(A)The given integral is: \[ I = \int_{1/2}^2 \frac{\tan^{-1} x}{x} \, dx. \] (B)Use the substitution \( x = \frac{1}{t} \), so \( dx = -\frac{1}{t^2} dt \). The limits of integration change as follows: \[ x = \frac{1}{2} \implies t = 2, \quad x = 2 \implies t = \frac{1}{2}. \] Substituting, the integral becomes: \[ I = \int_{2}^{1/2} \frac{\tan^{-1}\left(\frac{1}{t}\right)}{\frac{1}{t}} \cdot \left(-\frac{1}{t^2}\right) dt. \] (C)Simplify: \[ I = \int_{1/2}^2 \frac{\tan^{-1}\left(\frac{1}{t}\right)}{t} dt. \] (D)Add the original integral and its substitution: \[ 2I = \int_{1/2}^2 \frac{\tan^{-1} x}{x} \, dx + \int_{1/2}^2 \frac{\tan^{-1}\left(\frac{1}{x}\right)}{x} \, dx. \] (E)Use the property \( \tan^{-1} x + \tan^{-1}\left(\frac{1}{x}\right) = \frac{\pi}{2} \) for \( x > 0 \). Thus: \[ 2I = \int_{1/2}^2 \frac{\frac{\pi}{2}}{x} \, dx. \] (F) Simplify: \[ 2I = \frac{\pi}{2} \int_{1/2}^2 \frac{1}{x} \, dx. \] The integral of \( \frac{1}{x} \) is \( \log_e x \): \[ 2I = \frac{\pi}{2} \left[\log_e x\right]_{1/2}^2. \] (G) Evaluate: \[ 2I = \frac{\pi}{2} \left(\log_e 2 - \log_e \frac{1}{2}\right). \] Simplify \( \log_e \frac{1}{2} = -\log_e 2 \): \[ 2I = \frac{\pi}{2} \left(\log_e 2 - (-\log_e 2)\right) = \frac{\pi}{2} (2\log_e 2). \] Divide by 2: \[ I = \frac{\pi}{2} \log_e 2. \]
Definite integral is an operation on functions which approximates the sum of the values (of the function) weighted by the length (or measure) of the intervals for which the function takes that value.
Definite integrals - Important Formulae Handbook
A real valued function being evaluated (integrated) over the closed interval [a, b] is written as :
\(\int_{a}^{b}f(x)dx\)
Definite integrals have a lot of applications. Its main application is that it is used to find out the area under the curve of a function, as shown below: