5.

3 Definite Integrals
and Antiderivatives

Greg Kelly, Hanford High School, Richland, Washington

Page 269 gives rules for working with integrals, the most
important of which are:
b a
Reversing the limits
1. ∫
a
f ( x ) dx = − ∫ f ( x ) dx
b changes the sign.
a
If the upper and lower limits are equal,
2. ∫
a
f ( x ) dx = 0
then the integral is zero.

b b
3. ∫
a
k ⋅ f ( x ) dx = k ∫ f ( x ) dx
a
Constant multiples can be
moved outside.

→
 b a
Reversing the limits
1. ∫ a
f ( x ) dx = − ∫ f ( x ) dx
b changes the sign.
a
If the upper and lower limits are equal,
2.
∫
a
f ( x ) dx = 0
then the integral is zero.

b b
3. ∫
a
k ⋅ f ( x ) dx = k ∫ f ( x ) dx
a
Constant multiples can be
moved outside.

b b b
4. ∫ a
 f ( x ) + g ( x )  dx = ∫ f ( x ) dx + ∫ g ( x ) dx
a a

Integrals can be added and

subtracted.

→
 b b b
4. ∫ a
 f ( x ) + g ( x )  dx = ∫ f ( x ) dx + ∫ g ( x ) dx
a a

Integrals can be added and

subtracted.

b c c
5. ∫ f ( x ) dx + ∫ f ( x ) dx = ∫ f ( x ) dx
a b a

Intervals can be added

y = f ( x)
(or subtracted.)

a b c
→
The average value of a function is the value that would
give the same area if the function was a constant:
3 1 2
A=∫
5
x dx
0 2
4
3
1 3 27 9
3
= x = = = 4.5
6 0 6 2
2
1.5 4.5
1 Average Value = = 1.5
3
0 1 2 3
Area 1 b
y=
1 2
x Average Value = =
Width b − a ∫a
f ( x ) dx
2

→
The mean value theorem for definite integrals says that
for a continuous function, at some point on the interval the
actual value will equal to the average value.

Mean Value Theorem (for definite integrals)

If f is continuous on [ a, b ] then at some point c in [ a, b ] ,

1 b
f (c) =
b−a ∫a
f ( x ) dx