬െ න •‹ ‫ ݔ݀ ݔ‬൅ න ݁ ଶ௫ ݀‫ݔ‬

Integrand with constant factor

x If an integrand contains a constant factor, that factor may

be written before the integral sign
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 38 ESci 113: Calculus for Engineers II

න ݂݇ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ݀‫ ݔ‬ൌ ݇ න ݂ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ݀‫ݔ‬

Example 1.4: Integrand with Constant Factor

Simplify the following integrands

ߨ
a) න •‹ ‫ݔ݀ ݔ‬ b) න ͷ‫ݔ݀ݔ‬
ʹ
ߨ
c) න ቀ͵‫ ݔ‬ଶ െ •‹ ‫ ݔ‬൅ ݁ ଶ௫ ቁ ݀‫ݔ‬
͸

Solution:

The constants can be readily transferred to the left side of the integral sign
(or outside the integral)
ߨ ߨ
a) න •‹ ‫ ݔ݀ ݔ‬ൌ න •‹ ‫ݔ݀ ݔ‬
ʹ ʹ
b) න ͷ‫ݔ݀ݔ‬ ൌ ͷ න ‫ݔ݀ݔ‬
ߨ ߨ
c) න ቀ͵‫ ݔ‬ଶ െ •‹ ‫ ݔ‬൅ ݁ ଶ௫ ቁ ݀‫ݔ‬ ൌ න ͵‫ ݔ‬ଶ ݀‫ ݔ‬െ න •‹ ‫ ݔ݀ ݔ‬൅ න ݁ ଶ௫ ݀‫ݔ‬
͸ ͸
ߨ
ൌ ͵ න ‫ ݔ݀ ݔ‬െ න •‹ ‫ ݔ݀ ݔ‬൅ න ݁ ଶ௫ ݀‫ݔ‬
ଶ
͸

The general properties of indefinite integrals provide opportunities for the

integrand to be broken up and simplified into bite-sized chunks. This allows
us to deal with the smaller chunks of the problem which is usually much
easier than trying to solve a giant of an indefinite integral. Unfortunately, we
are limited to the
x Sum Rule and
x Factoring out constant factors

What we can do using Sum Rule cannot be applied to products and quotients
of functions.

With the general properties of indefinite integrals paired with a strong

foundation on Precalculus and Differential Calculus, simplifying an integrand
to much more manageable forms is an eventuality.

But what exactly is manageable and bite-sized integrand that we desire when
we simplify indefinite integrals? These are the integrands that we recognize

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as derivatives of some function. For example, we would be confident to

integrate

න •‡… ଶ ‫ݔ݀ ݔ‬

since we know that the integrand is the derivative of –ƒ ‫ݔ‬. Hence, we answer,

න •‡… ଶ ‫ ݔ݀ ݔ‬ൌ –ƒ ‫ ݔ‬൅ ‫ܥ‬

This what we wish our integrand to become when we simplify indefinite

integrals using skills in
x Precalculus
x Differential Calculus, and
x General properties of Indefinite integrals

We simplify indefinite integrals for us to be able to use the

integration formulas that we know.

Example 1.5: Rewriting and Simplifying Indefinite

Integrals

Simplify the following indefinite integrals

ͳ െ •‹ ‫ݔ‬
න ݀‫ݔ‬
ͳ ͳ ଶ
െ •‹ ‫ݔ‬
ʹ ʹ

Solution:

The integrand is a rational expression and does not appear to be a sum or

difference of terms. But we do recall from algebra that

ܽ൅ܾ ܽ ܾ
ൌ ൅
ܿ ܿ ܿ

Hence, we try to apply this property of fractions to our integrand. Also, we

detect a common factor in the terms found in the denominator. We factor it
out first.
ͳ െ •‹ ‫ݔ‬ ͳ െ •‹ ‫ݔ‬
න ݀‫ ݔ‬ൌ න ݀‫ݔ‬
ͳ ͳ ଶ ͳ
െ •‹ ‫ݔ‬ ሺͳ െ •‹ଶ ‫ ݔ‬ሻ
ʹ ʹ ʹ
The common factor is a fraction in the denominator. To take it out of the
rational expression, we multiply the integrand by an expression equal to 1

ͳ െ •‹ ‫ݔ‬ ʹ
ൌ නͳ ൈ ݀‫ݔ‬
ሺͳ െ •‹ଶ ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ʹ
ʹ

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 40 ESci 113: Calculus for Engineers II

ሺͳ െ •‹ ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൈ ʹ
ൌ නͳ ݀‫ݔ‬
ሺͳ െ •‹ଶ ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൈ ʹ
ʹ
ʹሺͳ െ •‹ ‫ ݔ‬ሻ
ൌ න ݀‫ݔ‬
ͳ െ •‹ଶ ‫ݔ‬
ͳ െ •‹ ‫ݔ‬
ൌ නʹ ݀‫ݔ‬
ͳ െ •‹ଶ ‫ݔ‬
We can now use the third general property of indefinite integrals
ͳ െ •‹ ‫ݔ‬
ൌ ʹන ݀‫ݔ‬
ͳ െ •‹ଶ ‫ݔ‬
Apply Pythagorean theorem on the denominator
ͳ െ •‹ ‫ݔ‬
ൌ ʹන ݀‫ݔ‬
…‘• ଶ ‫ݔ‬
௔ା௕ ௔ ௕
Use the property of fraction ൌ ൅ . Take note that the goal of
௖ ௖ ௖
simplification of the integrand is such that the simplified integrand is a
derivative resulting from a recognizable differentiation formula.

Also observe proper use of brackets.

ͳ •‹ ‫ݔ‬
ൌ ʹන൬ ଶ െ ൰ ݀‫ݔ‬
…‘• ‫ •‘… ݔ‬ଶ ‫ݔ‬
•‹ ߠ ͳ
ൌ ʹ න ൬•‡… ଶ ‫  ݔ‬െ ൈ ൰ ݀‫ݔ‬
…‘• ߠ …‘• ߠ

ൌ ʹ නሺ•‡… ଶ ‫  ݔ‬െ –ƒ ‫ ݔ‬ൈ •‡… ‫ ݔ‬ሻ݀‫ݔ‬

Use the second general property of indefinite integrals

ൌ ʹ ൤න •‡… ଶ ‫ ݔ݀ ݔ‬െ න •‡… ‫ݔ݀ ݔ ƒ– ݔ‬൨

Distribute 2
ͳ െ •‹ ‫ݔ‬
න ݀‫ݔ‬ ൌ ʹ න •‡… ଶ ‫ ݔ݀ ݔ‬െ ʹ න •‡… ‫ݔ݀ ݔ ƒ– ݔ‬
ͳ ͳ ଶ
െ •‹ ‫ݔ‬
ʹ ʹ
At this point, we have simplified the indefinite integral enough to be able to
integrate it using the knowledge from ESci 112 and the definition of
indefinite integral.
ͳ െ •‹ ‫ݔ‬
න ݀‫ݔ‬ ൌ ʹ –ƒ ‫ ݔ‬െ ʹ •‡… ‫ ݔ‬൅ ‫ܥ‬
ͳ ͳ ଶ
െ •‹ ‫ݔ‬
ʹ ʹ

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Assessment
Simplify the following indefinite integrals such that the given indefinite
integrals are broken down to forms whose integrand are the derivatives from
the differentiation rules that you know.
ʹ݁ ଶ௫
1. නሺʹ ൅ ʹ –ƒଶ ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ݀‫ݔ‬ 2. න ௫ ݀‫ݔ‬
݁
3. නሺ͵ ൅ …‘• ‫ ݔ‬ሻଶ ݀‫ݔ‬ 4. නሺ‫ ݔ‬൅ ͳሻସ ݀‫ݔ‬

Instructions on how to submit student output

Please see class policies for details.

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