Paul's Online Notes
Home / Calculus I / Integrals / Computing Definite Integrals
Show Mobile Notice Show All Notes Hide All Notes
Mobile Notice
You appear to be on a device with a "narrow" screen width (i.e. you are probably on a mobile phone). Due to the nature of the mathematics on this site it is best views in landscape mode. If your device is not in landscape mode many of the equations will run off the side of your device (should be able to scroll to see them) and some of the menu items will be cut off due to the narrow screen width.

### Section 5-7 : Computing Definite Integrals

7. Evaluate the following integral, if possible. If it is not possible clearly explain why it is not possible to evaluate the integral.

$\int_{{ - 2}}^{4}{{{x^6} - {x^4} + \frac{1}{{{x^2}}}\,dx}}$ Show Solution

In this case note that the third term will have division by zero at $$x = 0$$ and this is in the interval we are integrating over, $$\left[ { - 2,4} \right]$$ and hence is not continuous on this interval.

Therefore, this integral cannot be done.