Chapter 5: Problem 38
Find each indefinite integral. \(\int \frac{x^{2}-1}{x-1} d x\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
The integral is \(\frac{x^2}{2} + x + C\).
Step by step solution
01
Simplify the Expression
First, simplify the expression inside the integral. Consider the polynomial division. Divide \(x^2 - 1\) by \(x - 1\). Perform the division to obtain \(x + 1\) as the result. Thus, \(\frac{x^2 - 1}{x - 1} = x + 1\).
02
Rewrite the Integral
Now that the expression is simplified to \(x + 1\), rewrite the integral accordingly: \[\int \frac{x^2 - 1}{x - 1} \, dx = \int (x + 1) \, dx.\]
03
Integrate Term-wise
Integrate each term separately. The integral of \(x\) is \(\frac{x^2}{2}\), and the integral of \(1\) is \(x\). Write down the result of integration:\[ \int (x + 1) \, dx = \frac{x^2}{2} + x + C,\] where \(C\) is the constant of integration.
04
Final Answer
Combine the results from the integration to write out the final answer:\[ \int \frac{x^2 - 1}{x - 1} \, dx = \frac{x^2}{2} + x + C.\]
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Polynomial Division: Simplifying the Expression
Polynomial division is a technique used to simplify expressions involving polynomials, much like how division simplifies regular numbers. In the exercise, we are dealing with the expression \( \frac{x^2 - 1}{x - 1} \). This is a division of one polynomial by another.
The key steps in polynomial division are:
Our polynomial division simplifies the expression to \(x + 1\), making the subsequent integration straightforward.
The key steps in polynomial division are:
- Divide the first term of the numerator by the first term of the denominator.
- Multiply the entire divisor by this result and subtract it from the original numerator.
- Repeat the process with the new polynomial that results from the subtraction.
Our polynomial division simplifies the expression to \(x + 1\), making the subsequent integration straightforward.
Integration Techniques: Finding the Indefinite Integral
Integration is a core component of calculus used to find the cumulative area under curves. In integration techniques, breaking down complex expressions into simpler ones is a key strategy, as seen in our exercise.
After simplifying the integral expression to \(\int (x + 1) \, dx\), we use term-wise integration. Each term in the expression is tackled individually. Some basic rules of integration applied here include:
After simplifying the integral expression to \(\int (x + 1) \, dx\), we use term-wise integration. Each term in the expression is tackled individually. Some basic rules of integration applied here include:
- The integral of \(x^n\) is \(\frac{x^{n+1}}{n+1}\) for any constant \(n\).
- The integral of a constant term, such as \(1\), is the term multiplied by \(x\).
Constant of Integration: Accounting for Generality
In indefinite integrals, you often encounter the symbol \(C\). This represents the constant of integration. But what exactly does it mean?
While evaluating definite integrals yields a specific numerical answer, indefinite integrals describe a family of functions. An indefinite integral lacks specific limits, which means there are countless functions that differ only by a constant amount that can be added.
While evaluating definite integrals yields a specific numerical answer, indefinite integrals describe a family of functions. An indefinite integral lacks specific limits, which means there are countless functions that differ only by a constant amount that can be added.
- The result of an indefinite integral is a general solution that can be written as a function plus an arbitrary constant \(C\).
- This constant \(C\) accounts for any constant value that would have been differentiated to zero in the original function.