DEFINITE INTEGRALS

Introduction
When you were first introduced to integration as the reverse of
differentiation, the integrals you dealt with were indefinite integrals.
The result of finding an indefinite integral is usually a function plus a
constant of integration. In this Section we introduce definite
integrals, so called because the result will be a definite answer,
usually a number, with no constant of integration. Definite integrals
have many applications, for example in finding areas bounded by
curves, and finding volumes of solids.
Definite integrals

We saw in the previous Section that 𝑓 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 = 𝐹 𝑥 + 𝐶 where

𝐹(𝑥) is that function which, when differentiated, gives 𝑓(𝑥). That is,
𝑑𝐹
= 𝑓(𝑥). For example,
𝑑𝑥
cos 3𝑥
sin 3𝑥 𝑑𝑥 = − +𝐶
3
1
Here, 𝑓(𝑥) = sin(3𝑥) and 𝐹(𝑥) = − 3 cos(3𝑥).
We now consider a definite integral which is simply an indefinite
integral but with numbers written to the upper and lower right of
the integral sign. The quantity
𝑏
𝑓 𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑎
is called the definite integral of 𝑓(𝑥) from 𝑎 to 𝑏. The numbers 𝑎
and 𝑏 are known as the lower limit and upper limit respectively of
the integral. We define
 𝑏
𝑓 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 = 𝐹 𝑏 − 𝐹 𝑎
𝑎
so that a definite integral is usually a number. The meaning of a
definite integral will be developed in later Sections. For the present
we concentrate on the process of evaluating definite integrals.

Properties of Definite Integrals

1. The definite integral of 1 is equal to the length of the interval of

integration:
𝑏
1 𝑑𝑥 = 𝑏 − 𝑎
𝑎
2. A constant factor can be moved across the integral sign:
𝑏 𝑏
𝑘 𝑓 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 = 𝑘 𝑓 𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑎 𝑎
3. The definite integral of the sum or difference of two functions is
equal to the sum of the integrals of these functions:
𝑏 𝑏 𝑏
𝑓 𝑥 ± 𝑔(𝑥) 𝑑𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 ± 𝑔 𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑎 𝑎 𝑎
4. If the upper and lower limits of a definite integral are the same, the
integral is zero:
𝑎
𝑓 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 = 0
𝑎
5. Reversing the limits of integration changes the sign of the definite
integral:
𝑏 𝑎
𝑓 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 = − 𝑓 𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑎 𝑏
6. Suppose that a point 𝑐 belongs to the interval [𝑎, 𝑏]. Then the
definite integral of a function 𝑓(𝑥) over the interval [𝑎, 𝑏] is equal
to the sum of the integrals over the intervals [𝑎, 𝑐] and [𝑐, 𝑏]:
𝑏 𝑐 𝑏
𝑓 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 + 𝑓 𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑎 𝑎 𝑐
7. The definite integral of a non-negative function is always greater
than or equal to zero:
𝑏
𝑓 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 ≥ 0 𝑖𝑓 𝑓 𝑥 ≥ 0 𝑖𝑛 𝑎, 𝑏 .
𝑎
8. The definite integral of a non-positive function is always less than
or equal to zero:
𝑏
𝑓 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 ≤ 0𝑖𝑓 𝑓 𝑥 ≤ 0 𝑖𝑛 𝑎, 𝑏 .
𝑎

Evaluating Definite Integrals

When you evaluate a definite integral the result will usually be a

number. To see how to evaluate a definite integral consider the
following Example.
 4 3
Example 1. Evaluate 1
𝑥 𝑑𝑥

Solution:
First perform the integration

4 4
3 𝑥4
𝑥 𝑑𝑥 =
1 4 1
Now insert the limits of integration, the upper limit minus the lower limit, and
hence evaluate the integral:
4 4 4
4 1
𝑥 3 𝑑𝑥 = −
1 4 4
255
=
4
 𝜋 2
Example 2. Evaluate 0
cos 𝑥 𝑑𝑥

Solution:
First perform the integration

𝜋 2
𝜋 2
cos 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 = sin 𝑥 0
0
Now insert the limits of integration, the upper limit minus the lower limit, and
hence evaluate the integral:
𝜋 2 𝜋
cos 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 = sin − sin 0
0 2
=1−0
=1
 2
Example 3. Evaluate 1
𝑥 2 + 1 𝑑𝑥

Solution:
First perform the integration

2 2 2
𝑥 2 + 1 𝑑𝑥 = 𝑥 2 𝑑𝑥 + 𝑑𝑥
1 1 1
2
𝑥3 2
= + 𝑥 1
3 1
Now insert the limits of integration, the upper limit minus the lower limit, and
hence evaluate the integral:
2 3 3
2 1
𝑥 2 + 1 𝑑𝑥 = − + 2−1
1 3 3
7
= +1
3
10
=
3
 1
Example 4. Evaluate 2
𝑥 2 + 1 𝑑𝑥

Solution:
This example is very similar to the previous example. Note the limits
have been interchanged:
First perform the integration
1 1
2 𝑥3
𝑥 + 1 𝑑𝑥 = + 𝑥 1
2
2 3 2
Now insert the limits of integration, the upper limit minus the lower limit, and
hence evaluate the integral:
1 3 3
1 2
𝑥 2 + 1 𝑑𝑥 = − + 1−2
2 3 3
7
=− −1
3
10
=−
3
Note from these two examples that interchanging the limits of integration, changes the sign
of the answer.
 2 2𝑤 5 −𝑤+3
Example 5. Evaluate 𝑑𝑤
1 𝑤2

2 2
2𝑤 5 − 𝑤 + 3 1
𝑑𝑤 = 2𝑤 − + 3𝑤 −2 𝑑𝑤
3
1 𝑤2 1 𝑤
2
𝑤4 𝑤 −1
= 2 − ln 𝑤 + 3
4 −1 1
2
𝑤4 3
= − ln 𝑤 −
2 𝑤 1

24 3 14 3
= − ln 2 − − − ln 1 −
2 2 2 1
3 1
= 8 − ln 2 − − − ln 1 − 3
2 2
13 5
= − ln 2 + + ln 1
2 2
= 9 − ln 2 ≈ 8.31
 𝜋 4
Example 6. Evaluate 𝜋 6
5 − 2 sec 𝑧 tan 𝑧 𝑑𝑧

𝜋 4 𝜋 4 𝜋 4
5 − 2 sec 𝑧 tan 𝑧 𝑑𝑧 = 5 𝑑𝑧 − 2 sec 𝑧 tan 𝑧 𝑑𝑧
𝜋 6 𝜋 6 𝜋 6

𝜋 4
= 5𝑧 − 2 sec 𝑧 𝜋 6

𝜋 𝜋 𝜋 𝜋
= 5 − − 2 sec − sec
4 6 4 6

5𝜋 2 3
= −2 2−
12 3

5𝜋 4 3
= −2 2+ ≈ 0.79
12 3
 −1 3 1
Example 7. Evaluate −20 𝑒 −𝑧
− 3𝑧 𝑑𝑧

−1 −1 −1
3 1 𝑧
1 𝑑𝑧
− 𝑑𝑧 = 3 𝑒 𝑑𝑧 −
−20 𝑒 −𝑧 3𝑧 −20 3 −20 𝑧

−1
𝑧
1
= 3𝑒 − ln 𝑧
3 −20

−1 −20
1
=3𝑒 −𝑒 − ln −1 − ln −20
3
1 1 1
=3 1
− 20
− ln 1 − ln 20
𝑒 𝑒 3

3 3 1
= − 20 + ln 20 ≈ 2.1
𝑒 𝑒 3