How do you evaluate the integral int 1/(1-x)dx from 0 to 1?

1 Answer
Jan 10, 2017

The integral is not convergent

Explanation:

The integral is not convergent.

As the integrand is not continuous for x=1 we can evaluate the improper integral:

int_0^1 (dx)/(1-x) = lim_(t->1^-) int_0^t (dx)/(1-x)

Now we have that:

int_0^t (dx)/(1-x) =- int_0^t (d(1-x))/(1-x) = -[ln abs (1-x)]_0^t = - ln abs (1-t)

and

lim_(t->1^-) -ln(1-t) = +oo