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Worked Examples · Example 8

Q.Find the following integrals:

(i) ∫dxx2−16\int \dfrac{dx}{x^2 - 16}
(ii) ∫dx2x−x2\int \dfrac{dx}{\sqrt{2x - x^2}}
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✓ Free question

Both integrals are standard forms solved by completing the square or direct recognition. (i) ∫dxx2−16=18log⁡∣x−4x+4∣+C\int \frac{dx}{x^2 - 16} = \frac{1}{8} \log\left|\frac{x-4}{x+4}\right| + C;

(ii) ∫dx2x−x2=sin⁡−1(x−1)+C\int \frac{dx}{\sqrt{2x - x^2}} = \sin^{-1}(x-1) + C.

The key to both problems is recognising that they match the standard forms from your integral tables — but with a slight twist. For (i), the denominator is a difference of squares, which screams for partial fractions or the inverse hyperbolic tangent formula. For (ii), the expression under the square root is a quadratic that doesn’t immediately look like 1−u21 - u^2, but completing the square will make it so.

Let’s work through each one.

(i) ∫dxx2−16\int \dfrac{dx}{x^2 - 16}

1. Recognise the standard form.

You know that ∫dxx2−a2=12alog⁡∣x−ax+a∣+C\int \frac{dx}{x^2 - a^2} = \frac{1}{2a} \log\left|\frac{x-a}{x+a}\right| + C. Here a2=16a^2 = 16, so a=4a = 4. This is a direct match — no substitution needed.

2. Apply the formula.

Plug a=4a = 4 into the formula:

∫dxx2−16=12⋅4log⁡∣x−4x+4∣+C=18log⁡∣x−4x+4∣+C.\int \frac{dx}{x^2 - 16} = \frac{1}{2 \cdot 4} \log\left|\frac{x-4}{x+4}\right| + C = \frac{1}{8} \log\left|\frac{x-4}{x+4}\right| + C.

Tip

If you forget the formula, you can derive it quickly using partial fractions: 1x2−16=18(1x−4−1x+4)\frac{1}{x^2 - 16} = \frac{1}{8}\left(\frac{1}{x-4} - \frac{1}{x+4}\right), then integrate term by term. You’ll get the same result.

3. Done.

No further simplification is needed. The absolute value ensures the logarithm is defined for xx outside the interval (−4,4)(-4, 4) as well.

Watch out

A common mistake is to write 1x2−16\frac{1}{x^2 - 16} as 1(x−4)(x+4)\frac{1}{(x-4)(x+4)} and then try a trigonometric substitution — that’s overkill. Stick to the standard formula unless the problem explicitly asks for a different method.

(ii) ∫dx2x−x2\int \dfrac{dx}{\sqrt{2x - x^2}}

1. Complete the square inside the square root.

The expression 2x−x22x - x^2 is a quadratic. Write it as:

2x−x2=−(x2−2x)=−(x2−2x+1−1)=−[(x−1)2−1]=1−(x−1)2.2x - x^2 = -(x^2 - 2x) = -(x^2 - 2x + 1 - 1) = -[(x-1)^2 - 1] = 1 - (x-1)^2.

So the integral becomes:

∫dx1−(x−1)2.\int \frac{dx}{\sqrt{1 - (x-1)^2}}.

2. Recognise the standard form.

Now it matches ∫du1−u2=sin⁡−1u+C\int \frac{du}{\sqrt{1 - u^2}} = \sin^{-1} u + C, with u=x−1u = x-1 and du=dxdu = dx.

3. Substitute and integrate.

Let u=x−1u = x-1, then du=dxdu = dx. The integral is:

∫du1−u2=sin⁡−1u+C=sin⁡−1(x−1)+C.\int \frac{du}{\sqrt{1 - u^2}} = \sin^{-1} u + C = \sin^{-1}(x-1) + C.

Note

The domain of the original integral requires 2x−x2>02x - x^2 > 0, i.e., x(2−x)>0x(2-x) > 0, which gives 0<x<20 < x < 2. Within this interval, x−1x-1 lies between −1-1 and 11, so the arcsine is well-defined.

4. Done.

No constant factor appears because the completed square gave exactly 1−(x−1)21 - (x-1)^2 — the coefficient of u2u^2 is 11.

✓Final answer

  1. ∫dxx2−16=18log⁡∣x−4x+4∣+C\int \frac{dx}{x^2 - 16} = \frac{1}{8} \log\left|\frac{x-4}{x+4}\right| + C;
  2. ∫dx2x−x2=sin⁡−1(x−1)+C\int \frac{dx}{\sqrt{2x - x^2}} = \sin^{-1}(x-1) + C.

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