# Exact value of an integral

I have a problem with getting the exact value of this integral : $$\int_{x}^{+\infty}\frac{e^{-t}}{t}dt$$

Any help would be much appreciated.

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Take a look at this wolframalpha.com/input/… –  Norbert May 25 '12 at 12:09
I downvoted because "I need it as soon as possible" is not what I want to see on this site. –  Asaf Karagila May 25 '12 at 12:09
Bassem, welcome to Math.SE. Whenever you ask a question please provide as much info as possible on what you have done, where you got the problem from etc. Also, try to be polite - people are here to help you and are often willing to do so. –  AD. May 25 '12 at 12:20
@Asaf: Maybe you regard OP's "I need it as soon as possible" as a claim that we have to answer his question asap. I regard it as the need OP have and don't assume he thinks I have to do anything. All in all, I think that before downvoting the question, such comment as AD should be better appreciated. –  Ilya May 25 '12 at 12:23
@Asaf: I certainly agree to disagree and I do respect your point of view. Just wanted to warn you about cascades of downvoters caused by a 1st downvote to questions of new users, asked not in the lines of MSE. Challenge to outrace is accepted, but I won't take it serious, so most likely you win :) anyway, I respect your point of view and don't want to convince you I'm right. –  Ilya May 25 '12 at 12:48

Did you try WolframAlpha?

integrate e^(-t)/t, t=x..infinity


yields $\log (x)+\Gamma (0,x)$ for $x>0$. When a result is specified in terms of a special function like this, it's probably not exactly computable. Nonetheless, you can generate numerical approximations easily enough.

log(x) + gamma(0,x) at x=3


or look at a plot

plot log(x) + gamma(0,x)


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What's $\Gamma(0,x)$? Is it the same as $\Gamma(x)$? –  Stefan Smith May 26 '12 at 1:23
@user20520 If you enter the code I suggested, you'll see that $\Gamma(a,x)$ refers to the incomplete Gamma function and you'll see pointers to more information. –  Mark McClure May 26 '12 at 1:46
Thank you for you remarks. I am really sorry for let you feel that i am not polite. But, it s juste my first time to post on. –  Bassem May 30 '12 at 20:12
@Bassem No, no, not at all! I just think that it is generally useful to point out to someone how they might find things out for themselves in the future - and I'm certainly not one of the downvoters of the question, either. –  Mark McClure May 30 '12 at 20:24