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Ch. 6 - Applications of Integration
Briggs - Calculus: Early Transcendentals 3rd Edition
Briggs3rd EditionCalculus: Early TranscendentalsISBN: 9780136847243Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 6, Problem 6.5.38

Function defined as an integral Write the integral that gives the length of the curve y = f(x) = ∫₀^x sin t dt on the interval [0,π]

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Recall the formula for the length of a curve defined by a function \(y = f(x)\) on the interval \([a,b]\): the length \(L\) is given by the integral \(L = \int_a^b \sqrt{1 + \left(\frac{dy}{dx}\right)^2} \, dx\).
Identify the function \(f(x)\) given as an integral: \(f(x) = \int_0^x \sin t \, dt\).
Find the derivative \(\frac{dy}{dx}\) of the function \(f(x)\) using the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, which states that if \(f(x) = \int_a^x g(t) \, dt\), then \(f'(x) = g(x)\). So, \(\frac{dy}{dx} = \sin x\).
Substitute \(\frac{dy}{dx} = \sin x\) into the length formula to get \(L = \int_0^{\pi} \sqrt{1 + (\sin x)^2} \, dx\).
Write the final integral expression for the length of the curve on \([0, \pi]\) as \(L = \int_0^{\pi} \sqrt{1 + \sin^2 x} \, dx\).

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Arc Length Formula

The arc length of a curve y = f(x) from x = a to x = b is given by the integral ∫_a^b √(1 + (dy/dx)²) dx. This formula calculates the length by summing infinitesimal line segments along the curve, accounting for both horizontal and vertical changes.
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Arc Length of Parametric Curves

Fundamental Theorem of Calculus

This theorem connects differentiation and integration, stating that if f(x) = ∫_a^x g(t) dt, then f'(x) = g(x). It allows us to find the derivative of an integral-defined function, which is essential for computing dy/dx in the arc length formula.
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Fundamental Theorem of Calculus Part 1

Derivative of the Given Function

Given y = ∫₀^x sin t dt, by the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, dy/dx = sin x. Knowing this derivative is crucial to substitute into the arc length formula to express the integral that calculates the curve's length on [0, π].
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Derivatives of Other Trig Functions