Basic Integration Rules


Rule 1: kdx  kx  C (k, a constant)

Keep in mind that integration is the reverse of differentiation.

What function has a derivative k?

kx + C, where C is any constant.

Another way to check the rule is to differentiate the result and see
if it matches the integrand. Let’s practice.

Example 2: Example 3:

 dx xC
2 2
  
 2dx  2x  C
Basic Integration Rules
xn 1
Rule 2: The Power Rule x  n 1  C
n
n  1

Example 4: Find the indefinite integral  t 3 dt

t4

3
Solution: t dt  C
4

Example 5: Find the indefinite integral x 2 dx

3 5
3 1 5
x 2 X2 2
Solution:
 x 2 dx 
3
1
C 
5
C  X2 C
5
2 2
Here are more examples of Rule 1 and Rule 2.

1
Example 6: Find the indefinite integral  3 dx
x

1 x 31 x 2 1
Solution:
x 
3
dx  x  C  C  2 C
3 31 2 2x

Example 7: Find the indefinite integral  1dx

Solution:  1dx  x  C

 3x dx
2
Example 8: Find the indefinite integral 

Solution:  3x 21  3x 1 3
 
 3x 2 dx  3 x 2 
21
C 
1
C  C
x
Basic Integration Rules

Rule 3: The Indefinite Integral of a Constant Multiple of a Function

 cf(x)dx  c f(x)dx, c is a constant

Rule 4: The Sum Rule (or difference)

 f x   g x  dx   f(x)dx   g(x)dx

 f x   g x  dx   f(x)dx   g(x)dx
 e dx  e C
x x
Rule 5:

1
Rule 6:  xdx  ln x  C To check these 2 rules, differentiate
the result and you’ll see that it matches
the integrand.
 1 3
Example 9: Integrate.  (2x   2  x  3e x )dx
x x

Using the sum rule we separate this into 5 problems.

1 3
 2xdx  x  x2 
dx dx x dx  dx
3e x
   

Call them: 1 2 3 4 5

For 1 we will use rule 3 to bring the constant outside of the

integral sign.

2 xdx Next we will use rule 2, the power rule to integrate.

 x11  x2
2 xdx  2   2  x2
1 1  2
Example 9 continues…
1 3
 2xdx  x  x2 
dx dx x dx  dx
3e x
   

Call them: 1 2 3 4 5

 2xdx x 2
1 

For 2 we will use Rule 6 the natural log rule.

1
  dx   ln x
x

For 3 we will first rewrite then use the constant rule (Rule 3)
and then the power rule (Rule 2).

3 x 21
x 1
3
 x2 dx  3 x dx  3  2  1  3  1  x
2
Example 9 continues…
1 3
 2xdx  x  x2 
dx dx x dx  dx
3e x
   

Call them: 1 2 3 4 5

1 3 3
1  2xdx  x
2
2 
x 
dx  ln x 3 x 2
dx 
x

For 4 we will rewrite and then use the power rule (Rule 2).
1
1 1
x 2 32
2

 xdx   x dx 
2
1
 x
1 3
2

For 55 we will use the constant rule (Rule 3) and then Rule 5 for ex.

 3e dx 3  e dx 3e
x x x
 
 Example 9 continues…
1 3
 2xdx  x  x2 
dx dx x dx  dx
3e x
   

Call them: 11 2 3
3 44 5

1 3
2xdx   dx   x2 dx   xdx   3e xdx
x 3
3 2  3e x
x2  ln x   x2
x 3

So in conclusion:
3
1 3 3 2 2
 2xdx  x  x2 
dx dx x dx  3e dx x x x 3e C
x 2 x
      ln   
x 3
You may be wondering why we didn’t use the C before now. Let’s
say that we had five constants C1  C2  C3  C4  C5 . Now we add all
of them together and call them C. In essence that’s what’s going
on above.
 Here are some for you to try:

1. Integrate and check your answer by taking the derivative.

 3  x 4  e x dx

Click the correct answer below.

3x  5x 5  e x  C

3x  4x 3  e x  C

1 5
3x  x  e x  C
5
Sorry that’s not correct.

Think about the power rule for integration. You should add one to
the exponent and divide by the new exponent.

Try again. Return to the previous slide.

Good Work!!

Here is the solution in detail.

  
3  x 4  e x dx  3dx  x 4 dx   e x dx

x 4 1
 3x   ex  C
4 1

1 5
 3x  x  e x  C
5
 1 3
2. Integrate.   2x  4    dx
 x2 x

Click on the correct first step.

Integrate each factor separately. x 2

 1
 4x 

 3ln x   C
 x 

Multiply the two factors in the radicand together

10 4
and combine the like terms.  6  2 dx
x x
 Be careful !!

Rule 4 states:
  f x   g x  dx   f(x)dx   g(x)dx
  f x   g x  dx   f(x)dx   g(x)dx

This does NOT apply to multiplication or division.

You should multiply the factors in the integrand, simplify and then
use Rule 4 to integrate the terms.
Multiply the two factors in the radicand together
and combine the like terms.
2 4 12 10 4
 x
6 2 
x x
dx  6 
 2 dx
x x

Next use Rule 4 to integrate each term separately .

1
 6dx  10  x
dx  4  x 2 dx

x 1
6x  10ln x  4 C
1

4
6x  10ln x  C
x
Differential Equations

A differential equation is one which has a derivative

expression in it.

For example: f’(x)=2x+1 is a differential equation.

When we integrate this type of equation we get the
general solution which contains the constant, C .

To find a particular solution we need another piece of

information. It could be a point that we know the
function passes through. We call this piece of
information the initial condition.

A typical problem might be:

f’(x)= 3x2 - 4x + 8 
f(1)= 9 

Let’s look at the solution to the problem:
f’(x)= 3x2 - 4x + 8 
f(1)= 9 


Solution: First integrate both sides:

3x3 4x2
f(x)    8x  C
3 2

Simplify: f(x)  x3  2x2  8x  C

Now find C by using the initial condition.

Substitute 1 for x and 9 for f(x)
9   1  2 1  8 1  C
3 2

9  1 2  8  C This gives the particular

solution.
9  7 C
f(x)  x3  2x2  8x  2
2C
Review - Basic Integration Rules


Rule 1: kdx  kx  C (k, a constant)
xn 1
x  n 1  C
n
Rule 2: The Power Rule

Rule 3: The Indefinite Integral of a Constant Multiple of a Function

 cf(x)dx  c f(x)dx, c is a constant

Rule 4: The Sum Rule (or difference)

  f x   g x  dx   f(x)dx   g(x)dx

  f x   g x  dx   f(x)dx   g(x)dx
Rule 5:  e dx e C
x x


1
Rule 6:  xdx  ln x  C