26 ESci 113: Calculus for Engineers II

Lesson 1.1: Antiderivatives

Lesson Summary
Indefinite integration is the inverse of differentiation and given this definition
indefinite integration is also called the antidifferentiation. This lesson focuses
first on reversing the process of finding derivatives. Then the idea of it being
also the indefinite integral and its notation will be introduced.

Learning Outcomes
1. Express the general form of the antiderivatives of a function.
2. Solve simple differential equations using the integral notation.

Motivation Question
Given that a function ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ is the derivative of ‫ܨ‬ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ, can indefinite integration
of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ result to ‫ܨ‬ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ?

Discussion
Suppose you are given a function

(1.1) ݂ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൌ Ͷ‫ ݔ‬ଶ ൅ ͷ‫ ݔ‬൅ ͳ

And unlike what we used to do in Calculus for Engineers I, where we find

derivatives of functions, we are to find the function that when differentiated in
terms of ‫ݔ‬, would result to the function given above. Let us name the function
that we are looking for as ‫ܨ‬ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ. To summarize the conditions,

݀
(1.2) ‫ ܨ‬ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൌ ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ
݀‫ݔ‬
݂ ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൌ Ͷ‫ ݔ‬ଶ ൅ ͷ‫ ݔ‬൅ ͳ
݀
(1.3) ‫ ܨ‬ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൌ Ͷ‫ ݔ‬ଶ ൅ ͷ‫ ݔ‬൅ ͳ
݀‫ݔ‬

To determine this function ‫ܨ‬ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ we may apply the differentiation process in

reverse. To do this, we identify first what type of function the ݂ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ is. And we
know immediately that it is a polynomial. We recall from our discussion in
ESci 112 that the derivative of a polynomial is also a polynomial. We further
recall that the differentiation rule that we use to determine the derivatives of
polynomials is the one that is called the Power Rule

Page 26 of 110
Vision: A globally competitive university for science, technology, and environmental conservation.
Mission: Development of a highly competitive human resource, cutting-edge scientific knowledge TP-IMD-02
V0 07-15-2020
and innovative technologies for sustainable communities and environment.
No. CET.ESC SLG20-03
 For instructional purposes only • 1st Semester SY 2020-2021 27

݀ ௡
(1.4) ‫ ݔ‬ൌ ݊‫ ݔ‬௡ିଵ Power Rule
݀‫ݔ‬

Let us first describe how we reverse the Power Rule:

1) Add 1 to the exponent.
2) Divide the coefficient by the new exponent (added by 1)

Also, according to the Sum Rule of differentiation, the Power Rule must be
applied to each of the terms of the ‫ܨ‬ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ. Then in our reverse process we
apply the reverse power rule to each of the terms of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ.

݀ ݀ ݀
(1.5) ሾ‫ݑ‬ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൅ ‫ݒ‬ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻሿ ൌ ‫ ݑ‬ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൅ ‫ݒ‬ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ Sum Rule
݀‫ݔ‬ ݀‫ݔ‬ ݀‫ݔ‬

We also have a constant term in the polynomial, which would mean that we
must recall the Identity Rule.

݀
(1.6) ‫ݔ‬ൌͳ Power Rule
݀‫ݔ‬

The solution would be as follows:

(1.7) ݂ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൌ Ͷ‫ ݔ‬ଶ ൅ ͷ‫ ݔ‬൅ ͳ Given

Rewriting the polynomial;
ଶ ଵ ଴ the constant term is
ൌ Ͷ‫ ݔ‬൅ ͷ‫ ݔ‬൅ ‫ݔ‬
multiplied by the variable
but with zero exponent
1) Adding 1 to the
ൌ Ͷ‫ ݔ‬ଶାଵ ൅ ͷ‫ ݔ‬ଵାଵ ൅ ‫ ݔ‬଴ାଵ
exponents of the variable ‫ݔ‬

ൌ Ͷ‫ ݔ‬ଷ ൅ ͷ‫ ݔ‬ଶ ൅ ‫ݔ‬

Ͷ ଶ ͷ ͳ 2) Dividing the coefficient

ൌ ‫ ݔ‬൅ ‫ݔ‬൅ ‫ݔ‬ by the exponent
͵ ʹ ͳ incremented by 1

Ͷ ଷ ͷ ଶ The apparent antiderivative

‫ ܨ‬ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൌ ‫ ݔ‬൅ ‫ ݔ‬൅‫ݔ‬
͵ ʹ of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ

Antidifferentiation is the name for reversing the process of differentiation.

Also, the function ‫ܨ‬ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ which resulted from the antidifferentiation of the
derivative function ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ is called an antiderivative of the ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ.

Page 27 of 110
Vision: A globally competitive university for science, technology, and environmental conservation.
Mission: Development of a highly competitive human resource, cutting-edge scientific knowledge TP-IMD-02
V0 07-15-2020
and innovative technologies for sustainable communities and environment.
No. CET.ESC SLG20-03
 28 ESci 113: Calculus for Engineers II

Definition Antiderivative

A function ‫ ܨ‬is an antiderivative of the function ݂ if

݀
‫ ܨ‬ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൌ ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ
݀‫ݔ‬

for all ‫ ݔ‬in the domain of ݂.

To check if ‫ܨ‬ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ is really an antiderivative of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ,

Ͷ ଷ ͷ ଶ
‫ ܨ‬ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൌ ‫ ݔ‬൅ ‫ ݔ‬൅‫ݔ‬ Given
͵ ʹ
݀ ݀ Ͷ ଷ ͷ ଶ Differentiation both
‫ܨ‬ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ ൌ ൬ ‫ ݔ‬൅ ‫ ݔ‬൅ ‫ݔ‬൰
݀‫ݔ‬ ݀‫͵ ݔ‬ ʹ sides

݀
‫ܨ‬ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ ൌ Ͷ‫ ݔ‬ଶ ൅ ͷ‫ ݔ‬൅ ͳ
݀‫ݔ‬
(1.7) ݂ ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൌ Ͷ‫ ݔ‬ଶ ൅ ͷ‫ ݔ‬൅ ͳ Given
݀
݀‫ݔ‬
‫ܨ‬ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ ൌ ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ 9
Indeed, the derivative of ‫ܨ‬ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ is ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ.

However, we might be missing something. Remember that there is also the

Constant Rule:

݀ ‫ ܥ‬is an arbitrary
(1.8) ሾ‫ ܥ‬ሿ ൌ Ͳ
݀‫ݔ‬ constant;

‫ܨ‬ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ may have a constant term which, after differentiation, became zero and,
thus, not apparent when we only have the derivative function as basis. We
lack data to determine this constant exactly.

‫ܨ‬ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ may be any of the three below:

Ͷ ଷ ͷ ଶ
‫ ݔ‬൅ ‫ ݔ‬൅‫ݔ‬൅Ͳ
͵ ʹ
Ͷ ଷ ͷ ଶ
‫ ݔ‬൅ ‫ ݔ‬൅‫ݔ‬െͺ
͵ ʹ
Ͷ ଷ ͷ ଶ
‫ ݔ‬൅ ‫ ݔ‬൅‫ݔ‬൅ͷ
͵ ʹ

Page 28 of 110
Vision: A globally competitive university for science, technology, and environmental conservation.
Mission: Development of a highly competitive human resource, cutting-edge scientific knowledge TP-IMD-02
V0 07-15-2020
and innovative technologies for sustainable communities and environment.
No. CET.ESC SLG20-03
 For instructional purposes only • 1st Semester SY 2020-2021 29

Try differentiating the three expressions above and you will find out that each
of these three expressions has the same derivative, which is equal to ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ. It
is then apparent that this constant term may be any number on the real
number line including zero. Therefore, the number of antiderivatives of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ is
infinite, from the negative to the positive infinity.

To represent all the possible antiderivatives of ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ, we will use an arbitrary

constant that could stand for any possible value of the constant. We let this
arbitrary constant be ‫ ܥ‬and add this to ‫ܨ‬ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ. The resulting expression is the
general form of antiderivative of a ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ.

Ͷ ଷ ͷ ଶ Family of antiderivatives of
(1.9) ‫ ܩ‬ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൌ ‫ ݔ‬൅ ‫ ݔ‬൅‫ݔ‬൅‫ܥ‬
͵ ʹ the function ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ

General Form of Antiderivatives of a

Theorem 1.1
Function

If ‫ ܨ‬is an antiderivative of ݂ on an interval ‫ܫ‬, then the ‫ ܩ‬is also an

antiderivative of ݂ if and only if
‫ ܩ‬ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൌ ‫ ܨ‬ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൅ ‫ܥ‬,
where ‫ ܥ‬is an arbitrary constant, for all values of ‫ݔ‬.

Based on Theorem 1.1, the general form of antiderivatives of a function can

be expressed by adding ‫ ܥ‬to a known antiderivative of that function.

Example 1.1: General Form of Antiderivatives of a

Function

Find the general form of antiderivatives of ݄ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൌ …‘• ‫ݔ‬.

We recall that
݀
•‹ ‫ ݔ‬ൌ …‘• ‫ݔ‬
݀‫ݔ‬
Then we know for sure that one of the antiderivatives is
‫ ܪ‬ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൌ •‹ ‫ݔ‬
Applying Theorem 1.1, the general form of antiderivatives of ݄ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ is
‫ ܪ‬ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൌ •‹ ‫ ݔ‬൅ ‫ܥ‬

The arbitrary constant ‫ ܥ‬is called the constant of integration. The necessity
of adding ‫ ܥ‬to define the general form of antiderivatives of a function shows
the uncertainty of antidifferentiation. Hence, antidifferentiation is also called
indefinite integration. And, in turn, the general form of antiderivative of a
function is called the indefinite integral.
General form of
ൌ Indefinite integral
antiderivatives

Page 29 of 110
Vision: A globally competitive university for science, technology, and environmental conservation.
Mission: Development of a highly competitive human resource, cutting-edge scientific knowledge TP-IMD-02
V0 07-15-2020
and innovative technologies for sustainable communities and environment.
No. CET.ESC SLG20-03
 30 ESci 113: Calculus for Engineers II

When a function such as ݄ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ in Example 1.1 is equated to the derivative

‫ܪ‬Ԣሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ, as shown below

‫ܪ‬ᇱ ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ ൌ ݄ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ Given

(1.10) ‫ܪ‬ᇱ ሺ‫ݔ‬ሻ ൌ …‘• ‫ݔ‬ Differential equation

then

(1.11) ‫ ܪ‬ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൌ •‹ ‫ ݔ‬൅ ‫ܥ‬ General solution

The function ‫ ܪ‬ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൌ •‹ ‫ ݔ‬൅ ‫ ܥ‬is the general solution of the differential
equation, Equation (1.10). A differential equation is an equation that
involves a function and its derivatives. Other examples of differential equation
are the following:

‫ ݕ‬ᇱ ൌ ͻ‫ ݔ‬െ ͳ

‫ ܨ‬ᇱ ሺ‫ ݔ‬ሻ ൌ ʹ݁ ଶ௫

Example 1.2: General Solution of a Differential Equation

Solve the differential equation of ‫ݕ‬Ԣ ൌ Ͷ‫ݔ‬.

First, we need to identify a function whose derivative is Ž ‫ݔ‬. By reversing
power rule, we conclude that
݀
ሺʹ‫ ݔ‬ଶ ሻ ൌ Ͷ‫ݔ‬
݀‫ݔ‬
Therefore, ʹ‫ ݔ‬ଶ is an antiderivative if Ͷ‫ ݔ‬and
‫ ݕ‬ൌ ʹ‫ ݔ‬ଶ
is a solution of ‫ ݕ‬ᇱ ൌ Ͷ‫ݔ‬. Then applying Theorem 1.1, the general solution of
the differential equation ‫ ݕ‬ᇱ ൌ Ͷ‫ ݔ‬is
‫ ݕ‬ൌ ʹ‫ ݔ‬ଶ ൅ ‫ܥ‬

The graphs of some of the members of the family of solutions for the
differential equation ‫ ݕ‬ᇱ ൌ Ͷ‫ ݔ‬is shown in Figure 1.

It may be observed in Figure 1 that the functions shown are the same
parabola but at different locations depending on the value of ‫ܥ‬. We recall that
the derivative of a function describes its instantaneous rate of change.
Derivative describes how a function is sensitive to small changes of the
domain, ‫ݔ‬. This tells that functions having the same derivative may be at
different parts of the cartesian plane but how much their ‫ ݕ‬changes at certain
values of ‫ ݔ‬is the same.

Page 30 of 110
Vision: A globally competitive university for science, technology, and environmental conservation.
Mission: Development of a highly competitive human resource, cutting-edge scientific knowledge TP-IMD-02
V0 07-15-2020
and innovative technologies for sustainable communities and environment.
No. CET.ESC SLG20-03
 For instructional purposes only • 1st Semester SY 2020-2021 31

‫ ݕ‬ൌ ʹ‫ ݔ‬ଶ ൅ ͷ; ‫ܥ‬ൌͷ

‫ ݕ‬ൌ ʹ‫ ݔ‬ଶ ൅ ʹ; ‫ܥ‬ൌʹ

‫ ݕ‬ൌ ʹ‫ ݔ‬ଶ ; ‫ܥ‬ൌͲ

‫ ݕ‬ൌ ʹ‫ ݔ‬ଶ െ ʹ; ‫ ܥ‬ൌ െʹ

Figure 1. Functions of the form ‫ ݕ‬ൌ ʹ‫ ݔ‬ଶ ൅ ‫ܥ‬

Assessment
x Given that •‡… ‫ ݔ ƒ– ݔ‬is the derivative of •‡… ‫ݔ‬. What is the general
form of the antiderivatives of •‡… ‫?ݔ ƒ– ݔ‬.
x Draw the curves of five of the possible solutions to the differential
equation ‫ݕ‬Ԣ ൌ •‡… ‫ݔ ƒ– ݔ‬.
ௗ௬
x Find the general solution of ൌ ͵‫ ݔ‬ଶ and check the result by
ௗ௫
differentiation.

Instructions on how to submit student output

Please see class policies for details.
.

Page 31 of 110
Vision: A globally competitive university for science, technology, and environmental conservation.
Mission: Development of a highly competitive human resource, cutting-edge scientific knowledge TP-IMD-02
V0 07-15-2020
and innovative technologies for sustainable communities and environment.
No. CET.ESC SLG20-03