Thursday, 7 August 2014

calculus - Proof that the improper integral $frac{1}{(x^2-1)}$ from $0$ to $infty$ is divergent.



$$\int_0^\infty\frac{1}{x^2-1}$$



It was said that this integral is divergent. I have tried splitting the integral. $$\int_0^1\frac{1}{x^2-1}+\int_1^\infty\frac{1}{x^2-1}$$



Using this, I tried to prove $\int_0^1\frac{1}{x^2-1}$ is divergent by comparison test, but there are no functions that lie under $\frac{1}{x^2-1}$ that diverge (at least that I can think of).



I know the function diverges by Wolfram Alpha, but am struggling to prove it.


Answer




Notice that



$$\frac{1}{x^2 - 1} = \frac{1}{x + 1} \cdot \frac{1}{x - 1} \ge \frac 1 3 \frac{1}{x - 1}$$



for $1 \le x \le 2$. Now compute



$$\int_t^2 \frac{dx}{x - 1}.$$


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