Daniel Ward
Posted on Tuesday, 06 May, 2003 - 09:57 pm:

Use the substitution x=1/u to find the value of

ó
õ
2

1/2 
logx
1+x2
 \dx


Which is all fine and dandy, except when you do this, I make it that you get back to exactly the same function, only of u instead of x.

What do I do ???
David Loeffler
Posted on Tuesday, 06 May, 2003 - 10:13 pm:

Hmm. When you do the change of variables, three minus signs appear (not two) - one from the log, one from the fact that du/dx is negative, and a third from the limits having switched around. So your integral
= ó
õ
1/2

2 
- logu
1 + u-2
. -1
u2
 du

= - ó
õ
2

1/2 
logu
1+u2
 du
This is minus the original integral, so the integral is zero. David

Daniel Ward
Posted on Thursday, 08 May, 2003 - 07:56 pm:

aaah. Thank you.