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Definite Integrals

abf(x)dx\displaystyle\int_a^bf\left(x\right)dx is the definite integral of the function ff on the interval [a, b]\left[a,\ b\right]
*The definite integral of a function is a number


What does it mean?
The area bounded by the curve y=f(x)y=f(x)and the xx-axis on the interval [a, b]\left[a,\ b\right] is given by
A=limni=1nf(xi)×Δx=abf(x) dxA=\displaystyle\lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\sum_{i=1}^nf\left(x_i^{\ast}\right)\times\Delta x=\int_a^bf(x)\ dx




Example
Rewrite limn i=1n [2n(5+2in)6]\displaystyle \lim_{n\to\infty}\ \sum_{i=1}^n\ \left[\frac{2}{n}\left(-5+\frac{2i}{n}\right)^6\right] as a definite integral
  • Δx=2n ba=2\Delta x=\frac{2}{n}\ \to b-a=2
  • f(xi )=(5+2in)6  a=5, f(x)=x6f\left(x_i^{\ \ast}\right)=\left(-5+\frac{2i}{n}\right)^6\ \to\ a=-5,\ f\left(x\right)=x^6
Therefore, this can be rewritten as the definite integral 53x6 dx\displaystyle \int_{-5}^{-3}x^6\ dx

Practice: Definite Integral and Riemann Sum

Rewrite limni=1n(3n)(11+3in)\displaystyle \lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\sum_{i=1}^n\left(\frac{3}{n}\right)\left(\frac{1}{\sqrt{1+\frac{3i}{n}}}\right) as a definite integral.

Rewrite limni=1n12isin(2in)\displaystyle \lim_{n\to\infty}\sum_{i=1}^n\frac{1}{2i}\sin\left(\frac{2i}{n}\right) as a definite integral
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Properties of Definite Integrals

*It has all the properties of an indefinite integral
  • aaf(x)dx=0\displaystyle\int_a^af\left(x\right)dx=0
  • abf(x)dx=acf(x)dx+cbf(x)dx\displaystyle\int_a^bf\left(x\right)dx=\int_a^cf\left(x\right)dx+\int_c^bf\left(x\right)dx
  • abf(x)dx=baf(x)dx\displaystyle\int_a^bf\left(x\right)dx=-\int_b^af\left(x\right)dx
  • aaf(x)dx={0if f(x) is odd20af(x)dxif f(x) is even\displaystyle\int_{-a}^af\left(x\right)dx= \begin{cases} 0&\text{if }f(x)\text{ is odd}\\ \displaystyle 2\int_0^a{f(x)dx}&\text{if }f(x)\text{ is even} \end{cases}
  • If fgf\ge g on the interval [𝑎, 𝑏], then abf(x)dxabg(x)dx\displaystyle\int_a^bf\left(x\right)dx\ge\int_a^bg\left(x\right)dx
  • abf(x)dxabf(x)dx\displaystyle\left|\int_a^bf\left(x\right)dx\right|\le\int_a^b\left|f\left(x\right)\right|dx
Example
If 09f(x) dx=5\displaystyle \int_0^9 f(x)\ dx=5 and 952f(x) dx=6\displaystyle \int_9^5 2f(x)\ dx=6, what is 05f(x) dx\displaystyle \int_0^5 f(x)\ dx?
Using the properties of definite integrals, we get 592f(x) dx=6  59f(x) dx=3\displaystyle \int_5^9 2f(x)\ dx=-6\ \to \ \int_5^9 f(x)\ dx=-3
We also have that 09f(x) dx=05f(x) dx+59f(x) dx\displaystyle \int_0^9f\left(x\right)\ dx=\int_0^5f\left(x\right)\ dx+\int_5^9f\left(x\right)\ dx
So, 5=05f(x) dx+(3)\displaystyle5=\int_0^5f\left(x\right)\ dx+\left(-3\right)
Therefore, 05f(x) dx=8\displaystyle\int_0^5f(x)\ dx=8

Practice: Properties of Definite Integral

Evaluate π2π2xcos2x sin(ex2) dx\displaystyle \int_{-\frac{\pi}{2}}^{\frac{\pi}{2}}x\cos^2x\ \sin \left(e^{x^2}\right)\ dx.
Extra Practice