Exercise · ZW-REAL-INTEGRAL-BY-RESIDUES-006 · ★★☆ Intermediate

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

Choose one option.

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  • B. \(\pi/2\)

Explanation

The pole \(i\) is double. The residue of \(1/((z-i)^2(z+i)^2)\) is the derivative of \((z+i)^{-2}\) at \(i\): \(-2(2i)^{-3}=\tfrac{1}{4i}\), and \(2\pi i\cdot\tfrac{1}{4i}=\pi/2\).

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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

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