Integration results in natural log of a natural log

In summary: To get at the simplification you might have been thinking of, you can use change of base. In particular, let's use the base 'e' logarithm (commonly referred to as the natural logarithm).\frac{1}{2} ln(ln(x^2)) + C = \frac{1}{2} ln(ln(x)) + \frac{1}{2} ln(2) + C = \frac{1}{2 ln(e)} ln(ln(x)) + \frac{1}{2} ln(2) + C = \frac{1}{2 ln(e)} ln(ln(x)) + \frac{1}{2 ln(e)} ln(2) + C = \frac{1}{
  • #1
cmajor47
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SORRY FOR THE LACK OF FORMATTING, I SPENT 30 MINUTES TRYING TO FORMAT AND IT KEPT GETTING MESSED UP.


Homework Statement


Evaluate by substitution.
Integral of dx/xln(x^2)

Homework Equations


integral of 1/u du = ln(u) + C


The Attempt at a Solution


u = ln(x^2)
du = 2/x

Integral of dx/xln(x^2) = 1/2 ln(ln(x^2)) + C

The natural log of a natural log is confusing me. Did I not solve the problem correctly? If it is correct, is there a simpler way of forming the answer?
 
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  • #2
cmajor47 said:
SORRY FOR THE LACK OF FORMATTING, I SPENT 30 MINUTES TRYING TO FORMAT AND IT KEPT GETTING MESSED UP.

Don worry about it.
Your formatting looks fine, better actually then some of the problem statements I've seen around.
And if you want, just ask a couple of questions around, and you'll see that ppl will help you improve your formatting.

cmajor47 said:

The Attempt at a Solution


u = ln(x^2)
du = 2/x

Integral of dx/xln(x^2) = 1/2 ln(ln(x^2)) + C

The natural log of a natural log is confusing me. Did I not solve the problem correctly? If it is correct, is there a simpler way of forming the answer?

You are making the right substitution with u = ln(x2).
However, I think your substitution is slightly off.

You mention du = 2/x. However, you do not need du in your substitution, but dx.
So you should solve u = ln(x2) for x, and then take the derivative from that.

And yes, this is the simplest way to solve the problem.
 
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  • #3
Interestingly enough, it can be made to look a bit simpler. You could wrap the x^2 bit into the constant. This is realized in one of two ways. Start the integration by taking the square outside of the logarithm. You will arrive at 1/2 ln(ln(x)) + C. Or use log rules:

[tex]\frac{1}{2} ln(ln(x^2)) + C = \frac{1}{2} ln(2 ln(x)) + C = \frac{1}{2} ln(ln(x)) + \frac{1}{2} ln(2) + C = \frac{1}{2} ln(ln(x)) + C[/tex]

I know that wasn't the simplification you might have been looking for, but it is a bit easier.
 

FAQ: Integration results in natural log of a natural log

1. What is integration?

Integration is a mathematical process that involves finding the antiderivative of a given function. It is the reverse of differentiation, which is the process of finding the derivative of a function.

2. What is the natural log function?

The natural log function, denoted as ln(x), is the logarithmic function with base e. It is the inverse of the exponential function with base e, which is defined as e^x. The natural log function is commonly used in calculus and is also known as the logarithm to the base e.

3. How does integration result in the natural log of a natural log?

When we integrate a function, we are essentially finding the area under the curve of that function. When the function is ln(ln(x)), the resulting area is equal to the natural log of the natural log of x. This can be seen by using the substitution method in integration.

4. What are the applications of integration in real life?

Integration has numerous applications in various fields such as physics, engineering, and economics. It is used to calculate volumes, areas, and other physical quantities in physics and engineering. In economics, integration is used to calculate total revenue, total cost, and profit in business. It also has applications in probability and statistics.

5. Is there a specific method to integrate ln(ln(x))?

Yes, there are various methods to integrate ln(ln(x)), such as substitution, integration by parts, and partial fractions. The choice of method depends on the form of the function and the complexity of the integration problem. It is always recommended to practice and understand the different integration techniques to solve such problems effectively.

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