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Exercise 1493Calculus › Single-variable calculus › Integration › Riemann integralL1Added 2 Nov 2026

Limits of integrals depending on n

#limits of integrals#squeeze theorem#integration by parts

Statement

  1. Let In=∫01xn1+x dxI_n=\displaystyle\int_0^1\frac{x^n}{1+x}\,dx. Show that In→0I_n\to0.
  2. Show that (n+1)In→12(n+1)I_n\to\dfrac12.
  3. Show that ∫01dx1+xn→1\displaystyle\int_0^1\frac{dx}{1+x^n}\to1.
Hint

For part 1, bound 11+x\frac1{1+x} between 12\frac12 and 11. For part 2, integrate by parts to isolate the main term. For part 3, look at 1−11+xn1-\frac1{1+x^n}.

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Solution

1. For x∈[0,1]x\in[0,1], 0≤xn1+x≤xn0\le\frac{x^n}{1+x}\le x^n, so 0≤In≤∫01xn dx=1n+1→00\le I_n\le\int_0^1x^n\,dx=\frac1{n+1}\to0.

2. Integrate by parts with u=11+xu=\frac1{1+x}, v′=xnv'=x^n:
In=[xn+1(n+1)(1+x)]01+1n+1∫01xn+1(1+x)2 dx=12(n+1)+Jnn+1,I_n=\left[\frac{x^{n+1}}{(n+1)(1+x)}\right]_0^1+\frac1{n+1}\int_0^1\frac{x^{n+1}}{(1+x)^2}\,dx=\frac1{2(n+1)}+\frac{J_n}{n+1},
where 0≤Jn≤∫01xn+1dx=1n+2→00\le J_n\le\int_0^1x^{n+1}dx=\frac1{n+2}\to0. Hence (n+1)In=12+Jn→12(n+1)I_n=\frac12+J_n\to\frac12.

3. 1−11+xn=xn1+xn∈[0,xn]\displaystyle1-\frac1{1+x^n}=\frac{x^n}{1+x^n}\in[0,x^n], so
0≤1−∫01dx1+xn≤1n+1→0.0\le1-\int_0^1\frac{dx}{1+x^n}\le\frac1{n+1}\to0.

Remark. Part 2 gives the *rate*: In∼12nI_n\sim\frac1{2n}. Most of the integral's mass of xnx^n sits near x=1x=1, where 11+x≈12\frac1{1+x}\approx\frac12.