5.

4 Fundamental Theorem of Calculus

Greg Kelly, Hanford High School, Richland, Washington Photo by Vickie Kelly, 1998
Morro Rock, California
If you were being sent to a desert island
and could take only one equation with you,
( ) ( )
x
a
d
f t dt f x
dx
=
}
might well be your choice.
Here is my favorite calculus textbook quote of all time,
from CALCULUS by Ross L. Finney and George B.
Thomas, Jr., 1990.

The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, Part 1

If f is continuous on , then the function | |
, a b
( ) ( )
x
a
F x f t dt =
}
has a derivative at every point in , and
| |
, a b
( ) ( )
x
a
dF d
f t dt f x
dx dx
= =
}

( ) ( )
x
a
d
f t dt f x
dx
=
}
First Fundamental Theorem:
1. Derivative of an integral.

( ) ( )
a
x
d
f t dt
x
f x
d
=
}
2. Derivative matches upper limit of integration.
First Fundamental Theorem:
1. Derivative of an integral.

( ) ( )
a
x
d
f t dt f x
dx
=
}
1. Derivative of an integral.
2. Derivative matches upper limit of integration.
3. Lower limit of integration is a constant.
First Fundamental Theorem:

( ) ( )
x
a
d
f t dt f x
dx
=
}
1. Derivative of an integral.
2. Derivative matches upper limit of integration.
3. Lower limit of integration is a constant.
New variable.
First Fundamental Theorem:

cos
x
d
t dt
dx
t
}
cos x = 1. Derivative of an integral.
2. Derivative matches
upper limit of integration.
3. Lower limit of integration
is a constant.
( )
sin
x d
t
dx
t
( )
( )
sin sin
d
x
dx
t
0
sin
d
x
dx
cos x
The long way:
First Fundamental Theorem:

2
0
1

1+t
x
d
dt
dx
} 2
1
1 x
=
+
1. Derivative of an integral.
2. Derivative matches
upper limit of integration.
3. Lower limit of integration
is a constant.

2
0
cos
x
d
t dt
dx
}
( )
2 2
cos
d
x x
dx

( )
2
cos 2 x x
( )
2
2 cos x x
The upper limit of integration does
not match the derivative, but we
could use the chain rule.

5
3 sin
x
d
t t dt
dx
}
The lower limit of integration is not
a constant, but the upper limit is.
5
3 sin
x
d
t t dt
dx

}
3 sin x x
We can change the sign of the
integral and reverse the limits.

2
2
1

2
x
t
x
d
dt
dx e +
}
Neither limit of integration is a
constant.
2
0
0 2
1 1

2 2
x
t t
x
d
dt dt
dx e e
| |
+
|
+ +
\ .
} }
It does not
matter what
constant we use!
2
2
0 0
1 1

2 2
x x
t t
d
dt dt
dx e e
| |

|
+ +
\ .
} }
2
2
1 1
2 2
2
2
x
x
x
e
e

+
+
(Limits are reversed.)
(Chain rule is used.) 2
2
2 2
2
2
x
x
x
e
e
=
+
+
We split the integral into two parts.

The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, Part 2

If f is continuous at every point of , and if
F is any antiderivative of f on , then
| |
, a b
( ) ( ) ( )
b
a
f x dx F b F a =
}
| |
, a b
(Also called the Integral Evaluation Theorem)
We already know this!
To evaluate an integral, take the anti-derivatives and subtract.
t