Mathematics Learning Centre

Integration: Using the chain rule in reverse Mary Barnes

c 1999

University of Sydney

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Using the Chain Rule in Reverse

Recall that the Chain Rule is used to dierentiate composite functions such as 1 2 cos(x3 +1), e 2 x , (2x2 +3)11 , ln(3x +1). (The Chain Rule is sometimes called the Composite Functions Rule or Function of a Function Rule.) If we observe carefully the answers we obtain when we use the chain rule, we can learn to recognise when a function has this form, and so discover how to integrate such functions. Remember that, if y = f (u) and u = g (x) so that then y = f (g (x)), (a composite function) dy dy du = . dx du dx

Using function notation, this can be written as dy = f (g (x)) g (x). dx dy where y = f (u) and u = g (x) In this expression, f (g (x)) is another way of writing du du where u = g (x). and g (x) is another way of writing dx This last form is the one you should learn to recognise.

Examples By dierentiating the following functions, write down the corresponding statement for integration. i. sin 3x

ii. (2x + 1)7 iii. ex

Solution i d sin 3x dx d (2x + 1)7 dx d x2 e dx = cos 3x 3, so cos 3x 3dx = sin 3x + c.

ii

7(2x + 1)6 2,

so

7(2x + 1)6 2dx

(2x + 1)7 + c.

iii

= ex 2x,

so

ex 2xdx

= ex + c.

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Exercises 1.1 Dierentiate each of the following functions, and then rewrite each result in the form of a statement about integration. i iv (2x 4)13 ln(2x 1)
4

vii (x5 1) x cos5 x

sin x 1 v 5x 3 viii sin(x3 ) xi tan (x2 + 1)

ii

iii vi ix

e3x5 tan 5x e
x

xii ln(sin x)

The next step is to learn to recognise when a function has the forms f (g (x)) g (x), that is, when it is the derivative of a composite function. Look back at each of the integration statements above. In every case, the function being integrated is the product of two functions: one is a composite function, and the other is the derivative of the inner function in the composite. You can think of it as the derivative of whats inside the brackets. Note that in some cases, this derivative is a constant. For example, consider e3x 3dx. We can write e3x as a composite function. 3 is the derivative of 3x i.e. the derivative of whats inside the brackets in e(3x) . This is in the form f (g (x)) g (x)dx with u = g (x) = 3x, and f (u) = eu . Using the chain rule in reverse, since
d dx

(f (g (x))) = f (g (x)) g (x) we have

f (g (x)) g (x)dx = f (g (x)) + c. In this case e3x 3dx = e3x + c. If you have any doubts about this, it is easy to check if you are right: dierentiate your answer! Now lets try another: cos(x2 + 5) 2xdx. cos(x2 + 5) is a composite function. 2x is the derivative of x2 + 5, i.e. the derivative of whats inside the brackets.

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So this is in the form f (g (x)) g (x)dx with u = g (x) = x2 + 5 and f (u) = cos u. Recall that if f (u) = cos u, f (u) = sin u. So, cos(x2 + 5) 2xdx = sin(x2 + 5) + c. Again, check that this is correct, by dierentiating. People sometimes ask Where did the 2x go?. The answer is, Back where it came from. If we dierentiate sin(x2 + 5) we get cos(x2 + 5) 2x. So when we integrate cos(x2 + 5) 2x we get sin(x2 + 5). Examples Each of the following functions is in the form f (g (x)) g (x). Identify f (u) and u = g (x) and hence nd an indenite integral of the function. i. (3x2 1)4 6x

1 ii. sin( x) 2 x Solutions i. (3x2 1)4 6x is a product of (3x2 1)4 and 6x. Clearly (3x2 1)4 is the composite function f (g (x)). So g (x) should be 3x2 1. 6x is the other part. This should be the derivative of whats inside the brackets i.e. 3x2 1, and clearly, this is the case: d (3x2 1) = 6x. dx So, u = g (x) = 3x2 1 and f (u) = u4 giving f (g (x)) g (x) = (3x2 1)4 6x. u5 . If f (u) = u4 , f (u) = 1 5 So, using the rule f (g (x)) g (x)dx = f (g (x)) + c we conclude 1 (3x3 1)4 6x = (3x2 1)5 + c. 5

You should dierentiate this answer immediately and check that you get back the function you began with.

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1 ii. sin( x) 2 x

1 . This is a product of sin( x) and 2 x Clearly sin( x) is a composite function. The part inside the brackets is x, so we would like this to be g (x). The other 1 factor 2 ought to be g (x). Lets check if this is the case: x
1 1 1 1 1 . x = x 2 , so g (x) = x 2 = 1 = 2 2 x 2x 2 So were right! Thus u = g (x) = x and f (u) = sin u giving

g (x) =

1 f (g (x)) g (x) = sin( x) . 2 x Now, if f (u) = sin u, f (u) = cos u. So using the rule f (g (x)) g (x)dx = f (g (x)) + c we conclude

1 sin( x) dx = cos( x) + c. 2 x

Again, check immediately by dierentiating the answer. Note: The explanations given here are fairly lengthy, to help you to understand what were doing. Once you have grasped the idea, you will be able to do these very quickly, without needing to write down any explanation.

Example Integrate sin3 x cos xdx.

Solution sin3 x cos xdx = (sin x)3 cos xdx.

So u = g (x) = sin x with g (x) = cos x. And f (u) = u3 giving f (u) = 1 u4 . 4 Hence 1 1 sin3 x cos xdx = (sin x)4 + c = sin4 x + c. 4 4

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Exercises 1.2 Each of the following functions is in the form f (g (x)) g (x). Identify f (u) and u = g (x) and hence nd an indenite integral of the function. 1 1 2x + 1 2 iii (ln x)2 3 ii i 3x 1 x iv e2x+4 2 v sin(x3 ) 3x2 1 x vi cos x 2 2

vii

(7x 8)12 7

viii sin(ln x)

ix

1 cos x sin x

etan x sec2 x
1

xi

ex 3x2 sin x cos x

xii sec2 (5x 3) 5

xiii (2x 1) 3 2

xiv

The nal step in learning to use this process is to be able to recognise when a function is not quite in the correct form but can be put into the correct form by minor changes. For example, we try to calculate x3 x4 + 1dx.

We notice that x4 + 1 is a composite function, so we would like to have u = g (x) = x4 +1. But this would mean g (x) = 4x3 , and the integrand (i.e. the function we are trying to integrate) only has x3 . However, we can easily make it 4x3 , as follows: 1 x3 x4 + 1dx = 4 Note: The
1 4

x4 + 1 4x3 dx.

and the 4 cancel with each other, so the expression is not changed. g (x) = 4x3 f (u) = 2 u2 3 1 2 4 x4 + 1 4x2 dx = x +1 4 3
3 3 2

So u = g (x) = x4 + 1, And f (u) = u 2 1 So, x3 x4 + 1dx = 4

+ c.

Note: We may only insert constants in this way, not variables. 1 2 ex 2xdx, because 2x 1 in front of the integral sign does n ot cancel with the x which has been the x inserted in the integrand. We cannot for example evaluate ex dx by writing
2

This integral cannot, in fact, be evaluated in terms of elementary functions.

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The example above illustrates one of the diculties with integration: many seemingly simple functions cannot be integrated without inventing new functions to express the integrals. There is no set of rules which we can apply which will tell us how to integrate any function. All we can do is give some techniques which will work for s ome functions. Exercises 1.3 Write the following functions in the form f (g (x)) g (x) and hence integrate them: i iii v vii ix cos 7x
x 12x2

ii iv vi

xex

x2 (4x3 + 3)9
sin x x

sin(1 + 3x)
x (1x2 )

viii e3x

tan 6x

Hint: Write tan 6x in terms of sin 6x and cos 6x.

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Solutions to exercises
d (2x 4)13 dx d (sin x) dx d 3 x 5 ) (e dx d (ln(2x 1)) dx 1 d ( ) dx 5x 3 d (tan 5x) dx d ((x5 1)4 ) dx d (sin x3 ) dx d x (e ) dx d (cos5 x) dx

Exercises 1.1 i ii iii iv v = 13 (2x 4)12 2, = cos x , = e3x5 3, = 1 2, 2x 1 1 5, (5x 3)2 so so so so so 13(2x 4)12 2dx cos x dx e3x5 3dx 1 2dx 2x 1 1 5dx (5x 3)2 = (2x 4)13 + c. = sin x + c. = e3x5 + c. = ln(2x 1) + c. = 1 + c. 5x 3

vi vii viii ix x xi xii

= sec2 5x 5, = 4(x5 1)3 5x4 , = cos(x3 ) 3x2 , = e

so so so so

sec2 5x 5dx 4(x5 1)3 5x4 dx cos(x3 ) 3x2 dx e

= tan 5x + c. = (x5 1)4 + c. = sin(x3 ) + c. = e

1 1 x 2 , 2

1 1 x 2 dx 2

+ c.

= 5 cos4 x ( sin x), so so so

5 cos4 x ( sin x)dx = cos5 x + c. sec2 (x2 + 1) 2xdx = tan(x2 + 1) + c. 1 cos xdx sin x = ln(sin x) + c.

d (tan(x2 + 1)) = sec2 (x2 + 1) 2x, dx d (ln(sin x)) dx = 1 cos x, sin x

Exercises 1.2 (Before you read these solutions, check your work by dierentiating your answer.) i.

1 3dx = ln(3x 1) + c. 3x 1 u = g (x) = 3x 1 f (u) =

so g (x) = 3 so f (u) = ln u

ii.

3 2 2x + 1 2dx = (2x + 1) 2 + c. 3

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u = g (x) = 2x + 1 f (u) = u iii.

so g (x) = 2 u2 so f (u) = 2 3
3

1 1 (ln x)2 dx = (ln x)3 + c. x 3 u = g (x) = ln x f (u) = u2 so g (x) =

so f (u) = 1 u3 3

iv.

e2x+4 2dx = e2x+4 + c. u = g (x) = 2x + 4 f (u) = eu so g (x) = 2 so f (u) = eu

v.

sin(x3 ) 3x2 dx = cos(x3 ) + c. u = g (x) = x3 f (u) cos(

so g (x) = 3x2 so f (u) = cos u

= sin u

vi.

x x ) dx = sin( ) + c. 2 2 2 so g (x) =
2

u = g (x) = x 2 f (u) = cos u

so f (u) = sin u 1 (7x 8)13 + c. 13 so g (x) = 7 so f (u) =

vii.

(7x 8)12 7dx =

u = g (x) = 7x 8 f (u) = u12

viii.

1 sin(ln x) dx = cos(ln x) + c. x u = g (x) = ln x f (u) = sin u so g (x) =

so f (u) = cos u

ix.

1 cos xdx = ln(sin x) + c. sin x u = g (x) = sin x f (u) =

so g (x) = cos x so f (u) = ln u

x.

etan x sec2 xdx = etan x + c. u = g (x) = tan x f (u) = eu so g (x) = sec2 x so f (u) = eu

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xi.

ex 3x2 dx = ex + c. u = g (x) = x3 f (u) = eu so g (x) = 3x2 so f (u) = eu

xii.

sec2 (5x 3) 5dx = tan(5x 3) + c. u = g (x) = 5x 3 f (u) = sec2 u so g (x) = 5 so f (u) = tan u

xiii.

1 4 3 (2x 1) 3 2dx = (2x 1) 3 + c. 4

u = g (x) = 2x 1 f (u) =u
1 3

so g (x) = 2 u3 so f (u) = 3 4
4

xiv.

3 2 sin x cos xdx = (sin x) 2 + c. 3

u = g (x) = sin x f (u) = u Exercises 1.3

so g (x) = cos x u2 so f (u) = 2 3

(Before reading the solutions, check all your answers by dierentiating!) 1 1 cos 7xdx = cos 7x 7dx = sin 7x + c. i. 7 7

u = g (x) = 7x, g (x) = 7 f (u) = cos u so f (u) = sin u xex dx =

ii.

1 2

1 2 2 ex 2xdx = ex + c. 2

u = g (x) = x2 , g (x) = 2x f (u) = eu so f (u) = eu 1 x dx = 2 1 2x 4

iii.

1 1 (4x)dx = ln(1 2x2 ) + c. 2 1 2x 4

u = g (x) = 1 2x2 , g (x) = 4x f (u) = so f (u) = ln u 1 12 (4x3 + 3)9 12x2 dx = 1 1 1 (4x3 + 3)10 + c = (4x3 + 3)10 + c. 12 10 120

iv.

x2 (4x3 + 3)9 dx =

u = g (x) = 4x3 + 3, g (x) = 12x2 f (u) = u9 so f (u) =

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10

v.

sin(1 + 3x)dx =

1 3

1 sin(1 + 3x) 3dx = cos(1 + 3x) + c. 3

u = g (x) = 1 + 3x, g (x) = 3 f (u) = sin u so f (u) = cos u sin x dx = 2 x sin 1 x dx = 2 cos x + c. 2 x
1 2 x

vi.

u = g (x) =

x, g (x) =

f (u) = sin u so f (u) = cos u x 1 dx = 2 2 1x

vii.

1 1 1 1 (2x)dx = 2(1 x2 ) 2 + c = (1 x2 ) 2 + c. 2 2 1x

u = g (x) = 1 x2 , g (x) = 2x f (u) = e3x dx = 1 3 so f (u) = 2u 2 1 e3x 3dx = e3x + c. 3

viii.

u = g (x) = 3x, g (x) = 3 f (u) = eu so f (u) = eu tan 6xdx = sin 6x 1 dx = cos 6x 6

ix.

1 1 6 sin 6x = ln(cos 6x) + c. cos 6x 6

u = g (x) = cos 6x, g (x) = 6 sin 6x f (u) = so f (u) = ln u