Definite Integrals Homework: Evaluate & Feedback

In summary, the conversation was about evaluating definite integrals and the person provided their attempts at solving two problems. They received feedback on their second attempt and made corrections. The final answers for both integrals were provided.
  • #1
antinerd
41
0

Homework Statement



Evaluate the definite integrals.

Homework Equations



Integral of (t+1)/(t^2+2t+1) dt from 1 to 4 (a=1, b=4)

and

Integral of (xe^(x^2+1)) dx from 0 to 2 (a=0, b=2)


The Attempt at a Solution



I have done them out, just wondering if this is the best way to do them, and perhaps if I made a mistake, it would be nice to know why:

For the first one, I factored and got:

(t+1) / ((t+1)(t+1))

then i canceled and got

1 / (t+1)

Which then means:

ln |t+1| from 1 to 4 = ln |5| - ln |2|

Is that the answer for that?




Now, for the second one, I did the same thing:

antiderivative of (xe^(x^2+1)) = 1/2 (e^(x^2+1)...

right? Then the answer would be from 0 to 2:

e^5 - e^1 = e^4

Any feedback would be great.
 
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  • #2
antinerd said:
Now, for the second one, I did the same thing:

antiderivative of (xe^(x^2+1)) = 1/2 (e^(x^2+1)...

right?

That's right.

Then the answer would be from 0 to 2:

e^5 - e^1 = e^4

Nope. For one, you forgot the factor of 1/2 in front, and also e^a - e^b is not equal to e^(a-b) [actually, that's true for any base.]

The first one's right, BTW.
 
  • #3
Thanks.

So if I did the second correctly, it's:

1/2 e^5 - e/2

Right? And I can leave it like that?
 
  • #4
antinerd said:
Thanks.

So if I did the second correctly, it's:

1/2 e^5 - e/2

Right? And I can leave it like that?

Yes, looks fine.
 
  • #5
If you mean, [tex]\frac{1}{2}e^5 - \frac{1}{2}e[/tex], then that's right, although [tex]\frac{1}{2}\left(e^5 - e\right)[/tex] would look nicer. :)
 

1. What is a definite integral?

A definite integral is a mathematical concept used to find the area under a curve between two specific points on a graph. It is represented by the symbol ∫ and is often used in calculus.

2. How do I evaluate a definite integral?

To evaluate a definite integral, you must first find the antiderivative of the function. Then, you plug in the upper and lower limits of integration and subtract the values to find the final answer.

3. Why do we use definite integrals?

Definite integrals are used to solve a variety of real-world problems, such as finding the displacement of an object, calculating the area of a region, or determining the total amount of a substance over a given period of time.

4. Can you give an example of a definite integral?

One example of a definite integral would be finding the area under the curve y = x^2 between the points x = 0 and x = 2. The definite integral would be ∫0^2 x^2 dx, which evaluates to 8/3.

5. How can I check if my evaluation of a definite integral is correct?

You can check your evaluation of a definite integral by using the fundamental theorem of calculus, which states that the definite integral of a function f(x) between two points a and b is equal to the difference between the antiderivative of f(x) evaluated at b and the antiderivative of f(x) evaluated at a. In other words, the definite integral should give you the same result as plugging in the upper and lower limits of integration into the antiderivative of the function.

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