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Exercise 97Calculus › Single-variable calculus › Integration › Riemann integralL1Added 6 Nov 2026

A limit via the mean value theorem for integrals

#mean value theorem for integrals#logarithm#limit

Statement

Compute
lim⁡x→0+∫x3x1tet dt.\lim_{x\to0^+}\int_x^{3x}\frac{1}{te^t}\,dt.

Hint

Apply the mean value theorem for integrals: for continuous ff and gg with g≥0g\ge0, there exists cc between the bounds with ∫abfg=f(c)∫abg\int_a^b f g=f(c)\int_a^b g.

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Solution

Mean value theorem. Fix x>0x>0. On [x,3x][x,3x], take f(t)=1etf(t)=\dfrac{1}{e^t} (continuous) and g(t)=1tg(t)=\dfrac{1}{t} (continuous, positive on [x,3x][x,3x]). There exists cx∈[x,3x]c_x\in[x,3x] such that
∫x3x1tet dt=1ecx∫x3x1t dt=ln⁡3ecx.\int_x^{3x}\frac{1}{te^t}\,dt=\frac{1}{e^{c_x}}\int_x^{3x}\frac{1}{t}\,dt=\frac{\ln 3}{e^{c_x}}.

Limit. Since cx∈[x,3x]c_x\in[x,3x] and x→0+x\to0^+, we have cx→0+c_x\to0^+, hence ecx→1e^{c_x}\to1. Therefore
lim⁡x→0+∫x3x1tet dt=ln⁡31=ln⁡3.\lim_{x\to0^+}\int_x^{3x}\frac{1}{te^t}\,dt=\frac{\ln 3}{1}=\ln 3.