Calculating Nitrogen Dioxide Levels in Long Beach on a May Day

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves calculating the average amount of nitrogen dioxide present in the atmosphere in Long Beach on a specific day in May, using a given function A(t) that models the pollutant levels over time. The function is defined on the interval [0, 11], corresponding to the hours from 7 A.M. to 6 P.M.

Discussion Character

  • Mathematical reasoning, Problem interpretation, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the use of integration and trigonometric substitution to solve for the average value of the function. Some suggest shifting the interval and using substitution to simplify the integral. Others express confusion about the average value calculation and the necessary components involved.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants providing guidance on the mathematical approach and clarifying the concept of average value in the context of integration. There is acknowledgment of a misunderstanding regarding the integral's role in finding the average, which has led to further exploration of the problem.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working within the constraints of a homework assignment, which may limit the information they can share or the methods they can use. There is an emphasis on understanding the mathematical principles rather than simply arriving at a solution.

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Homework Statement


the amount of nitrogen dioxide, a brown gas that impairs breathing, present in the atmosphere on a certain day in may in the city of long beach is appoximated by:

A(t) = ((544) / (4 + (t - 4.5)^2) + 28 t is on interval [0, 11]

where A(t) is measured in pollutant standard index (PSI) and t is measured in hours with t = 0 corresponding to 7 A.M. What is the average amount of the pollutant present in the atmosphere between 7 A.M. and 2 P.M. on that day in the city?


Homework Equations


I know that this problem can be solved using trig substitution since that is the section in my book, in which it came out from.


The Attempt at a Solution


I've made several attempts to solve this problem through integration/trig sub. but i keep getting the incorrect value.
 
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Shift the interval.

ab f '(x-c) dx

= f(x-c)|ab

= f(b-c) -f(a-c)

= ∫a-cb-c f '(x) dx

After shifting, the trig-sub should be easy to detect.
 
Last edited:
I presume you know that the "average value" of an integrable function, f, between x= a and x= b, is
[tex]\frac{\int_a^b f(x)dx}{b- a}[/tex]

The "shifting" that Harrisonized refers to is equivalent to the simple substitution u= x- 4.5. Once you have done that your function will involve [itex]1/(4+ u^2[/itex] and you should be able to recognize that immediately.
 
HallsofIvy said:
I presume you know that the "average value" of an integrable function, f, between x= a and x= b, is
[tex]\frac{\int_a^b f(x)dx}{b- a}[/tex]

The "shifting" that Harrisonized refers to is equivalent to the simple substitution u= x- 4.5. Once you have done that your function will involve [itex]1/(4+ u^2[/itex] and you should be able to recognize that immediately.

thank you so much, i knew i was missing something 'cause the integral itself doesn't find the average. so i was missing the b-a component. thanks i was able to figure it out.
 
108 PSI if anyone was wondering.
 

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