Q.Evaluate the definite integral ∫011+x−xdx
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Rationalizing the Denominator
Rationalizing the denominator means rewriting a fraction so that no radical (square root, cube root, …) is left on the bottom. It is algebraic housekeeping — the fraction's value never changes, because you only ever multiply by a cleverly disguised form of 1.
Why bother? A quotient like 21 is awkward to estimate (1÷1.414), but the equal form 22 is easy (1.414÷2≈0.707). Cleaner denominators are also easier to add, compare and simplify, and most answer keys expect this final form.
Case 1 — a single square root
Multiply top and bottom by that root:
53×55=535,
because 5×5=5 is rational. In general ba=bab.
Case 2 — a sum or difference with a root
Here multiplying by the root alone fails; use the conjugate, which turns the denominator into a difference of squares:
3+72×3−73−7=32−(7)22(3−7)=22(3−7)=3−7.
For b+ca, multiply by b−cb−c; the denominator becomes b2−c, a rational number.
Multiply both the numerator and the denominator by the same expression. Changing only the bottom changes the value of the fraction. …
The denominator 1+x−x never vanishes on [0,1], so this is an ordinary definite integral. Rationalize it.
Multiply top and bottom by the conjugate 1+x+x:
1+x−x1=(1+x)−x1+x+x=1+x+x.
So …
Rationalizing gives 1+x+x, and ∫01(1+x+x)dx=342.
First, is it improper?
At x=0 the denominator is 1−0=1, and it stays positive across [0,1], so there is no blow-up — this is a perfectly ordinary integral. The only difficulty is cosmetic: a difference of square roots on the bottom.
Rationalize the denominator
Whenever a−b sits underneath, multiply top and bottom by the conjugate a+b, because (a−b)(a+b)=a−b:
1+x−x1⋅1+x+x1+x+x=(1+x)−x1+x+x=1+x+x.
The denominator becomes 1, so the integral is now a sum of two easy power integrals.
Integrate each piece
Using ∫u1/2du=32u3/2: …
Method: Rationalise the difference of surds in the denominator
Use this for P−Q1: multiply by the conjugate so the denominator becomes P−Q, leaving elementary power integrals.
Steps
Step 1: Multiply by the conjugate.
1+x−x1⋅1+x+x1+x+x=(1+x)−x1+x+x=1+x+x.
Step 2: Confirm the integral is proper. …
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Thinking the integral is improper.
Why it's wrong: at x=0 the denominator is 1−0=1=0, and it stays positive on [0,1]; there is no singularity. Correct approach: treat it as an ordinary integral.
Mistake 2: Not rationalising.
Why it's wrong: leaving 1+x−x1 is hard to integrate; the conjugate turns it into 1+x+x. Correct approach: multiply by the conjugate. …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-13-FN1 markMCQQ.If 2+cosθ+isinθ3=x+iy, then (x−1)(x−3)= (A) y2 (B) −y2 (C) 0 (D) 1
›Reveal solutionSolution
The key is to rationalize the complex denominator by multiplying by its conjugate, which reveals that the real part x and the imaginary part y satisfy a simple quadratic relation. The final result is (x−1)(x−3)=−y2, so the correct option is (B).
We start with
2+cosθ+isinθ3=x+iy.
The denominator is a complex number of the form 2+eiθ. Our goal is to find a relation between x and y that doesn’t involve θ.
Why rationalize?
When a complex number appears in the denominator, we can multiply numerator and denominator by its conjugate to separate real and imaginary parts. This is the same trick used for expressions like a+ib1. Here, the conjugate of 2+cosθ+isinθ is 2+cosθ−isinθ.
Step-by-step
- Multiply numerator and denominator by the conjugate
2+cosθ+isinθ3⋅2+cosθ−isinθ2+cosθ−isinθ=(2+cosθ)2+sin2θ3(2+cosθ−isinθ).
- Simplify the denominator
(2+cosθ)2+sin2θ=4+4cosθ+cos2θ+sin2θ=4+4cosθ+1=5+4cosθ.
(We used cos2θ+sin2θ=1.)
- Separate real and imaginary parts
x+iy=5+4cosθ3(2+cosθ)+i⋅5+4cosθ−3sinθ.
So
x=5+4cosθ3(2+cosθ),y=5+4cosθ−3sinθ.
- Eliminate θ We want (x−1)(x−3). Let’s express x in a more convenient form.
x=5+4cosθ6+3cosθ.
Compute x−1 and x−3:
x−1=5+4cosθ6+3cosθ−1=5+4cosθ6+3cosθ−(5+4cosθ)=5+4cosθ1−cosθ.
x−3=5+4cosθ6+3cosθ−3=5+4cosθ6+3cosθ−3(5+4cosθ)=5+4cosθ6+3cosθ−15−12cosθ=5+4cosθ−9−9cosθ.
Factor:
x−3=5+4cosθ−9(1+cosθ).
- Multiply them
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-13-FN1 markMCQQ.x→1lim3x2+2x−5(9x−1)(x−1)= (A) 21 (B) 53 (C) 2 (D) −21
›Reveal solutionSolution
Both numerator and denominator vanish at x=1; rationalizing x−1 and factoring the denominator cancels the common (x−1) factor, leaving a limit of 1/2.
Concept and Intuition
A 0/0 indeterminate form involving a square root is almost always resolved by rationalizing (multiplying by the conjugate, or equivalently recognizing x−1=x+1x−1) so that the offending (x−1) factor becomes explicit and cancels with the same factor in the denominator.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Check the form at x=1: numerator (9−1)(1−1)=0; denominator 3+2−5=0 — indeed 0/0.
- Factor the denominator: 3x2+2x−5=(3x+5)(x−1) (verify: 3x2−3x+5x−5=3x2+2x−5 ✓).
- Rewrite x−1=x+1(x−1)(x+1)=x+1x−1.
- So the limit becomes …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-22-FN1 markMCQQ.y→0limy41+1+y4−2= (A) 421 (B) 22(1+2)1 (C) 221 (D) 42(1+2)1
›Reveal solutionSolution
Use the binomial/Taylor approximation 1+t≈1+t/2 twice (nested), to first order in y4. Answer: 421.
Concept and Intuition
For a 00-type limit built from nested square roots, the cleanest approach is the small-t approximation 1+t≈1+2t (from the binomial series, valid to first order as t→0), applied from the inside out. Since we only need the coefficient of y4 in the numerator, first-order expansions suffice — no need for full Taylor series or L'Hôpital's rule (which would require four differentiations here).
Step-by-Step Solution
- As y→0, 1+y4≈1+2y4 (first-order binomial expansion, t=y4→0).
- So 1+1+y4≈2+2y4.
- Factor out 2: 2+2y4=21+4y4.
- Expand again: 1+4y4≈1+8y4, so 21+4y4≈2+82y4.
- Numerator: 1+1+y4−2≈82y4. …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-26-AN1 markMCQQ.x→0limx2+2sinx+tanx+3−sin2x−2tanx−x+3x+2sinx+3tanx−tan3x= (A) 23 (B) 10 (C) 25 (D) 17
›Reveal solutionSolution
A 0/0 limit resolved by small-x series expansion of numerator and denominator to first order. Answer: 23.
Concept and Intuition
When both numerator and denominator vanish at the limit point, replace sinx,tanx by their Maclaurin series and keep terms up to the lowest surviving order — everything else washes out in the limit. For a difference of square roots like f(x)−g(x), it helps to write f,g as 3(1+u), 3(1+v) and expand 1+u≈1+2u.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Numerator: using sinx=x−6x3+⋯, tanx=x+3x3+⋯, tan3x=x3+⋯:
x+2sinx+3tanx−tan3x=x+(2x−3x3)+(3x+x3)−x3+O(x5)=6x−3x3+O(x5).
As x→0 this behaves like 6x.
2. Denominator terms: f(x)=x2+2sinx+tanx+3=3+(2x+x)+x2+O(x3)=3+3x+x2+O(x3).
g(x)=sin2x−2tanx−x+3=3+(−2x−x)+x2+O(x3)=3−3x+x2+O(x3). …
- AP EAPCET 2024Set eng-2024-05-21-FN1 markMCQQ.x→2limx3−81+4x−3+3x= (A) 721 (B) 361 (C) 241 (D) 121
›Reveal solutionSolution
A 0/0 indeterminate form at x=2; L'Hôpital's rule (differentiate top and bottom) gives the limit directly.
Concept and Intuition
At x=2: 1+8=3 and 3+6=3, so the numerator is 0; also x3−8=0. This is a genuine 0/0 form, so L'Hôpital's rule (or equivalently rationalising) applies.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Let g(x)=1+4x−3+3x, h(x)=x3−8. Both g(2)=0, h(2)=0.
- g′(x)=21+4x4−23+3x3=1+4x2−3+3x1.5.
- At x=2: g′(2)=32−31.5=30.5=61.
- h′(x)=3x2, so h′(2)=12. …
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