M120

Integration by Parts
Lets do an example. Suppose we want to do the indefinite integral
Z

x3 ln x dx.

The first step is to divide the integrand into two factors. The obvious guess here is x3
and ln x.
Z
(x3 )(ln x) dx.
The next step is to decide which factor we would like to integrate and which we like to
differentiate. Since there is no basic formula for the antiderivative of ln x that seems to be
the one we should prefer to differentiate; therefore we will integrate x3 . We get
d

ln x =
x dx =

Rdx 3

1
x
1 4
x.
4

I will indicate this in the original problem by writing the integral over its corresponding
original factor, and writing the derivative under its corresponding original factor.
1 4
x
4
3

(x ) (ln x) dx
1
x

The mnemonic for the integration by parts rule is: overs outers. By overs is meant
the two terms on top:
1 4
x ln x.
4
By outers is meant the extreme upper and extreme lower term:
Z
1 41
x dx.
4 x
Thus:
1 4
x
R 4 3
R
(x ) (ln x) dx = 41 x4 ln x 14 x4 x1 dx.
1
x

Since the last integral reduces via

Z

our final answer is

1Z 3
x4
1 41
x dx =
x dx = ,
4 x
4
16
x4
x4
ln x
+ C.
4
16

Heres another example.

x sin 2x dx

Applying the procedure above we get

R

cos 2x
2
2x
(x) (sin 2x) dx = x( cos
)
2
1
= 12 x cos 2x +

R
1
4

2x
1( cos
) dx
2

sin 2x

+ C.