Basic Calculus: THE FUNDAMENTAL THEOREM OF CALCULUS

Grade 11

The FUNDAMENTAL THEOREM OF CALCULUS provides us with a much-needed shortcut for computing
definite integrals without struggling to find limits of Riemann sum.

The theorem comprised of 2 parts: The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, PART 1 and PART 2.

The PART 1 theorem says that to compute a definite integral, we need only find an antiderivative and
then evaluate it at the two limits of integration. It establishes the relationship between differentiation
and integration.

If f is continuous on [a, b] and F(x) is any antiderivative of f(x), then

∫ f(x) dx = F(b) – F(a)

SAMPLE PROBLEM

Compute

2
∫ (x² – 2x) dx

Notice that f(x) = x² – 2x is continuous on the interval [0, 2] and so, we can apply the Fundamental
theorem. We find an antiderivative from the power rule and simply evaluate.

2.

∫ (x² – 2x) dx = (1/3)x³ – x² ²|₀

0.

Evaluate the value.

[(1/3)(2)² – (2)²] – [(1/3)(0)² – (0)²]

(8/3 – 4) – 0

= -(4/3)

This theorem is used to compute area under the curve.

SAMPLE PROBLEM

Find the area under the curve f(x) = sinx on the interval [0, π].
Since sinx ≥ 0 and sinx is continuous on [0, π], we have that

AREA

∫ sinx dx

Notice that an antiderivative of sinx is F(x) = – cosx. By the Fundamental theorem then, we have

∫ sinx dx = F(π) – F(0)

∫ sinx dx = (– cos π) – (– cos 0)

0
π

∫ sinx dx = – (– 1) – (– 1) = 2

The PART 2 of the theorem says that every continuous function f has an antiderivative namely,

∫ f(t) dt

If f is continuous on [a, b] and F(x) =

∫ f(t) dt, then F’(x) = f(x),

on [a, b].

SAMPLE PROBLEM
 x

For F(x) = ∫ (t² – 2t + 3) dt,

compute F’(x).

F’(x) is the function in the integrand with t replaced by x.

F(x) = ∫ (t² – 2t + 3) dt

= (1/3)t³ – t² + 3t ˣ|₁

= [(1/3)x³ – x² + 3x]
 – (1/3 – 1 + 3)

Differentiate directly

F’(x) = x² – 2x + 3

Notice that the lower limit of integration has no effect on the value of F’(x). The lower limit of
integration merely determines the value of the constant that is subtracted at the end of the calculation
of F(x). Since the derivative of constant is 0, this value does not affect F’(x).

The both cases of the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus say that DIFFERENTIATION and INTEGRATION
are in some sense INVERSE operations: their effects cancel each other out. This fundamental connection
is what unifies seemingly unrelated calculation techniques into the calculus.