What is f(x) = int x^2e^(2x-1)-x^3e^x dx if f(2) = 7 ?

1 Answer
Oct 24, 2016

I got:

(x^2/2 - x/2 + 1/4)e^(2x - 1) - (x^3 - 3x^2 + 6x - 6)e^x - 5/4e^3 + 2e^2 + 7


This has several integration by parts. But we do have access to an integral table.

int x^me^(ax)dx = 1/a x^me^(ax) - m/aint x^(m-1)e^(ax)dx for m >= 2
int xe^(ax)dx = 1/a^2e^(ax)(ax - 1) + C

So the first integral should give:

int x^2e^(2x-1)dx

= 1/2 x^2e^(2x-1) - int xe^(2x-1)dx

= x^2/2e^(2x-1) - 1/4 e^(2x-1)(2x-1)

= x^2/2e^(2x-1) - x/2 e^(2x-1) + 1/4e^(2x - 1)

= (x^2/2 - x/2 + 1/4)e^(2x - 1)

and the second integral should give:

int x^3e^xdx

= x^3e^x - 3intx^2e^xdx

= x^3e^x - 3(x^2e^x - 2int xe^xdx)

= x^3e^x - 3[x^2e^x - 2(e^x(x-1))]

= x^3e^x - 3x^2e^x + 6xe^x - 6e^x

= (x^3 - 3x^2 + 6x - 6)e^x

These two integral solutions combine to give:

color(green)((x^2/2 - x/2 + 1/4)e^(2x - 1) - (x^3 - 3x^2 + 6x - 6)e^x + C)

Further, you know that f(2) = 7, so set this equation equal to 7 at x = 2:

((2)^2/2 - (2)/2 + 1/4)e^(2(2)-1) - ((2)^3 - 3(2)^2 + 6(2) - 6)e^(2) + C = 7

(2 - 1 + 1/4)e^3 - (8 - 12 + 12 - 6)e^2 + C = 7

5/4e^3 - 2e^2 + C = 7

Thus, your integration constant is color(green)(C = -5/4e^3 + 2e^2 + 7), and your answer overall becomes:

color(blue)(int x^2e^(2x-1) - x^3e^xdx)

= color(blue)((x^2/2 - x/2 + 1/4)e^(2x - 1) - (x^3 - 3x^2 + 6x - 6)e^x - 5/4e^3 + 2e^2 + 7)