The position function from given velocity or acceleration function

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around finding the position function from a given acceleration function, specifically a(t) = , along with initial conditions for velocity and position. Participants are exploring the integration process required to derive the position function from the acceleration function.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the need to integrate the acceleration function to find the velocity and subsequently the position function. There are attempts to clarify the correct approach to incorporating initial conditions into the integration process. Some participants question the method of adding constants directly versus solving for them using initial conditions.

Discussion Status

There is ongoing confusion regarding the correct method to incorporate constants of integration when deriving the velocity and position functions. Some participants have provided guidance on substituting initial conditions into the equations to solve for these constants, but there is no explicit consensus on the correctness of the initial attempts presented.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working under the constraints of a homework assignment, which may limit the information they can use or the methods they can apply. There is mention of feedback from a teacher regarding the correctness of certain portions of the derived functions, indicating potential misunderstandings in the integration process.

2x2lcallingcq
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Problem:

Find the position function from the given velocity or acceleration function.

a(t) = <e^-3t,t,sint>, v(0)=<4,-2,4>, r(0)=<0,4,-2>

Solution:

To find the answer the integral must be taken...

Integral of a(t) = <-(1/3)e^(-3t), (1/2)t^2, -cos(t)>

Since taking it with respect to t, it becomes velocity


(acceleration = x/t/t distance over time 2)

Integral of acceleration with respect to t is... (xt^-1, x/t)

Since that is just the velocity function, you do have an initial velocity at v(0)...(time at 0)
adding these to each part of the integral.

The velocity function is this: <-(1/3)e^(-3t)+4, (1/2)t^2-2, -cos(t)+4>

Again, the integral must be taken and it becomes the position function

x(t) = <(1/9)e^(-3t)+4t, (1/6)t^3-2t, 4t-sin(t)>

And add constants again r(0)

therefore the answer r(t) (x(t)) = <(1/9)e^(-3t)+4t+0, (1/6)t^3-2t+4, 4t-sin(t)-2>


BUT my teacher said the first and the third portions are wrong? I do not understand how.
 
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2x2lcallingcq said:
Problem:

Find the position function from the given velocity or acceleration function.

a(t) = <e^-3t,t,sint>, v(0)=<4,-2,4>, r(0)=<0,4,-2>

Solution:

To find the answer the integral must be taken...

Integral of a(t) = <-(1/3)e^(-3t), (1/2)t^2, -cos(t)>
Put the constants in right away.
v(t) = <-(1/3)e-3t + c1, (1/2)t2 + c2, -cos(t) + c3>
You're given that v(0) = <4, -2, 4>, so you can solve for the three constants. It's not a simple matter of adding them in as you did.

Do the same thing when you find r(t).
2x2lcallingcq said:
Since taking it with respect to t, it becomes velocity


(acceleration = x/t/t distance over time 2)

Integral of acceleration with respect to t is... (xt^-1, x/t)

Since that is just the velocity function, you do have an initial velocity at v(0)...(time at 0)
adding these to each part of the integral.

The velocity function is this: <-(1/3)e^(-3t)+4, (1/2)t^2-2, -cos(t)+4>

Again, the integral must be taken and it becomes the position function

x(t) = <(1/9)e^(-3t)+4t, (1/6)t^3-2t, 4t-sin(t)>

And add constants again r(0)

therefore the answer r(t) (x(t)) = <(1/9)e^(-3t)+4t+0, (1/6)t^3-2t+4, 4t-sin(t)-2>


BUT my teacher said the first and the third portions are wrong? I do not understand how.
 
Mark44 said:
Put the constants in right away.
v(t) = <-(1/3)e-3t + c1, (1/2)t2 + c2, -cos(t) + c3>
You're given that v(0) = <4, -2, 4>, so you can solve for the three constants. It's not a simple matter of adding them in as you did.

Do the same thing when you find r(t).

so I just put the constants in and then solve? I'm still confused.
 
You are given that v(0) = <4, -2, 4>, and from your work you can substitute 0 for t to get v(0) = <-(1/3)e-3*0 + c1, (1/2)02 + c2, -cos(0) + c3>.

From this you can solve for the constants.
 

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