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Exercise 53Calculus › Single-variable calculus › Integration › Improper integralsL1Added 2 Nov 2026

Proving convergence by comparison

#improper integrals#comparison test#divergence

Statement

Decide whether each integral converges.

  1. ∫0+∞e−x2 dx\displaystyle\int_0^{+\infty}e^{-x^2}\,dx
  2. ∫1+∞dxx3+x\displaystyle\int_1^{+\infty}\frac{dx}{\sqrt{x^3+x}}
  3. ∫2+∞dxln⁡x\displaystyle\int_2^{+\infty}\frac{dx}{\ln x}
Hint

For non-negative integrands, if 0≤f≤g0\le f\le g and ∫g\int g converges then ∫f\int f converges; if ∫f\int f diverges then ∫g\int g diverges.

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Solution

1. The integrand is continuous on [0,1][0,1], so only [1,+∞)[1,+\infty) matters. For x≥1x\ge1, x2≥xx^2\ge x so e−x2≤e−xe^{-x^2}\le e^{-x}, and ∫1∞e−xdx=e−1<∞\int_1^\infty e^{-x}dx=e^{-1}<\infty. The integral converges.

2. For x≥1x\ge1, x3+x≥x3x^3+x\ge x^3, hence 1x3+x≤1x3/2\frac1{\sqrt{x^3+x}}\le\frac1{x^{3/2}}. Since 32>1\frac32>1, ∫1∞x−3/2dx\int_1^\infty x^{-3/2}dx converges. The integral converges.

3. For x≥2x\ge2, ln⁡x<x\ln x<x, so 1ln⁡x>1x\frac1{\ln x}>\frac1x. Since ∫2∞dxx=+∞\int_2^\infty\frac{dx}x=+\infty, the integral diverges.

Remark. In (1) the exact value is π2\frac{\sqrt\pi}2, but it cannot be found with an elementary antiderivative; the comparison test proves convergence without knowing the value.