Primitive of x over Power of x squared plus a squared

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Theorem

$\ds \int \frac {x \rd x} {\paren {x^2 + a^2}^n} = \frac {-1} {2 \paren {n - 1} \paren {x^2 + a^2}^{n - 1} }$


Proof

Let:

\(\ds z\) \(=\) \(\ds x^2 + a^2\)
\(\ds \leadsto \ \ \) \(\ds \frac {\d z} {\d x}\) \(=\) \(\ds 2 x\) Power Rule for Derivatives
\(\ds \leadsto \ \ \) \(\ds \int \frac {x \rd x} {\paren {x^2 + a^2}^n}\) \(=\) \(\ds \int \frac {\d z} {2 z^n}\) Integration by Substitution
\(\ds \) \(=\) \(\ds \frac 1 2 \int z^{-n} \rd z\) Primitive of Constant Multiple of Function
\(\ds \) \(=\) \(\ds \frac 1 2 \frac {z^{-n + 1} } {-n + 1} + C\) Primitive of Power
\(\ds \) \(=\) \(\ds \frac {-1} {2 \paren {n - 1} z^{n - 1} } + C\) simplifying
\(\ds \) \(=\) \(\ds \frac {-1} {2 \paren {n - 1} \paren {x^2 + a^2}^{n - 1} } + C\) substituting for $z$

$\blacksquare$


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