Calculus Problem: Find m(t) Given dm/dt=120(t-3)^2

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Homework Statement

given## dm/dt=120(t-3)^2## find m(t)[/B]

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


now i have a problem here the first attempt ## ∫120(t-3)^2dt ##
= ##120∫(t^2-6t+9)dt##
=## 120(t^3/3-3t^2+9t)+k ##
but if you use chain rule you have
## ∫120(t-3)^2dt ## let ## u = t-3 ##then it follows that ##du=dt## thus we have
##∫120u^2du## =##(120u^3)/3 + k ##=##(120(t-3)^3)/3 ## this second solution clearly is the correct answer having four terms + a constant, why is the first solution wrong ? its having three terms + a constant?[/B]
 
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chwala said:

Homework Statement

given## dm/dt=120(t-3)^2## find m(t)[/B]

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


now i have a problem here the first attempt ## ∫120(t-3)^2dt ##
= ##120∫(t^2-6t+9)dt##
=## 120(t^3/3-3t^2+9t)+k ##
but if you use chain rule you have
## ∫120(t-3)^2dt ## let ## u = t-3 ##then it follows that ##du=dt## thus we have
##∫120u^2du## =##(120u^3)/3 + k ##=##(120(t-3)^3)/3 ## this second solution clearly is the correct answer having four terms + a constant, why is the first solution wrong ? its having three terms + a constant?[/B]
Both seem correct to me. The fourth term in your second solution is just a number, so you can absorb it in the integration constant.
 
The solution are the same if in the second method you call ##-9\cdot 120 + k = c## a constant, both solution are of the same form ##120(t^3/3-3t^{2}+9t) +k## and both differ only by a constant term...
 
can one take the first solution as the answer to the differential equation?
 
chwala said:
can one take the first solution as the answer to the differential equation?
Yes
 
Thanks Sam and snow. regards
 
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There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...
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