Is f(x)=x^3 the only possible antiderivative of f(x)=3x^2? If not, why not?

1 Answer
Jan 27, 2015

No, it isn't.

If f(x)=x^3f(x)=x3 then the derivative will be f'(x)=3x^2

But the same would be true for f(x)=x^3+1
because the 1 would leave 0 in the derivative.

In general:
The antiderivative of f'(x)=3x^2->f(x)=x^3+C
(C being any number you choose)

This goes for all antiderivatives. You can always add C
(because they disappear in the other-way-around process)