Question:medium

$\int x f(x) dx + \frac{f(x)}{2} = 0$, then $f(x)$ is equal to

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Whenever you see an equation containing an integral of an unknown function (an integral equation), the standard first step is almost always to differentiate the entire equation with respect to the variable. This converts it into a manageable differential equation.
Updated On: Apr 29, 2026
  • $e^{-2x}$
  • $e^{2x}$
  • $e^{-x^2}$
  • $e^{x^2}$
Show Solution

The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

To solve the differential equation given in the problem, we start by rewriting it:

\(\int x f(x) \, dx + \frac{f(x)}{2} = 0\)

We can differentiate both sides with respect to \(x\) to eliminate the integration:

\(\frac{d}{dx}[\int x f(x) \, dx] + \frac{d}{dx}\left(\frac{f(x)}{2}\right) = 0\)

The derivative of an integral function with the same variable is simply the integrand. Therefore, we get:

\(x f(x) + \frac{1}{2} f'(x) = 0\)

To solve this first-order linear differential equation, we can rewrite it as:

\(f'(x) = -2x f(x)\)

This equation is separable, so we can solve it by separating variables:

\(\frac{df}{f} = -2x \, dx\)

Integrating both sides gives:

\(\int \frac{1}{f} \, df = \int -2x \, dx\)

Perform the integrals:

\(\ln|f| = -x^2 + C\)

Now, solve for \(f(x)\):

\(f(x) = e^{-x^2 + C}\)\)

The constant \(C\) can be written as \(e^C\), which is just another constant, say \(k\). Therefore, we have:

\(f(x) = ke^{-x^2}\)

Among the given options, this matches with \(e^{-x^2}\) when considering constant \(k\) as 1.

Thus, the correct answer is \(e^{-x^2}\).

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