Properties of Definite Integrals

Last Updated : 14 May, 2026

A definite integral has fixed upper and lower limits and is used to find the area under a curve over a given interval. It also has several useful properties that make calculations easier and help in understanding functions.

\int_{a}^{b}f(x) = F(b) − F(a)

Various properties of the definite integrals are added below.

Property 1: \int_{a}^{b} f(x) dx = \int_{a}^{b} f(y) dy

Proof:

\int_{a}^{b}     f(x) dx.......(1)

Suppose x = y

           dx = dy

Putting this in equation (1)

\int_{a}^{b} f(y) dy

Property 2: \int_{a}^{b} f(x) dx = -\int_{b}^{a} f(x) dx

Proof:

\int_{a}^{b}     f(x) dx = F(b) - F(a)........(1)

\int_{b}^{a}     f(x) dx = F(a) - F(b).......... (2)

From (1) and (2) 

We can derive \int_{a}^{b}     f(x) dx = -\int_{b}^{a}     f(x) dx

Property 3: \int_{a}^{b}f(x) dx = \int_{a}^{p}f(x) dx + \int_{p}^{b}f(x) dx

Proof:

\int_{a}^{b}     f(x) dx = F(b) - F(a) ...........(1)

\int_{a}^{p}     f(x) dx = F(p) - F(a) ...........(2)

\int_{p}^{b}     f(x) dx = F(b) - F(p) ...........(3)

From (2) and (3)

\int_{a}^{p}    f(x) dx + \int_{p}^{b}    f(x) dx = F(p) - F(a) + F(b) - F(p)

\int_{a}^{p}    f(x) dx + \int_{p}^{b}    f(x) dx = F(b) - F(a) = \int_{a}^{b}    f(x) dx    

Hence, it is Proved.

Property 4.1: \int_{a}^{b} f(x) dx = \int_{a}^{b}f(a + b - x) dx

Proof:

Suppose 

a + b - x = y............(1)

-dx = dy 

From (1) you can see 

when x = a  

y = a + b - a

y = b

and when x = b

y = a + b - b

y = a

Replacing by these values he integration on right side becomes -\int_{b}^{a}     f(y)dy

From property 1 and property 2 you can say that 

\int_{a}^{b}     f(x) dx = \int_{a}^{b}    f(a + b - x) dx  

Property 4.2: If the value of a is given as 0 then property 4.1 can be written as

 \int_{0}^{b}     f(x) dx = \int_{0}^{b}    f(b - x) dx

Property 5: \int_{0}^{2a} f(x) dx = \int_{0}^{a}f(x) dx + \int_{0}^{a}f(2a - x) dx

Proof:

We can write \int_{0}^{2a}     f(x) dx as

\int_{0}^{2a}     f(x) dx = \int_{0}^{a}    f(x) dx + \int_{a}^{2a}    f(x) dx  .............. (1)

I = I1 + I

(from property 3)

Suppose 2a - x = y

-dx = dy

Also when x = 0

y = 2a, and when x = a

y = 2a - a = a

So, \int_{0}^{a}     f(2a - x)dx  can be written as 

-\int_{2a}^{a}     f(y) dy = I2

Replacing equation (1) with the value of I2 we get 

\int_{0}^{2a}     f(x) dx = \int_{0}^{a}    f(x) dx + \int_{0}^{a}    f(2a - x) dx

Property 6 : \int_{0}^{2a} f(x) dx = 2\int_{0}^{a}f(x) dx; if f(2a - x) = f(x)

=  0; if f(2a - x) = -f(x) 

Proof: 

From property 5 we can write \int_{0}^{2a}     f(x) dx as

\int_{0}^{2a}     f(x) dx =\int_{0}^{a}    f(x) dx + \int_{0}^{a}    f(2a - x) dx  .............(1)

Part  1: If f(2a - x) = f(x) 

Then equation (1) can be written as 

\int_{0}^{2a}    f(x) dx =\int_{0}^{a}    f(x) dx + \int_{0}^{a}    f(x) dx

This can be further written as 

\int_{0}^{2a}     f(x) dx = 2 \int_{0}^{a}    f(x) dx

Part  2: If f(2a - x) = -f(x)

Then equation (1) can be written as 

 \int_{0}^{2a}     f(x) dx= \int_{0}^{a}    f(x) dx - \int_{0}^{a}    f(x) dx

This can be further written as 

\int_{0}^{2a}     f(x) dx= 0

Property 7: \int_{-a}^{a} f(x) dx = 2\int_{0}^{a}f(x) dx;

Proof: 

From property 3 we can write 

\int_{-a}^{a}     f(x) dx as 

\int_{-a}^{a}     f(x) dx = \int_{-a}^{0}    f(x) dx + \int_{0}^{a}    f(x) dx  .........(1)

Suppose 

\int_{-a}^{0}     f(x) dx = I1 ......(2)

Now, assume x = -y

So, dx = -dy

And also when x = -a then

y= -(-a) = a

and when x = 0 then, y = 0

Putting these values in equation (2) we get

I1 -\int_{a}^{0}     f(-y)dy

Using property 2, I1 can be written as 

I1\int_{0}^{a}     f(-y)dy

and using property 1 I1 can be written  as 

I1 \int_{0}^{a}     f(-x)dx

Putting value of I1 in equation (1), we get

\int_{-a}^{a}     f(x) dx = \int_{0}^{a}    f(-x) dx +\int_{0}^{a}    f(x) dx   ..........(3)

Part 1: When f(-x) = f(x)

Then equation(3) becomes

\int_{-a}^{a}     f(x) dx = \int_{0}^{a}    f(x) dx + \int_{0}^{a}    f(x) dx

\int_{-a}^{a}     f(x) dx = 2\int_{0}^{a}    f(x) dx 

Part  2: When f(-x) = -f(x)

Then equation 3 becomes

\int_{-a}^{a}     f(x) dx = -\int_{0}^{a}    f(x) dx +\int_{0}^{a}    f(x) d

\int_{-a}^{a}     f(x)dx = 0

Solved Examples

Example 1: I = \int_{0}^{1} x(1 - x)99 dx

Solution:

Using  property  4.2 he given question can be written as 

\int_{0}^{1}     (1 - x) [1 - (1 - x)]99 dx

\int_{0}^{1}     (1 - x) [1 - 1 + x]99 dx

 \int_{0}^{1}    (1 - x)x99 dx

\begin{bmatrix} \frac{x^{100}}{100} - \frac{x^{101}}{101} \end{bmatrix}_{0}^{1}

= 1/100 - 1/101

= 1 / 10100

Example 2: I = \int_{\frac{-1}{2}}^{\frac{-1}{2}} cos(x) log \begin{vmatrix} \frac{1+x}{1-x} \end{vmatrix}

Solution:

f(x) = cos(x) log \begin{vmatrix} \frac{1+x}{1-x} \end{vmatrix}

 f(-x) = cos(-x) log \begin{vmatrix} \frac{1-x}{1+x} \end{vmatrix}

 f(-x) = -cos(x) log \begin{vmatrix} \frac{1+x}{1-x} \end{vmatrix}

f(-x) = -f(x)

Hence the function is odd. So, Using property 

\int_{-a}^{a}     f(x)dx = 0; if a function is odd i.e. f(-x) = -f(x) 

\int_{\frac{-1}{2}}^{\frac{-1}{2}}     cos(x) log \begin{vmatrix} \frac{1+x}{1-x} \end{vmatrix}     = 0

Example 3: I = \int_{0}^{5} [x] dx

Solution:

\int_{0}^{1}     0 dx + \int_{1}^{2}    1 dx + \int_{2}^{3}     2 dx +\int_{3}^{4}     3 dx + \int_{4}^{5}     4 dx  [using Property 3]

= 0 + [x]21 + 2[x]32  + 3[x]43 + 4[x]54 

= 0 + (2 - 1) + 2(3 - 2) + 3(4 - 3) + 4(5 - 4)

= 0 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4

= 10

Example 4: I =  \int_{-1}^{2}     |x| dx

Solution:

\int_{-1}^{0}     (-x) dx + \int_{0}^{2}     (x) dx  [using Property 3] 

= -[x2/2]0-1 + [x2/2]2 

= -[0/2 - 1/2] + [4/2 - 0]

= 1/2 + 2

= 5/2

Example 5 : Evaluate ∫[-π to π] cos(x)dx and ∫[-π to π] sin(x)dx

Solution :

Solution:

cos(x) is even:

∫[-π to π] cos(x)dx = 2∫[0 to π] cos(x)dx = 2[sin(x)]|[0 to π] = 2(0 - 0) = 0

sin(x) is odd:

∫[-π to π] sin(x)dx = 0 (by property of odd functions)

Practice Problems

1).Evaluate ∫[0 to 4] (2x + 3)dx using the properties of definite integrals.

2).If ∫[0 to 2] f(x)dx = 5 and ∫[2 to 4] f(x)dx = 7, find ∫[0 to 4] f(x)dx.

3).Calculate ∫[-1 to 1] |x|dx using the properties of even functions.

4).Given that ∫[0 to 1] f(x)dx = 2, evaluate ∫[0 to 1] [3f(x) - 2]dx.

5).Prove that ∫[0 to π/2] sin(x)dx = ∫[0 to π/2] cos(x)dx using properties of definite integrals.

6).If ∫[0 to 1] f(x)dx = 3 and ∫[0 to 1] g(x)dx = 2, calculate ∫[0 to 1] [2f(x) - g(x)]dx.

7).Show that ∫[-a to a] x³dx = 0 for any positive real number a.

8).Given ∫[0 to 1] f(x)dx = 2 and ∫[1 to 2] f(x)dx = 3, find ∫[2 to 0] f(x)dx.

9).Evaluate ∫[0 to π] sin²(x)dx using the identity sin²(x) = (1 - cos(2x))/2 and properties of definite integrals.

10).If ∫[0 to 1] f(x)dx = 4 and ∫[0 to 2] f(x)dx = 10, calculate ∫[1 to 2] f(x)dx.

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