Section 6.

6 Improper Integrals 2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka

Improper Integrals
Type 1: Innite Intervals
Consider the innite region S that lies under the curve y = 1/x
2
, above the x-axis, and to the right of the
line x = 1. You might think that, since S is innite in extend, its area must be innite. However, this is
not true. In fact, the area of the part of S that lies to the left of the line x = t is
A(t) =
t

1
1
x
2
dx =
1
x

t
1
= 1
1
t
Notice that A(t) < 1 no matter how large t is chosen. Moreover, since
lim
t
A(t) = lim
t

1
1
t

= 1
we can say that the area of the innite region S is equal to 1 and we write

1
1
x
2
dx = lim
t
t

1
1
x
2
dx = 1
DEFINITION OF AN IMPROPER INTEGRAL OF TYPE 1:
(a) If
t

a
f(x)dx exists for every number t a, then

a
f(x)dx = lim
t
t

a
f(x)dx provided this limit exists
(as a nite number).
(b) If
b

t
f(x)dx exists for every number t b, then
b

f(x)dx = lim
t
b

t
f(x)dx provided this limit exists
(as a nite number).
The improper integrals

a
f(x)dx and
b

f(x)dx are called convergent if the corresponding limit exists

and divergent if the limit does not exist.
(c) The improper integral

f(x)dx is dened as

f(x)dx =
a

f(x)dx+

a
f(x)dx, where a is any real
number. It is said to converge if both terms converge and diverge if either term diverges.
1
Section 6.6 Improper Integrals 2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka
EXAMPLES:
1. Evaluate

1
1
x
dx if possible.
Solution: We have

1
1
x
dx = lim
t
t

1
1
x
dx = lim
t
ln |x|]
t
1
= lim
t
(ln t ln 1) = lim
t
ln t =
The limit does not exist as a nite number and so the improper integral

1
1
x
dx is divergent.
2. Evaluate

2
1
x
2
dx if possible.
Solution: We have

2
1
x
2
dx = lim
t
t

2
1
x
2
dx = lim
t

1
x

t
2
= lim
t

1
t
+
1
2

= 0 +
1
2
=
1
2
(convergent)
3. Evaluate

4
1

x
dx if possible.
Solution: We have

4
1

x
dx = lim
t
t

4
1

x
dx = lim
t
t

4
x
1/2
dx = lim
t
x
1/2+1
1/2 + 1

t
4
= lim
t
2

t
4
= lim
t

t 2

=
The limit does not exist as a nite number and so the improper integral

4
1

x
dx is divergent.
4. For what values of p is

1
1
x
p
dx convergent?
2
Section 6.6 Improper Integrals 2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka
4. For what values of p is

1
1
x
p
dx convergent?
Solution: We know that if p = 1, then the integral is divergent, so lets assume that p = 1. Then

1
1
x
p
dx = lim
t
t

1
1
x
p
dx = lim
t
t

1
x
p
dx = lim
t
x
p+1
p + 1

t
1
= lim
t
1
(1 p)x
p1

t
1
= lim
t
1
1 p

1
t
p1
1

If p > 1, then p 1 > 0, so as t , t

p1
and
1
t
p1
0. Therefore

1
1
x
p
dx =
1
p 1
if p > 1
and so the integral converges. On the other hand, if p < 1, then p 1 < 0 and so
1
t
p1
= t
1p
as t
and the integral diverges. So,

1
1
x
p
dx is convergent if p > 1 and divergent if p 1.
EXAMPLES: Determine whether each integral is convergent or divergent. Evaluate those that are con-
vergent.
1.
0

e
x
dx
2.

0
e
x
dx
3.

xdx
4.

0
(1 x)e
x
dx
5.

0
dx
x
2
+ 4
6.

dx
e
x
+ e
x
3
Section 6.6 Improper Integrals 2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka
SOLUTIONS:
1. We have
0

e
x
dx = lim
t
0

t
e
x
dx = lim
t
e
x
]
0
t
= lim
t
(e
0
e
t
) = (1 0) = 1 (convergent)
2. We have

0
e
x
dx = lim
t
t

0
e
x
dx = lim
t
e
x
]
t
0
= lim
t
(e
t
e
0
) = (divergent)
3. Since

xdx =
0

xdx +

0
xdx
and

0
xdx = lim
t
t

0
xdx = lim
t
x
2
2

t
0
= lim
t

t
2
2

0
2
2

= (divergent)
it follows that

xdx is divergent.
4. We rst note that

(1 x)e
x
dx =

1 x = u e
x
dx = dv
d(1 x) = du e
x
= v
dx = du

= (1 x)(e
x
)

(e
x
)(dx)
= (x 1)e
x

e
x
dx = (x 1)e
x
+ e
x
+ C = xe
x
+ C
We also note that
lim
x
xe
x
= lim
x
x
e
x
= lim
x
x

(e
x
)

= lim
x
1
e
x
= 0
by LHospitals Rule. Therefore

0
(1 x)e
x
dx = lim
t
t

0
(1 x)e
x
dx = lim
t
xe
x
]
t
0
= lim
t
(te
t
0 e
0
) = 0 0 = 0 (convergent)
4
Section 6.6 Improper Integrals 2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka
5. We have

0
dx
x
2
+ 4
= lim
t
t

0
dx
x
2
+ 4
= lim
t
1
2
tan
1

x
2

t
0
= lim
t
1
2

tan
1

t
2

tan
1
0

=
1
2

2
0

=

4
(convergent)
6. We rst note that

dx
e
x
+ e
x
=

e
x
dx
e
2x
+ 1
=
0

e
x
dx
e
2x
+ 1
+

0
e
x
dx
e
2x
+ 1
We also note that

e
x
dx
e
2x
+ 1
=

e
x
= u
d(e
x
) = du
e
x
dx = du

1
u
2
+ 1
du = tan
1
u + C = tan
1
(e
x
) + C
Therefore
0

e
x
dx
e
2x
+ 1
= lim
t
0

t
e
x
dx
e
2x
+ 1
= lim
t
tan
1
(e
x
)]
0
t
= lim
t
(tan
1
(e
0
) tan
1
(e
t
)) =

4
0 =

4
and

0
e
x
dx
e
2x
+ 1
= lim
t
t

0
e
x
dx
e
2x
+ 1
= lim
t
tan
1
(e
x
)]
t
0
= lim
t
(tan
1
(e
t
) tan
1
(e
0
)) =

2


4
=

4
hence

dx
e
x
+ e
x
=

4
+

4
=

2
(convergent)
5
Section 6.6 Improper Integrals 2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka
Type 2: Discontinuous Integrands
DEFINITION OF AN IMPROPER INTEGRAL OF TYPE 2:
(a) If f is continuous on [a, b) and is discontinuous at b, then
b

a
f(x)dx = lim
tb

a
f(x)dx
if this limit exists (as a nite number).
(b) If f is continuous on (a, b] and is discontinuous at a, then
b

a
f(x)dx = lim
ta
+
b

t
f(x)dx
if this limit exists (as a nite number).
The improper integral
b

a
f(x)dx is called convergent if the corresponding limit exists and divergent if
the limit does not exist.
(c) If f has a discontinuity at c, where a < c < b, then the improper integral
b

a
f(x)dx is dened as
b

a
f(x)dx =
c

a
f(x)dx +
b

c
f(x)dx
It is said to converge if both terms converge and diverge if either term diverges.
EXAMPLES:
1. Evaluate
2

1
dx
1 x
if possible.
Solution: We rst note that the given integral is improper because f(x) =
1
1 x
has the vertical asymptote
x = 1. We have
2

1
dx
1 x
= lim
t1
+
2

t
dx
1 x
= lim
t1
+
ln |1 x|]
2
t
= lim
t1
+
(ln 1 + ln |1 t|) = (divergent)
2. Evaluate
3

0
dx

9 x
2
if possible.
6
Section 6.6 Improper Integrals 2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka
2. Evaluate
3

0
dx

9 x
2
if possible.
Solution: We rst note that the given integral is improper because f(x) =
1

9 x
2
has the vertical
asymptotes x = 3. We have
3

0
dx

9 x
2
= lim
t3

0
dx

9 x
2
= lim
t3

sin
1

x
3

t
0
= lim
t3

sin
1

t
3

sin
1
0

= sin
1
1 0 =

2
(convergent)
3. Evaluate
1

1
dx
x
if possible.
Solution: We rst note that the given integral is improper because f(x) =
1
x
has the vertical asymptote
x = 0. We have
1

1
dx
x
=
0

1
dx
x
+
1

0
dx
x
Since
1

0
dx
x
= lim
t0
+
1

t
dx
x
= lim
t0
+
ln |x|]
1
t
= lim
t0
+
(ln1 ln |t|) =
it follows that
1

1
dx
x
is divergent.
A Comparison Test for Improper Integrals
COMPARISON TEST: Suppose that f and g are continuous functions with f(x) g(x) 0 for x a.
(a) If

a
f(x)dx is convergent, then

a
g(x)dx is convergent.
(b) If

a
g(x)dx is divergent, then

a
f(x)dx is divergent.
EXAMPLE: The integral

1
dx
e
x
+ x
2
is convergent, because
1
x
2
>
1
e
x
+ x
2
> 0 and

1
dx
x
2
is convergent by
the p-test, since p = 2 > 1.
7
Section 6.6 Improper Integrals 2010 Kiryl Tsishchanka
EXAMPLE: Does the integral

1
1
xe
x
dx converge?
Solution: We have
0 <
1
xe
x
<
1
e
x
Note that

1
1
e
x
dx is convergent, since

1
1
e
x
dx =

1
e
x
dx = lim
t
t

1
e
x
dx = lim
t
[e
x
]
t
1
= lim
t
(e
t
+ e
1
) = e
1
Therefore the integral

1
1
xe
x
dx converges.
EXAMPLE: Does the integral

1
dx

x
3
+ 1
converge?
Solution: We have
0 <
1

x
3
+ 1
<
1

x
3
Note that

1
1

x
3
dx is convergent by the p-test, since p = 3/2 > 1. Therefore the integral

1
dx

x
3
+ 1
converges.
EXAMPLE: Does the integral

3
dx
5

x
2
x 3
converge?
Solution: We have
0 <
1
5

x
2
<
1
5

x
2
x 3
Note that

3
1
5

x
2
dx is divergent by the p-test, since p = 2/5 1. Therefore the integral

3
dx
5

x
2
x 3
diverges.
EXAMPLE: Does the integral

2
2 + sin x
x 1
dx converge?
Solution: We have
0 <
1
x
<
2 + sin x
x 1
Note that

2
1
x
dx is divergent by the p-test, since p = 1 1. Therefore the integral

2
2 + sin x
x 1
dx diverges.
8