Fundamental Theorem of Calculus

In summary, the student is trying to determine the area under the curve for the function F(5). The student should not attempt to get the anti-derivative, and should instead use the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus.
  • #36
But your work should consist of equations, like this:

F'(x) = <some function of x that you work out>
F'(5) = <some number>

If you just throw something up in a post, I have no idea what you are doing.
 
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  • #37
I understand the bit about the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus coming into play but I thought that you just substitute the bounds where the variables are. For example, the book gives us the example of:

Integral with lower bound of 1 and upper bound of x, (t^3)dt. The answer is given as merely x^3
 
  • #38
ralfsk8 said:
I understand the bit about the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus coming into play but I thought that you just substitute the bounds where the variables are. For example, the book gives us the example of:

Integral with lower bound of 1 and upper bound of x, (t^3)dt. The answer is given as merely x^3
OK, let me ask you: What does the answer you wrote represent?
 
  • #39
Mark44 said:
IMHO, memorizing that formula is NOT a good idea, especially if that memorization comes at the expense of understanding.

Point taken I suppose haha, but grant me that I'm not going to write out and explain the whole proof of the theorem lol.
 
  • #40
Or, in other words, what question is x3 the answer to?
 
  • #41
Does it mean that the function is differentiable within those bounds?
 
  • #42
What function? Try to ask questions that are more precise.
 
  • #43
Okay I finally got the answer but only by comparing them to other online resources. I'm still not entirely sure on how to do the actual problem. I wouldn't mind discussing this further but if you guys need to go do other things, that's okay. Thanks for the help anyway.
 
  • #44
ralfsk8 said:
Okay I finally got the answer but only by comparing them to other online resources. I'm still not entirely sure on how to do the actual problem. I wouldn't mind discussing this further but if you guys need to go do other things, that's okay. Thanks for the help anyway.

ralfsk8,

Suppose that G(t) is an anti-derivative of [itex]\displaystyle \sqrt{t^2+144}\ .[/itex]

We write that as [itex]\displaystyle G(t)=\int\,\sqrt{t^2+144}\ dt\ .[/itex]

So if we have a definite integral such as [itex]\displaystyle \int_{a}^{b}\,\sqrt{t^2+144}\ dt\,,[/itex] we can evaluate that as G(b) - G(a), according to the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. Correct?

Now, in the case of the problem in this thread, we have:
[itex]\displaystyle F(x)=\int_{5}^{x}\,\sqrt{t^2+144}\ dt\,=G(x)-G(5)\ .[/itex]​

Therefore, [itex]\displaystyle F'(x)=G\,'(x)\,,[/itex] since G(5) is a constant.

But G(x) is the anti-derivative of [itex]\displaystyle \sqrt{x^2+144}\,,[/itex] so that [itex]\displaystyle G\,'(x)=\sqrt{x^2+144}\,.[/itex] Correct?

Therefore, [itex]\displaystyle F'(x)=\sqrt{x^2+144}\,.[/itex]
 

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