Quick

Review for Midterm 1

Sections covered: 5.10 7.4
5.10 Improper Integrals
An improper integral is a definite integral that has one of the limits as infinity, or has
a discontinuity in the interval of interest (e.g. an asymptote).
Type 1: Infinity as one of the limits
!

! ! !" = lim

! !

! ! !"
!

How to solve them?

1.
2.
3.
4.

Replace the +/- with t.

Solve the integral with t.
Plug back instead of t, and see what value you obtain.
If the result is a number, then the integral is converging, if the limit doesnt
exist, then the integral is divergent.

Type 2: There is a discontinuity in the interval (e.g. an asymptote)

!

! ! !" = lim

! !

! ! !"
!

How to solve them?

1.
2.
3.
4.

Replace the discontinuity with t.

Solve the integral with t.
Plug back the discontinuity instead of t, and see what value you obtain.
If the result is a number, then the integral is converging, if the limit doesnt
exist, then the integral is divergent.

6.1 More about areas

This section is concerned with finding the area between 2 curves.
!" ! ! ! ! , !!" !! !"#! !"#$""% ! !"# ! !" !" !"#$%&'( !":
!

! =

[! ! ! ! ]!"
!

Note: Function f(x) HAS TO BE ON TOP of g(x). If the functions intersect

eachother on the interval [a,b], then split it in 2 (or more) integrals.

6.2 Volumes
Once you know how to find the area, you can move to finding the volume of a solid.
Disk Method:
If there is a solid that lies between a and b, then you can find the area by looking at
the cross-sectional area that is perpendicular to x-axis, A(x). If A(x) is a continuous
function, then the volume of the solid is:
!

!=

!(!)!"
!

What this means is simply: Volume is the integral of the area.

How to solve this?
1. Slice the solid into very small slices.
2. Write the area of each slice as a function of x.
3. Integrate that function over the desired interval.
Note: If it is easier to slice along y-axis, then find A(y) and integrate with respect to
dy.
Washer Method:
The only difference between this method and the disk-method, is that in the washer
method, the area A(x) is the area between 2 curves. The procedure is the same as
above.
How to solve this?
1. Slice the solid into very small pieces.
2. Find the area of each slice as a function of x.
!!"#!!" = !(!"#$% !"#$%&)! !(!"#$% !"#$%&)!
3. Integrate that function over the desired interval.
Cylindrical Shells Method:
This method is used when you have a function that gets revolved around y-axis. This
method is fairly simple; just use the following formula:
!

!=

2!!"(!)!"
!

6.3 Arc Length

This section is very simple. To find the length of the arc follow this procedure:
1. Look at your function and determine which form does it have.
a. The curve has a parametric equation x = f(t) and y = g(t):
!

!"
!"

!=
!

!"
+
!"

!"

b. The curve is given with the equation y = f(x)
!

!=

1+
!

!"
!"

!"

c. The curve is give with the equation x = f(y)

!

!=
!

!"
1+
!"

!"

6.5 Average Value of a Function

To find the average value of a function over an interval, you need to integrate it, and
then divide by the interval, i.e.:

!!"#

1
=
!!

!(!)!"
!

6.6 Application for Physics and Engineering
In this section look beyond calculus! Understand what the question is asking you.
How do we solve this?
Force:
!!"#$%&' = ! !
!!"#$%& = ! !, !!"! ! !" !! !"#$%&'()$* !" !! !"#$%&
!!"#$$%"# = ! !
Work:
! = !"#$% !"#$%&'(

Hydrostatic Pressure:
! = ! ! !, !!"! ! !" !! !"#$
How do we solve this?
1. Write down the general formula for what the question is asking: Force, work,
pressure.
2. Express each term in that formula in terms of x (if possible).
3. Integrate over the appropriate interval.
Its hard to write a specific procedure on how to solve these types of problems. They
require a lot of practice to able to set them up properly.
Examples to look at are examples 1-5 on page 466. Make sure you understand these
examples, if you dont make sure you ask me to explain them to you next time we meet.

7.1-7.4: Differential Equations
Again, as in the previous sections, you need to practice a lot in order to be able to
properly set up the equation. However, once you have a differential equation set-up,
most of the time it would be a separable equation. This is how you solve them:
1. The general form of the separable differential equation is:
!" !(!)
=
(!" !"# !"#$ !!"#$ !" !!")
!" !(!)

2. Move everything with x on one side, and everything with y on another
side.
! ! !" = ! ! !"

3. Integrate both sides.
! ! !" =

! ! !"

! ! = ! ! + !

4. Express the result as y = Function(x)

Euler Method:
Euler method is used to approximate a solution to a differential equation (since, it is
not always possible to solve a differential equation).

This method is really simple, but requires a lot of tedious arithmetic calculations.
Follow the procedure outlined on page 504 of the textbook. It is very straight
forward.