Calc 2 Problem. Could someone help me understand the "u" notation in this integral?

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2 Answers
Apr 14, 2018

0112uu2+1du=(824)=482

Explanation:

The two provided integrals look almost exactly the same. In the first, the integrand is in terms of x, in the latter, the integrand has all x replaced with u and is otherwise the same.

The bounds have flipped between the two integrals. Fortunately, there is a rule for handling this:

baf(x)dx=abf(x)dx

Well, since we know 1012xx2+1dx=824, then, for the integral with flipped bounds and a similar integrand, we only have the same answer, but negative:

0112uu2+1du=(824)=482

Apr 14, 2018

The use of u is irrelevant.

Explanation:

The definite integral is a number. There is really no variable.

We are given

With x as the "dummy variable"

1012xx2+1dx=824

and also with t as the "dummy variable"

1012tt2+1dt=824

and with u as the "dummy variable"

1012uu2+1du=824

and so on.

The question asks us to find

0112uu2+1du

which is exactly the same as

0112xx2+1dx

and

0112tt2+1dt

and

0112rr2+1dr

As the answer by VNVDVI says, the integral is (824)=482.