Should be simple polynomial integral

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the evaluation of the definite integral of the polynomial function \(\int_0^5 \left(\frac{-1}{2}x^3 + \frac{15}{2} x^2 - \frac{75}{2} x + \frac{125}{2}\right) dx\). The user initially computes the indefinite integral incorrectly, particularly miscalculating the term \(\frac{15}{2} x^2\) as \(\frac{5}{3} x^3\) instead of the correct \(\frac{5}{2} x^3\). This error leads to an incorrect definite integral result of \(-\frac{625}{24}\) instead of the confirmed correct value of \(\frac{625}{8}\) provided by Wolfram Alpha.

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DaleSwanson
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This is the end of a triple integration problem. I can get down to what seems like it should be a simple polynomial integral of a single variable. Yet I just can't get the numbers to work out.

\int_0^5 \frac{-1}{2}x^3 + \frac{15}{2} x^2 - \frac{75}{2} x + \frac{125}{2} dx

The indefinite integral should be:
\frac{-1}{8}x^4 + \frac{5}{3} x^3 - \frac{75}{4} x^2 \frac{125}{2} x + C

At 0 that should equal 0, so we only need to worry about its value at 5, which should be:
\frac{-625}{8} + \frac{625}{3} - \frac{1875}{4} + \frac{625}{2} = \frac{-625}{24}

However, the correct answer should be 625/8. My answer is off by a factor of -6.

I'd assume I had made a mistake getting to this point, but Wolfram Alpha confirms that the definite integral above is equal to 625/8.
http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=integral+from+0+to+5+of+125%2F2-%2875+x%29%2F2%2B%2815+x^2%29%2F2-x^3%2F2

Having WA do the indefinite integral gives my result, but also gives a form with -625/8 + C, which I assume can be ignored since it's a definite integral. Either way, including the -625/8 doesn't seem to help.
http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=integral++of+125%2F2-%2875+x%29%2F2%2B%2815+x^2%29%2F2-x^3%2F2

So I'm pretty lost right now as to what could be going wrong. It's possible that I'm making a simple arithmetic mistake, as I'm pretty good at doing that, but I've checked and rechecked and just keep getting -625/24.

Can anyone see my problem?
 
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The problem is with your second term, It should be 15/6 = 5/2, not 5/3. I didn't check if that solves the problem though.
 
Wow, I must have integrated that 4 times and came up with 5/3 each time. WA even shows the correct answer. Don't know how I missed it repeatedly.

Thanks.
 
DaleSwanson said:
This is the end of a triple integration problem. I can get down to what seems like it should be a simple polynomial integral of a single variable. Yet I just can't get the numbers to work out.

\int_0^5 \frac{-1}{2}x^3 + \frac{15}{2} x^2 - \frac{75}{2} x + \frac{125}{2} dx

The indefinite integral should be:
\frac{-1}{8}x^4 + \frac{5}{3} x^3 - \frac{75}{4} x^2 \frac{125}{2} x + C

At 0 that should equal 0, so we only need to worry about its value at 5, which should be:
\frac{-625}{8} + \frac{625}{3} - \frac{1875}{4} + \frac{625}{2} = \frac{-625}{24}

However, the correct answer should be 625/8. My answer is off by a factor of -6.

I'd assume I had made a mistake getting to this point, but Wolfram Alpha confirms that the definite integral above is equal to 625/8.
http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=integral+from+0+to+5+of+125%2F2-%2875+x%29%2F2%2B%2815+x^2%29%2F2-x^3%2F2

Having WA do the indefinite integral gives my result, but also gives a form with -625/8 + C, which I assume can be ignored since it's a definite integral. Either way, including the -625/8 doesn't seem to help.
http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=integral++of+125%2F2-%2875+x%29%2F2%2B%2815+x^2%29%2F2-x^3%2F2

So I'm pretty lost right now as to what could be going wrong. It's possible that I'm making a simple arithmetic mistake, as I'm pretty good at doing that, but I've checked and rechecked and just keep getting -625/24.

Can anyone see my problem?

You wrote \int \frac{15}{2} x^2 \, dx = \frac{15}{3} x^3 \:\Longleftarrow \text{False}.

RGV
 

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