Chapter 4: Problem 14
Find the area under the given curve over the indicated interval. $$y=x^{2}-4 x ; \quad[-4,-2]$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
\( \frac{128}{3} \)
Step by step solution
01
- Set up the Integral
To find the area under the curve, the integral of the function over the given interval needs to be set up. The function is given by \[ y = x^{2} - 4x \] and the interval is \[ [-4, -2] \]. Thus, the integral to evaluate is \[ \int_{-4}^{-2} (x^{2} - 4x) \,dx \].
02
- Integrate the Function
Integrate the function \[ x^{2} - 4x \] with respect to x. The antiderivative of \[ x^{2} \] is \[ \frac{x^{3}}{3} \] and the antiderivative of \[ 4x \] is \[ 2x^{2} \]. Therefore, the integral of \[ x^{2} - 4x \] is: \[ \int (x^{2} - 4x) \,dx = \frac{x^{3}}{3} - 2x^{2} + C \], where C is the constant of integration.
03
- Evaluate the Definite Integral
To find the area under the curve between \[ x = -4 \] and \[ x = -2 \], substitute these limits into the antiderivative: \[ \left[ \frac{x^{3}}{3} - 2x^{2} \right]_{-4}^{-2} \]. First, evaluate at \( x = -2 \): \[ \frac{(-2)^{3}}{3} - 2(-2)^{2} = \frac{-8}{3} - 2(4) = \frac{-8}{3} - 8 = \frac{-8 - 24}{3} = \frac{-32}{3} \]. Then, evaluate at \( x = -4 \): \[ \frac{(-4)^{3}}{3} - 2(-4)^{2} = \frac{-64}{3} - 2(16) = \frac{-64}{3} - 32 = \frac{-64 - 96}{3} = \frac{-160}{3} \].
04
- Subtract the Values
Subtract the value of the antiderivative at \[ -4 \] from the value at \[ -2 \]: \[ \frac{-32}{3} - \frac{-160}{3} = \frac{-32 + 160}{3} = \frac{128}{3} \].
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Definite Integral
A definite integral helps us find the area under a curve between two points. Think of it as summing up tiny rectangles under the curve.
In our exercise, we used the boundaries \([-4, -2]\) to calculate the area under \( y = x^2 - 4x \).
This process involves a few steps:
In our exercise, we used the boundaries \([-4, -2]\) to calculate the area under \( y = x^2 - 4x \).
This process involves a few steps:
- Set up the integral with the given function and interval.
- Find the antiderivative (indefinite integral) of the function.
- Evaluate the antiderivative at both endpoints.
- Subtract the values to get the area.
Antiderivative
The antiderivative, or indefinite integral, is a function that reverses what differentiation does. In other words, if we take the derivative of the antiderivative, we get our original function back.
For our exercise, the antiderivative of \(x^2 - 4x\) is \[\frac{x^3}{3} - 2x^2 + C\].
Here's how it works:
For our exercise, the antiderivative of \(x^2 - 4x\) is \[\frac{x^3}{3} - 2x^2 + C\].
Here's how it works:
- The antiderivative of \(x^2\) is \[\frac{x^3}{3}\]
- The antiderivative of \(4x\) is \[2x^2\]
Calculus
Calculus, the branch of mathematics that explores change, focuses mainly on differentiation and integration.
To see why it’s important:
Understanding calculus is crucial because it applies to various real-world problems:
To see why it’s important:
- Differentiation finds out the rate of change or slope of a function at any given point.
- Integration, on the other hand, accumulates quantities, calculating areas under curves as we did in our exercise.
Understanding calculus is crucial because it applies to various real-world problems:
- Physics (motion, forces)
- Economics (cost, profit maximization)
- Engineering (design, optimization)
- Biology (population modeling)