How can I deal with such an integral?

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    Calculus Integral
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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around handling integrals where the integrand includes a variable that has an unknown relationship with the variable of integration. Participants express uncertainty about whether this variable can be treated as a constant during integration.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the implications of treating an unknown variable as a constant in integration. Questions arise about the fundamental theorem of calculus and the conditions under which a variable can be considered invariant.

Discussion Status

Some participants suggest that if the variable does not depend on the integration variable, it can be treated as a constant. Others note that without knowing the relationship between the variables, integration cannot proceed. There is acknowledgment of the need for clarity regarding the relationship between the variables involved.

Contextual Notes

There is mention of the vagueness in the problem statement, and participants highlight the importance of establishing the relationship between the variables before proceeding with integration.

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Homework Statement


How can I deal with such an integral: the integrand include another variable which has some relationship with the variable of integration, but i do not know the exact relationship. Can I just see the "another variable" mentioned above as a invariant and put it outside from the integral symbol?
I think I cannot do so, but how can I handle such a question?

Homework Equations


For example, dy=z*dx, where some unknown relationship with the x, i think i can't integral it m the two sides and just put the z outside from the integral symbol.

The Attempt at a Solution

 
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I think you are referring to the fundamental theorem of calculus?
 
MidgetDwarf said:
I think you are referring to the fundamental theorem of calculus?
I mean if i want to integral the dy=z*dx or something like this with an unknown z which may have some relation with the x, how can i do? Is there some area of mathematics concerning this kind of questions?
 
rtransformation said:
I mean if i want to integral the dy=z*dx or something like this with an unknown z which may have some relation with the x, how can i do? Is there some area of mathematics concerning this kind of questions?
If you're only dealing with the relationship between x and y as specified by dy and dx, then Z is just a constant i would image. Its like when you integrate and you get the + c constant added, but that C variable isn't one of the relationships in the equations.

so if you integrate z*dx then basically its just the integral of a constant with respect to x. And yeah you can just pull it out like a constant.
 
rtransformation said:

Homework Statement


How can I deal with such an integral: the integrand include another variable which has some relationship with the variable of integration, but i do not know the exact relationship. Can I just see the "another variable" mentioned above as a invariant and put it outside from the integral symbol?
I think I cannot do so, but how can I handle such a question?

Homework Equations


For example, dy=z*dx, where some unknown relationship with the x, i think i can't integral it m the two sides and just put the z outside from the integral symbol.

The Attempt at a Solution

This is pretty vague.

If z does not have a dependence on the variable of integration x, it can be treated as a constant.
If z does have some unknown dependence on the variable of integration, it cannot be treated as a constant, but you cannot integrate until the correct relationship between z and x is established.

For example, if z = ex, then ∫ z dx would give one result, but if z = sin (x), then ∫ z dx would give a completely different result.

That's just math. :frown:

BTW, you integrate functions, you don't 'integral' them.
 
SteamKing said:
This is pretty vague.

If z does not have a dependence on the variable of integration x, it can be treated as a constant.
If z does have some unknown dependence on the variable of integration, it cannot be treated as a constant, but you cannot integrate until the correct relationship between z and x is established.

For example, if z = ex, then ∫ z dx would give one result, but if z = sin (x), then ∫ z dx would give a completely different result.

That's just math. :frown:

BTW, you integrate functions, you don't 'integral' them.
haha, Thank you, i just can't remember the correct word, thank you again
isn't there exist a method to handle the uncertain z? that baffles me ...
 
rtransformation said:
haha, Thank you, i just can't remember the correct word, thank you again
isn't there exist a method to handle the uncertain z? that baffles me ...
Not that I'm aware of.
 
rtransformation said:
I mean if i want to integral the dy=z*dx or something like this with an unknown z which may have some relation with the x, how can i do? Is there some area of mathematics concerning this kind of questions?
I agree with SteamKing. In the integral ##\int z~ dx##, where z is some function of x, it's not possible to find an antiderivative without knowing how z is related to x.
 
Mark44 said:
I agree with SteamKing. In the integral ##\int z~ dx##, where z is some function of x, it's not possible to find an antiderivative without knowing how z is related to x.
Thank you
 

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