CHAPTER 1:

Fundamental Theorems of Integral Calculus

INTRODUCTION

An integral is a mathematical object that can be interpreted as

an area or a generalization of area. Integrals, together
with derivatives, are the fundamental objects of calculus. Other
words for integral include anti derivative and primitive. The Riemann
integral is the simplest integral definition and the only one usually
encountered in physics and elementary calculus. In fact, according to
Jeffreys and Jeffreys (1988, p. 29), "it appears that cases where these
methods [i.e., generalizations of the Riemann integral] are applicable
and Riemann's [definition of the integral] is not are too rare in physics
to repay the extra difficulty."

The Riemann integral of the function   over   from   to   is written

INDEFINITE INTEGRAL

If F (x) is a function whose derivative F ' ( x )=f ( x) on certain interval

of the x – axis, then F ( x ) is called the anti-derivative of indefinite
integral f (x). When we integrate the differential of a function we get
that function plus an arbitrary constant. In symbols we write

∫ f ( x ) dx=F ( x ) +C
Where the symbol ∫ , called the integral sign, specifies the
operation of integration upon f(x) dx; that is, we are to find a function
whose derivative is f(x) or whose differential is f(x) dx. The dx tells us
that the variable of integration is x.

PROPERTIES OF INDEFINITE INTEGRAL:

1. The integral of the differential of a function u is u plus an arbitrary

constant C (the definition of an integral)

∫ du=u+C
2. The integral of a constant times the differential of the function. (A
constant may be written before the integral sign but not a
variable factor).

∫ a du=a∫ du
3. The integral of the sum of a finite number of differentials is the
sum of their integrals.

∫ (du+ dv+ …+dz )=∫ du+∫ dv+ …+∫ dz

4. If n is not equal to minus one, the integral of u n du is obtained by
adding one to the exponent and divided by new exponent. This is
called the General Power Formula.

un +1
∫ u n du= n+1
+C ;n ≠−1

Note: In these formulas, u and v denote differentiable functions of

some independent variable (say x) and a, n, and C are constants.

Sample Problems:

1. ∫ 5 t 3−10 t−6 +4 dt
Remember that when integrating powers (that aren’t -1 of course)
we just add one onto the exponents and then divide by the new
exponent.

¿5 ( 14 ) t −10 ( −51 )t
4 −5
+ 4 t+C

5 4 −5
¿ t +2 t + 4 t+ C
4

Be careful when integrating negative exponents.  Remember to

add one onto the exponent.  One of the more common mistakes
that students make when integrating negative exponents is to
 “add one” and end up with an exponent of “-7” instead of the
correct exponent of “-5”.

2. ∫ x 8 + x−8 dx
This is example is here just to make sure we get the point about
integrating negative exponents.
x 9 x−7
¿ − +C
9 7

7 1
∫ 3 √ x 3+ x 5 + 6 √ x dx
4
3.

In this case there isn’t a formula for explicitly dealing with radicals
or rational expressions.  However, just like with derivatives we can
write all these terms so they are in the numerator and they all
have an exponent.   This should always be your first step when
faced with this kind of integral just as it was when differentiating.

3 −1
1
¿ ∫ 3 x 4 +7 x−5+ x 2 dx
6

()
7 1
1 4 7 −4 1 1 2
¿3 x − x + x +C
7 4 6 1
4 2
7 1
12 7 1
¿ x 4 − x−4 + x 2 +C
7 4 3
 When dealing with fractional exponents we usually don’t “divide
by the new exponent”.  Doing this is equivalent to multiplying by
the reciprocal of the new exponent and so that is what we will
usually do.

4. ∫ ( w+√3 w ) ( 4−w2 ) dw
We’ve got a product here and as we noted in the previous section
there is no rule for dealing with products.  However, in this case
we don’t need a rule.  All that we need to do is multiply things out
(taking care of the radicals at the same time of course) and then
we will be able to integrate.
1 7
¿ ∫ 4 w−w + 4 w −w dw
3 3 3

4 10
2 1 4 3
¿ 2 w − w + 3 w 3 − w 3 +C
4 10

10
−2 x 4 +15 x 2
5. ∫4x x3
dx

As with the previous part it’s not really a problem that we don’t
have a rule for quotients for this integral.  In this case all we need
to do is break up the quotient and then integrate the individual
terms.

4 x 10 2 x 4 15 x 2
¿∫ 3
− 3 + 3 dx
x x x
 15
¿ ∫ 4 x7 −2 x + dx
x
1
¿ x 8−x 2+15 ln| x|+C
2

Be careful to not think of the third term as x to a power for the
purposes of integration.  Using that rule on the third term will
NOT work.  The third term is simply a logarithm.  Also, don’t get
excited about the 15.  The 15 is just a constant and so it can be
factored out of the integral.  In other words, here is what we did
to integrate the third term.

15 1
∫ x
dx=15∫ dx=15 ln|x|+C
x

DEFINITE INTEGRAL

The definite integral of f(x) is the difference between two values of

the integral of f(x) for two distinct values of the variable x. If the
integral of f(x) dx = F(x) + C, the definite integral is denoted by the
symbol

∫ f ( x ) dx=F ( a )−F (b)

b

The quantity F(a) – F(b) is called the definite integral of f(x) between
the limits a and b or simply the definite integral from a to b. It is
called the definite integral because the result involves neither x nor
the constant C and therefore has a definite value. The numbers a and
b are called the limits of integration, b being the lower limit and a the
upper limit.

PROPERTIES OF DEFINITE INTEGRAL:

1. The sign of the integral changes if the limits are interchanged.

a a

∫ f ( x ) dx=−∫ f ( x ) dx
b b

2. The interval of integration may be broken up into any number of

subintervals, and integrate over each interval separately.

b c b

∫ f ( x ) dx=∫ f ( x ) dx +∫ f ( x ) dx
a a c

3. The definite integral of a given integrand is independent of the

variable of integration. Hence, it makes no difference what letter
is used for the variable of integration.

b b

∫ f ( x ) dx=∫ f ( z ) dz
a a

Sample problems:

1. Evaluate the integral ∫ 6 x −5 x+ 2 dx

2

−3
 Solution:
1

∫ 6 x 2−5 x+ 2 dx
−3
5 2
¿( 2 x − x +2 x ) 1
3
2 −3

( 5
)
¿ 2− +2 −(−54− −6)
2
45
2

¿ 84

2. Evaluate the integral ∫ √t ( t−2 ) dt

4

Solution:

Recall that we can’t integrate products as a product of integrals

and so we first need to multiply the integrand out before
integrating, just as we did in the indefinite integral case.

∫ √t ( t−2 ) dt
4

| |
5 3
2 2 4 2 0
¿ t − t
5 3 4

¿ 0−¿
 32
¿−
15

EXERCISE NO. 1
NAME:_______________________________ SCORE:_________

Evaluate the following integrals.

1
1. ∫ 3 x 3 +1+ 2 x 2 dx
 2

2. ∫ √ x ( 1−x 2 ) dx
1

3. ∫ (a2 − y 2)5 y dy

4. ∫ ( 2 x+3 ) dx
−9

x 2−4
5. ∫ x−3 dx

udu
6. ∫ 3 u2−4
 3
7. ∫ x+x 1 dx

2 2
8. ∫ x2 − x22 dx
1

9. ∫ √2 px dx

4 x−2 √ x
10. ∫ dx
x