The formula (given in formula book):

dv du
u dx uv vdx
dx dx


Integration by parts is used to integrate a product.
One part of the product (u) should be easy to
differentiate (and will usually simplify when
differentiated). The other part
dv
dx
_

,
should be easy
to integrate and should not become too much harder
when integrated.
Example 1: Find 2
x
xe dx

.
This is a suitable candidate for integration by parts
with 2 and
x
dv
u x e
dx
:
2 2
x x
du
u x
dx
dv
e v e
dx


Substitute these into the formula:
2 2 2 2 2
x x x x x
xe dx xe e dx xe e c +

Example 2: Find cos x xdx

.
Here we take and cos
dv
u x x
dx
:
1
cos sin
du
u x
dx
dv
x v x
dx


Substitute these into the formula:
cos sin sin sin ( cos )
sin cos
x xdx x x xdx x x x c
x x x c
+
+ +

Note: Sometimes it is necessary to use the
integration by parts formula twice (e.g. with
2
sin x xdx

).
Common examination questions
Example 1: Find
ln x xdx

.
This can be found using integration by parts if we
take ln and
dv
u x x
dx
.
2
1
ln
2
du
u x
dx x
dv x
x v
dx


Substitute these into the formula:
2
1
ln ln
2
x
x xdx x
x

2
x

2 1 1
2 2
ln
2
dx x x xdx


2 2 1 1
2 4
ln x x x c +
Example 2: Find
ln xdx

.
This can be thought of as
1ln xdx

and so can be
integrated by parts with ln and 1
dv
u x
dx

1
ln
1
du
u x
dx x
dv
v x
dx


1
ln ln xdx x x
x

x ln 1 dx x x dx

= ln x x x c +
Definite integrals (using by parts)
Example: a) Find the points where the graph of
(2 )
x
y x e

cuts the x and y axes.

b) Sketch the graph of (2 )
x
y x e

.
c) Find the area of the region between the axes and
the graph of (2 )
x
y x e

.
a) Graph cuts y-axis when x = 0, i.e. at y = 2
Graph cuts the x-axis when y = 0, i.e. when x = 2..
b) The graph looks like:
c) Area is
2
0
(2 )
x
x e dx

.
2 1
x x
du
u x
dx
dv
e v e
dx



So
(2 ) (2 )( ) 1
x x x
x e dx x e e dx



=
(2 )( )
x x
x e e dx

= (2 )( )
x x
x e e

+
Now that weve integrated, we substitute in our
limits:
( ) ( )
2
2
0
0
2 2 0 0
(2 ) (2 )
0 2
0.135 1 1.135
x x x
x e dx x e e
e e e e


1 +
]
+ +
+

x 0.5 1 1.5 2
y
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
One part is
differentiated
The other part is
integrated.