Chapter 7: Problem 53
Find the average value of the function over the given interval. $$f(x)=1 / x ;[1, e]$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The average value over the interval \([1, e]\) is \( \frac{1}{e-1} \).
Step by step solution
01
Understand the Formula for Average Value
The average value of a function \( f(x) \) over the interval \([a, b]\) is given by the formula:\[\text{Average Value} = \frac{1}{b-a} \int_{a}^{b} f(x) \, dx\]Here, \( a = 1 \) and \( b = e \). Our function is \( f(x) = \frac{1}{x} \).
02
Set Up the Integral
Begin by setting up the definite integral of \( f(x) \) over the interval from 1 to \( e \):\[\int_{1}^{e} \frac{1}{x} \, dx\]
03
Evaluate the Integral
The integral of \( \frac{1}{x} \) is the natural logarithm \( \ln |x| \). Evaluate the integral from 1 to \( e \):\[\left. \ln |x| \right|_1^e = \ln e - \ln 1\]Since \( \ln e = 1 \) and \( \ln 1 = 0 \), the value of the integral is \( 1 - 0 = 1 \).
04
Calculate the Average Value
Substitute the value of the integral from Step 3 into the average value formula:\[\text{Average Value} = \frac{1}{e-1} \times 1\]This simplifies to:\[\frac{1}{e-1}\]
05
Present the Final Answer
Hence, the average value of the function \( f(x) = \frac{1}{x} \) over the interval \([1, e]\) is \( \frac{1}{e-1} \).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Definite Integral
The definite integral is a fundamental concept in calculus. It is used to calculate the accumulation of quantities, such as area under curves. The notation for a definite integral is \( \int_{a}^{b} f(x) \, dx \), where \( a \) and \( b \) are the lower and upper bounds, respectively.
Here's what a definite integral does:
Here's what a definite integral does:
- Calculates the net area under the curve \( f(x) \) from \( x = a \) to \( x = b \).
- It gives us a specific, numerical value representing that area.
- The integration process accumulates values of \( f(x) \) over the interval \([a, b]\).
Average Value of a Function
The average value of a function over an interval gives us the "typical" value that the function takes in that interval. We compute it using the formula:\[\text{Average Value} = \frac{1}{b-a} \int_{a}^{b} f(x) \, dx\]This represents the mean height of the function over the interval \([a, b]\).
Why do we use this method?
Why do we use this method?
- It helps in understanding the overall behavior of the function across the interval.
- It provides insights similar to statistical averages but in a continuous setting.
Natural Logarithm
The natural logarithm, commonly denoted as \( \ln \), is a logarithm to the base \( e \), where \( e \approx 2.71828 \). It is the inverse operation of the exponential function with base \( e \). The logarithm function is integral to solving many calculus problems.
Some properties of natural logarithms include:
Some properties of natural logarithms include:
- \( \ln(e) = 1 \) because \( e^1 = e \).
- \( \ln(1) = 0 \) because \( e^0 = 1 \).
- Logarithms convert multiplication and division into addition and subtraction.