What is the indefinite integral of #-1 / (x(ln x)^2)#?

1 Answer
May 10, 2016

#int-1/(x(lnx)^2)dx=1/lnx+C#

Explanation:

We first begin by taking that negative sign out of the integral:

#-int1/(x(lnx)^2)dx#

If we think about this, we see that we have a function, #lnx#, and its derivative, #1/x#, in the same integral. Don't be bothered by the fact that #lnx# is in the denominator; all that matters is this integral can be solved with a #u#-substitution:
Let #color(red)(u)=color(red)lnx->(du)/dx=1/x->color(blue)(du)=color(blue)(1/xdx)#

Applying this substitution to #-intcolor(blue)(1/x)1/(color(red)(lnx)^2)color(blue)(dx)#, we have:
#-int1/(u^2)du#

This is equivalent to #-intu^(-2)du#, which can be solved using the reverse power rule:
#-intu^(-2)du=-(-u^(-1))=1/u+C#

Because #u=lnx#, we can back-substitute to end up with:
#1/lnx+C#