Exercise · ZW-REAL-INTEGRAL-BY-RESIDUES-001 · ★☆☆ Basic

Compute \(\int_{-\infty}^{\infty}\frac{dx}{x^{2}+1}\).

Choose one option.

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  • A. \(\pi\)

Explanation

The only pole in the upper half-plane is \(i\), with residue \(1/(2i)\); the result is \(2\pi i/(2i)=\pi\).

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Review the concept: Real integral by residues

A method to compute \(\int_{-\infty}^{\infty} f(x)\,dx\) with \(f\) rational: close the real axis with a semicircle in the upper half-plane and apply the residue theorem.

\[\int_{-\infty}^{\infty} f(x)\,dx=2\pi i\sum_{\operatorname{Im}z_k>0}\operatorname{Res}(f,z_k)\]

More practice problems: real integral by residues

ZW-REAL-INTEGRAL-BY-RESIDUES-002 →