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Learning Objectives
- Integrate functions involving exponential functions.
- Integrate functions involving logarithmic functions.
Exponential and logarithmic functions are used to model population growth, cell growth, and financial growth, as well as depreciation, radioactive decay, and resource consumption, to name only a few applications. In this section, we explore integration involving exponential and logarithmic functions.
Integrals of Exponential Functions
The exponential function is perhaps the most efficient function in terms of the operations of calculus. The exponential function, is its own derivative and its own integral.
Rule: Integrals of Exponential Functions
Exponential functions can be integrated using the following formulas.

Finding an Antiderivative of an Exponential Function
Find the antiderivative of the exponential function –
.
Solution
Use substitution, setting and then
Multiply the du equation by -1, so you now have
Then,

Find the antiderivative of the function using substitution:
Solution
A common mistake when dealing with exponential expressions is treating the exponent on the same way we treat exponents in polynomial expressions. We cannot use the power rule for the exponent on
. This can be especially confusing when we have both exponentials and polynomials in the same expression, as in the previous checkpoint. In these cases, we should always double-check to make sure we’re using the right rules for the functions we’re integrating.
Square Root of an Exponential Function
Find the antiderivative of the exponential function
Solution
First rewrite the problem using a rational exponent:

Using substitution, choose Then,
We have ( (Figure) )

Then

![A graph of the function f(x) = e^x * sqrt(1 + e^x), which is an increasing concave up curve, over [-3, 1]. It begins close to the x axis in quadrant two, crosses the y axis at (0, sqrt(2)), and continues to increase rapidly.](https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/courses-images/wp-content/uploads/sites/2332/2018/01/11204252/CNX_Calc_Figure_05_06_001.jpg)
Find the antiderivative of
Hint
Let
Using Substitution with an Exponential Function

Solution
Here we choose to let equal the expression in the exponent on
. Let
and
Again, du is off by a constant multiplier; the original function contains a factor of 3
2 , not 6
2 . Multiply both sides of the equation by
so that the integrand in
equals the integrand in
. Thus,

Integrate the expression in and then substitute the original expression in
back into the
integral:

Evaluate the indefinite integral
Solution
Hint
Let
As mentioned at the beginning of this section, exponential functions are used in many real-life applications. The number is often associated with compounded or accelerating growth, as we have seen in earlier sections about the derivative. Although the derivative represents a rate of change or a growth rate, the integral represents the total change or the total growth. Let’s look at an example in which integration of an exponential function solves a common business application.
A price–demand function tells us the relationship between the quantity of a product demanded and the price of the product. In general, price decreases as quantity demanded increases. The marginal price–demand function is the derivative of the price–demand function and it tells us how fast the price changes at a given level of production. These functions are used in business to determine the price–elasticity of demand, and to help companies determine whether changing production levels would be profitable.
Finding a Price–Demand Equation
Find the price–demand equation for a particular brand of toothpaste at a supermarket chain when the demand is 50 tubes per week at $2.35 per tube, given that the marginal price—demand function, for
number of tubes per week, is given as

If the supermarket chain sells 100 tubes per week, what price should it set?
Solution
To find the price–demand equation, integrate the marginal price–demand function. First find the antiderivative, then look at the particulars. Thus,

Using substitution, let and
Then, divide both sides of the du equation by -0.01. This gives

The next step is to solve for C . We know that when the price is $2.35 per tube, the demand is 50 tubes per week. This means

Now, just solve for C :

Thus,

If the supermarket sells 100 tubes of toothpaste per week, the price would be

The supermarket should charge $1.99 per tube if it is selling 100 tubes per week.
Evaluating a Definite Integral Involving an Exponential Function
Evaluate the definite integral
Solution
Again, substitution is the method to use. Let so
or
Then
Next, change the limits of integration. Using the equation
we have

The integral then becomes

See (Figure) .
![A graph of the function f(x) = e^(1-x) over [0, 3]. It crosses the y axis at (0, e) as a decreasing concave up curve and symptotically approaches 0 as x goes to infinity.](https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/courses-images/wp-content/uploads/sites/2332/2018/01/11204254/CNX_Calc_Figure_05_06_002.jpg)
Evaluate
Solution
Hint
Let
Growth of Bacteria in a Culture
Suppose the rate of growth of bacteria in a Petri dish is given by where
is given in hours and
is given in thousands of bacteria per hour. If a culture starts with 10,000 bacteria, find a function
that gives the number of bacteria in the Petri dish at any time
. How many bacteria are in the dish after 2 hours?
Solution
We have

Then, at we have
so
and we get

At time we have


After 2 hours, there are 17,282 bacteria in the dish.
Fruit Fly Population Growth
Suppose a population of fruit flies increases at a rate of in flies per day. If the initial population of fruit flies is 100 flies, how many flies are in the population after 10 days?
Solution
Let represent the number of flies in the population at time
. Applying the net change theorem, we have
![Rendered by QuickLaTeX.com \begin{array}{cc}\\ \\ G(10)\hfill & =G(0)+{\int }_{0}^{10}2{e}^{0.02t}dt\hfill \\ & =100+{\left[\frac{2}{0.02}{e}^{0.02t}\right]|}_{0}^{10}\hfill \\ & =100+{\left[100{e}^{0.02t}\right]|}_{0}^{10}\hfill \\ & =100+100{e}^{0.2}-100\hfill \\ & \approx 122.\hfill \end{array}](https://opentextbooks.clemson.edu/app/uploads/quicklatex/quicklatex.com-7917228ee49fadb7df0a2b194d81320d_l3.png)
There are 122 flies in the population after 10 days.
Suppose the rate of growth of the fly population is given by and the initial fly population is 100 flies. How many flies are in the population after 15 days?
Solution
There are 116 flies.
Hint
Use the process from (Figure) to solve the problem.
Evaluating a Definite Integral Using Substitution
Evaluate the definite integral using substitution:
Solution
This problem requires some rewriting to simplify applying the properties. First, rewrite the exponent on as a power of
, then bring the
2 in the denominator up to the numerator using a negative exponent. We have

Let the exponent on
. Then

Bringing the negative sign outside the integral sign, the problem now reads

Next, change the limits of integration:

Notice that now the limits begin with the larger number, meaning we must multiply by -1 and interchange the limits. Thus,

Evaluate the definite integral using substitution:
Solution
Hint
Let
Integrals Involving Logarithmic Functions
Integrating functions of the form result in the absolute value of the natural log function, as shown in the following rule. Integral formulas for other logarithmic functions, such as
and
are also included in the rule.
Rule: Integration Formulas Involving Logarithmic Functions
The following formulas can be used to evaluate integrals involving logarithmic functions.

Finding an Antiderivative Involving 
Find the antiderivative of the function
Solution
First factor the 3 outside the integral symbol. Then use the -1 rule. Thus,

See (Figure) .


Finding an Antiderivative of a Rational Function
Find the antiderivative of
This can be rewritten as Use substitution. Let
then
Alter du by factoring out the 2. Thus,

Rewrite the integrand in :

Then we have

Finding an Antiderivative of a Logarithmic Function
Find the antiderivative of the log function
Solution
Follow the format in the formula listed in the rule on integration formulas involving logarithmic functions. Based on this format, we have

Find the antiderivative of
Solution
Hint
Follow (Figure) and refer to the rule on integration formulas involving logarithmic functions.
(Figure) is a definite integral of a trigonometric function. With trigonometric functions, we often have to apply a trigonometric property or an identity before we can move forward. Finding the right form of the integrand is usually the key to a smooth integration.
Evaluating a Definite Integral
Find the definite integral of
Solution
We need substitution to evaluate this problem. Let so
Rewrite the integral in terms of
, changing the limits of integration as well. Thus,

Then
![Rendered by QuickLaTeX.com \begin{array}{cc}{\int }_{0}^{\pi \text{/}2}\frac{ \sin x}{1+ \cos x}\hfill & =-{\int }_{2}^{1}{u}^{-1}du\hfill \\ \\ \\ & ={\int }_{1}^{2}{u}^{-1}du\hfill \\ & ={\text{ln}|u||}_{1}^{2}\hfill \\ & =\left[\text{ln}2-\text{ln}1\right]\hfill \\ & =\text{ln}2.\hfill \end{array}](https://opentextbooks.clemson.edu/app/uploads/quicklatex/quicklatex.com-2936c6013f299a3d0cb54213e752aaad_l3.png)
Key Concepts
- Exponential and logarithmic functions arise in many real-world applications, especially those involving growth and decay.
- Substitution is often used to evaluate integrals involving exponential functions or logarithms.
Key Equations
- Integrals of Exponential Functions
- Integration Formulas Involving Logarithmic Functions
In the following exercises, compute each indefinite integral.
1.
2.
Solution
3.
4.
Solution
5.
6.
Solution
7.
8.
Solution
In the following exercises, find each indefinite integral by using appropriate substitutions.
9.
10.
Solution
11.
12.
Solution
13.
14.
Solution
15.
16.

17.
18.
Solution
19.
20.
Solution
21.
22.
Solution
In the following exercises, verify by differentiation that then use appropriate changes of variables to compute the integral.
23. [latex](Hint\text{:}\int \text{ln}xdx=\frac{1}{2}\int x\text{ln}({x}^{2})dx)[/latex]
24.
Solution
25. [latex](Hint\text{:}\text{Set}u=\frac{1}{x}\text{.})[/latex]
26. [latex](Hint\text{:}\text{Set}u=\sqrt{x}\text{.})[/latex]
Solution
27. Write an integral to express the area under the graph of from
to e x and evaluate the integral.
28. Write an integral to express the area under the graph of between
and
and evaluate the integral.
Solution
In the following exercises, use appropriate substitutions to express the trigonometric integrals in terms of compositions with logarithms.
29.
30.
Solution
31.
32.
Solution
33.
34.
Solution
35.
In the following exercises, evaluate the definite integral.
36.
Solution
37.
38.
Solution
39.
40.
Solution
In the following exercises, integrate using the indicated substitution.
41.
42.
Solution
43.
44.
Solution
45.
46.
Solution
In the following exercises, does the right-endpoint approximation overestimate or underestimate the exact area? Calculate the right endpoint estimate R 50 and solve for the exact area.
47. [T] over
48. [T] over
Solution
Exact solution: Since
is decreasing, the right endpoint estimate underestimates the area.
49. [T] over
50. [T] over
Solution
Exact solution: Since
is increasing, the right endpoint estimate overestimates the area.
51. [T] over
52. [T] over
Solution
Exact solution: Since
is increasing, the right endpoint estimate overestimates the area (the actual area is a larger negative number).
In the following exercises, for
Find the area under the graph of
between the given values
and
by integrating.
53.
54.
Solution
55.
56.
Solution
57. Find the area under the graph of the function between
and
58. Compute the integral of and find the smallest value of N such that the area under the graph
between
and
is, at most, 0.01.
Solution
The quantity is less than 0.01 when
59. Find the limit, as N tends to infinity, of the area under the graph of between
and
60. Show that when
Solution
61. Suppose that for all
and that
and
are differentiable. Use the identity
and the chain rule to find the derivative of
62. Use the previous exercise to find the antiderivative of and evaluate
Solution
23
63. Show that if then the integral of
from ac to bc
is the same as the integral of
from
to
.
The following exercises are intended to derive the fundamental properties of the natural log starting from the Definition using properties of the definite integral and making no further assumptions.
64. Use the identity to derive the identity
Solution
We may assume that Then,
Now make the substitution
so
and
and change endpoints:
65. Use a change of variable in the integral to show that
66. Use the identity to show that
is an increasing function of
on
and use the previous exercises to show that the range of
is
Without any further assumptions, conclude that
has an inverse function defined on
67. Pretend, for the moment, that we do not know that is the inverse function of
but keep in mind that
has an inverse function defined on
Call it E . Use the identity
to deduce that
for any real numbers
,
.
68. Pretend, for the moment, that we do not know that is the inverse function of
but keep in mind that
has an inverse function defined on
Call it E . Show that
Solution
Then,
Since any number
can be written
for some
, and for such
we have
it follows that for any
69. The sine integral, defined as is an important quantity in engineering. Although it does not have a simple closed formula, it is possible to estimate its behavior for large
. Show that for
(Hint:
)
70. [T] The normal distribution in probability is given by where σ is the standard deviation and μ is the average. The standard normal distribution in probability,
corresponds to
Compute the left endpoint estimates
of
Solution
71. [T] Compute the right endpoint estimates of
Hint
Let
equal the exponent on
.