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to x to get an explicit expression for f 0 (). Finally, integrating this expression with
respect to gives an expression for f ():
Z 1
Z 1
Z 1
d x 1
x log(x)
1
x+1 1
0
f () =
dx =
x dx =
dx =
=
log(x)
+1 0
+1
0 d log(x)
0
0
Now integrating with respect to gives
Z
1
f () =
d = log( + 1) + c
+1
Since f (0) = 0, we see that c = 0 and f () = log( + 1). The answer to our original
problem is then f (5) = log(6). In fact, we have derived the general formula
Z 1
x 1
dx = log( + 1)
0 log(x)
The method of differentiating under the integral appears in many old calculus
texts, mainly those published before 1945. See, for example, Edwin Wilsons text,
Advanced Calculus, published in 1912, where examples and a rigorous justification
for the method are given on p.281288.
Here are a few other definite integrals that can be evaluated in this manner.
Z
1 + 1 2
log(1 + cos(x)) dx = log
2
0
Z
log 2 2 1
log(1 2u cos(x) + 2 ) dx =
0
2 1
0
Z /2
1 2
log(1 + cos() cos(x))
dx =
2
cos(x)
2 4
0
Z 1
n!
x (log(x))n dx = (1)n
( + 1)n+1
Z 0
1 3 5 (2n 1)
dx
=
2 + 2 )n+1
(x
2 2 4 6 2n 2n+1
0
Keep in mind that to successfully apply this method some experimentation may be
needed to discover an appropriate way to introduce a parameter into the integral.
So, for example, to evaluate
Z /2
log(1 + (1/2) cos(x))
dx
cos(x)
0
it may take some time to realize that replacing 1/2 by cos() leads toa solution.
2
2
2
The answer, according to the above formula with = 3 , is 21 4 9 = 5
72 .