Improper Integrals

Dr. Philippe B. laval

Kennesaw State University
September 19, 2005
Abstract
Notes on improper integrals.

1
1.1

Improper Integrals
Introduction

b
In Calculus II, students dened the integral a f (x) dx over a nite interval [a, b].
The function f was assumed to be continuous, or at least bounded, otherwise
the integral was not guaranteed to exist. Assuming an antiderivative of f could
b
be found, a f (x) dx always existed, and was a number. In this section, we
investigate what happens when these conditions are not met.
Definition 1 (Improper Integral) An integral is an improper integral if either the interval of integration is not nite (improper integral of type 1) or
if the function to integrate is not continuous (not bounded) in the interval of
integration (improper integral of type 2).

ex dx is an improper integral of type 1 since the upper limit
Example 2
0

of integration is innite.
 1
dx
1
Example 3
is an improper integral of type 2 because is not continux
x
0
ous at 0.
 dx
0 x 1 is an improper integral of types 1 since the upper limit
1
of integration is innite. It is also an improper integral of type 2 because
x1
is not continuous at 1 and 1 is in the interval of integration.
 2
dx
1
Example 5
is an improper integral of type 2 because 2
is not
2
x 1
2 x 1
continuous at 1 and 1.

Example 4

Example 6
0

tan xdx is an improper integral of type 2 because tan x is not

.
2
We now look how to handle each type of improper integral.

continuous at

1.2

Improper Integrals of Type 1

These are easy to identify. Simply look at the interval of integration. If either
the lower limit of integration, the upper limit of integration or both are not
nite, it will be an improper integral of type 1.
Definition 7 (improper integral of type 1) Improper integrals of type 1 are
evaluated as follows:
 t
f (x) dx exists for all t a, then we dene
1. If
a

t
f (x) dx = lim

f (x) dx


f (x) dx is
provided the limit exists as a nite number. In this case,
 a
said to be convergent (or to converge). Otherwise,
f (x) dx is said
a

to be divergent (or to diverge).

 b
f (x) dx exists for all t b, then we dene
2. If
t

b

b
f (x) dx = lim

f (x) dx


provided the limit exists as a nite number. In this case,

is said to be convergent (or to converge). Otherwise,

f (x) dx is

said to be divergent (or to diverge).

 b

f (x) dx and
f (x) dx converge, then we dene
3. If both
a

a
f (x) dx =


f (x) dx +

f (x) dx
a

The integrals on the right are evaluated as shown in 1. and 2..

2

f (x) dx

1.3

Improper Integrals of Type 2

These are more dicult to identify. One needs to look at the interval of integration, and determine if the integrand is continuous or not in that interval.
Things to look for are fractions for which the denominator becomes 0 in the interval of integration. Keep in mind that some functions do not contain fractions
explicitly like tan x, sec x.
Definition 8 (improper integral of type 2) Improper integrals of type 2
are evaluated as follows:
1. if f is continuous on [a, b) and not continuous at b then we dene
b
a

t
f (x) dx = lim
tb

f (x) dx
a

 b
provided the limit exists as a nite number. In this case,
f (x) dx is
a
 b
f (x) dx is said
said to be convergent (or to converge). Otherwise,
a

to be divergent (or to diverge).

2. if f is continuous on (a, b] and not continuous at a then we dene
b
a

b
f (x) dx = lim+
ta

f (x) dx
t

 b
provided the limit exists as a nite number. In this case,
f (x) dx is
a
 b
f (x) dx is said
said to be convergent (or to converge). Otherwise,
a

to be divergent (or to diverge).


3. If f is not continuous at c where a < c < b and both
 b
f (x) dx converge then we dene

c
a

f (x) dx and

b

c

b

f (x) dx =
a

f (x) dx +
a

f (x) dx
c

The integrals on the right are evaluated as shown in 1. and 2..

We now look at some examples.

1.4

Examples

Evaluating an improper integral is really two problems. It is an integral

problem and a limit problem. It is best to do them separately.
When breaking down an improper integral to evaluate it, make sure that
each integral is improper at only one place, that place should be either
the lower limit of integration, or the upper limit of integration.

dx
Example 9
2
1 x
 t
dx
This is an improper integral of type 1. We evaluate it by nding lim
.
2
t
1 x




 t

1
1
dx
dx
First,
= 1
= 1.
and lim 1
= 1 hence
2
2
t
t
t
1 x
1 x

dx
Example 10
1 x
 t
dx
This is an improper integral of type 1. We evaluate it by nding lim
t
x
1
 t

dx
dx
First,
= ln t and lim ln t = hence
diverges.
t
1 x
1 x


dx
1 + x2
This is an improper integral of type 1. Since both limits of integration are
innite, we break it into two integrals.

 0

dx
dx
dx
=
+
2
2
1 + x2
1 + x
1 + x
0

Example 11

0
 dx
1
dx
Note that since the function
is even, we have
= 0
;
1 + x2
1 + x2
1 + x2
 dx
.
we only need to do 0
1 + x2

 t
dx
dx
= lim
2
t
1
+
x
1
+
x2
0
0
and

0

t
dx
= tan1 x0
2
1+x
= tan1 t tan1 0
= tan1 t

Thus



dx
= lim tan1 t
2
t
1+x

=
2

It follows that

Example 12

dx
= +
2
1+x
2
2
=

2
0

sec xdx

This is an improper integral of type 2 because sec x is not continuous at . We

2
 t
sec xdx.
evaluate it by nding lim

t 2

First,

t

sec xdx = ln |sec x + tan x||t0

= ln |sec t + tan t|
 2
(ln |sec t + tan t|) = hence
sec xdx diverges.
and lim

t 2

Example 13


0

sec xdx

This is an improper integral of type 2, sec2 x is not continuous at



First, we evaluate

 2
0

sec2 xdx =

 2
0

sec2 xdx +

. Thus,
2

sec2 xdx

sec xdx.
 t
 2
2
sec xdx = lim
sec2 xdx

t 2

sec2 xdx = tan t tan 0

= tan t

Therefore,

 2
0

It follows that

 2
0

sec2 xdx = lim

(tan t)

t 2

=
sec2 xdx diverges, therefore,
5


0

sec2 xdx also diverges.

Remark 14 If we had failed to see that the above integral is improper, and
had evaluated it using the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, we would have
obtained a completely dierent (and wrong) answer.

sec2 xdx = tan tan 0
0

= 0 (this is not correct)



dx
2
x
This integral is improper for several reasons. First, the interval of integration
is not nite. The integrand is also not continuous at 0. To evaluate it, we break
it so that each integral is improperat only one place, that place being
 1one of

1
0
dx
dx
dx
dx
the limits of integration, as follows:
=
+
+
+
2
2
2
2
x
x
x

1
0 x

dx
. We then evaluate each improper integral . The reader will verify that
2
1 x
it diverges.
Example 15

Several important results about improper integrals are worth remembering,

they will be used with innite series. The proof of these results is left as an
exercise.

dx
converges if p > 1, it diverges otherwise.
Theorem 16
p
1 x
Proof. This is an improper integral of type 1 since the upper limit of integration
t
dx
is innite. Thus, we need to evaluate lim
. When p = 1, we have
p
t
1 x
already seen that the integral diverges. Let us assume that p = 1. First, we
evaluate the integral.
t
1

dx
xp


=
=
=

xp dx

t
x1p 
1 p 1

t1p
1

1p 1p

The sign of 1p is important.

1p > 
0 that is when p < 1, t1p is in the
 When
t1p
1

= thus the integral diverges.

numerator. Therefore, lim
t 1 p
1p
really in the denominator so that
When 1 p < 0 thatis when p > 1, t1p is 

t1p
dx
1
1
converges. In conclusion,
lim

=
and therefore
p
t 1 p
1p
p1
1 x
we have looked at the following cases:
6

Case 1: p = 1. In this case, the integral diverges.

Case 2: p < 1. In this case, the integral diverges.
Case 3: p > 1. In this case, the integral converges.


dx
converges if p < 1, it diverges otherwise.
p
0 x
Proof. See problems.

Theorem 17

1.5

Comparison Theorem for Improper Integrals

Sometimes an improper integral is too dicult to evaluate. One technique is to

compare it with a known integral. The theorem below shows us how to do this.
Theorem 18 Suppose that f and g are two continuous functions for x a
such that 0 g (x) f (x). Then, the following is true:



f (x) dx converges then

1. If

g (x) dx also converges.


g (x) dx diverges, then

2. If
a

f (x) dx also diverges.

a

The theorem is not too dicult to understand if we think about the integral
in terms of areas. Since both functions are positive, the integrals simply represent the are of the region below their graph. Let Af be the area of the region
below the graph of f . Use a similar notation for Ag . If 0 g (x) f (x), then
Ag Af . Part 1 of the theorem is simply saying that if Af is nite, so is Ag ;
this should be obvious from the inequality. Part 2 says that if Ag is innite, so
is Af .

Example 19 Study the convergence of
1

ex dx
2

We cannot evaluate the integral directly, ex does not have an antiderivative.

We note that
x 1 x2 x
x2 x
2

ex ex

Now,


t
dx = lim

ex dx



= lim e1 et
t
1

=e


and therefore converges. It follows that

ex dx converges by the comparison

theorem.

Remark 20 When using the comparison theorem, the following inequalities are
useful:

x2 x x 1
and

1.6

ln x x ex

Things to know

Be able to tell if an integral is improper or not and what type it is.

Be able to tell if an improper integral converges or diverges. If it converges, be able to nd what it converges to.
Be able to write an improper integral as a limit of denite integral(s).
Related problems assigned:
Page 436: # 1, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 29, 39, 41, 57.

Discuss the convergence of 0 eax dx
Prove theorem 17.