Running differentiation backwards — families of antiderivatives, the indefinite integral, and initial-value problems.
We now turn differentiation around: given a function $f$, how do we find a function whose derivative is $f$, and why would we want one? Such a function is an antiderivative of $f$.
One reason is motion. Given position $s(t)$, velocity is $v(t)=s^\prime(t)$ and acceleration is $a(t)=v^\prime(t)=s^{\prime\prime}(t)$. If instead we are given only the acceleration, finding the velocity means finding an antiderivative of $a$, and finding the position means finding an antiderivative of $v$.
The Reverse of Differentiation
📘 Definition — Antiderivative
A function $F$ is an antiderivative of $f$ if $F^\prime(x)=f(x)$ for all $x$ in the domain of $f$.
For $f(x)=2x$, $F(x)=x^2$ is an antiderivative since $F^\prime(x)=2x$. So are $x^2+5$ and $x^2-2$ — adding a constant never changes the derivative. Are there any not of the form $x^2+C$? No: by Corollary 2 of the Mean Value Theorem, two functions with the same derivative differ by a constant.
📐 Theorem 4.1 — General form of an antiderivative
Let $F$ be an antiderivative of $f$ over an interval $I$. Then (i) for each constant $C$, $F(x)+C$ is also an antiderivative of $f$ over $I$; (ii) if $G$ is an antiderivative of $f$ over $I$, there is a constant $C$ for which $G(x)=F(x)+C$ over $I$. So the most general antiderivative of $f$ over $I$ is $F(x)+C$.
Interactive 1 — The Family of Antiderivatives
Every curve on the right has the same slope at the same $x$ — they are vertical shifts of one another. Sliding $C$ picks one member. The probe shows that the slope of $F$ always equals the height of $f$.
$f$ — the given derivative
the family $F(x) + C$
C—
slope of F at the probe—
$f$ at the probe—
condition—
✏️ Example 1 — Finding antiderivatives
For each function, find all antiderivatives.
a $f(x)=3x^2$
b $f(x)=\dfrac1x$
c $f(x)=\cos x$
d $f(x)=e^x$
💡 Show solution▶
(a) $\dfrac{d}{dx}\left(x^3\right)=3x^2$, so every antiderivative is $x^3+C$.
(b) Let $F(x)=\ln|x|$. For $x>0$, $\dfrac{d}{dx}\ln x=\dfrac1x$; for $x<0$, $\dfrac{d}{dx}\ln(-x)=\dfrac{1}{-x}\cdot(-1)=\dfrac1x$. So every antiderivative is $\ln|x|+C$.
(c) $\dfrac{d}{dx}(\sin x)=\cos x$, so every antiderivative is $\sin x+C$.
(d) $\dfrac{d}{dx}\left(e^x\right)=e^x$, so every antiderivative is $e^x+C$.
Indefinite Integrals
📘 Definition — Indefinite integral
Given a function $f$, the indefinite integral of $f$, written $\displaystyle\int f(x)\,dx$, is the most general antiderivative of $f$. If $F$ is an antiderivative of $f$, then $$\int f(x)\,dx=F(x)+C.$$ $f(x)$ is the integrand and $x$ the variable of integration. The functions $F(x)+C$ form the family of antiderivatives of $f$.
📐 Theorem 4.2 — Power rule for integrals
For $n\neq-1$, $$\int x^n\,dx=\frac{x^{n+1}}{n+1}+C,$$ because $\dfrac{d}{dx}\left(\dfrac{x^{n+1}}{n+1}\right)=x^n$. (For $n=-1$ use $\ln|x|$.)
Warning The antiderivative of a product is not the product of antiderivatives: $\dfrac{d}{dx}\left(\dfrac{x^2}{2}e^x\right)=xe^x+\dfrac{x^2e^x}{2}\neq xe^x$.
📐 Theorem 4.3 — Properties of indefinite integrals
Let $F$, $G$ be antiderivatives of $f$, $g$ and $k$ a constant. Then $$\int\left(f(x)\pm g(x)\right)dx=F(x)\pm G(x)+C,\qquad\int kf(x)\,dx=kF(x)+C.$$
✏️ Example 3 — Evaluating indefinite integrals
Evaluate:
a $\displaystyle\int\left(5x^3-7x^2+3x+4\right)dx$
b $\displaystyle\int\frac{x^2+4\sqrt[3]{x}}{x}\,dx$
c $\displaystyle\int\frac{4}{1+x^2}\,dx$
d $\displaystyle\int\tan x\cos x\,dx$
💡 Show solution▶
(a) Term by term with the power rule: $\dfrac54x^4-\dfrac73x^3+\dfrac32x^2+4x+C$.
(b) Divide first: $\dfrac{x^2+4x^{1/3}}{x}=x+4x^{-2/3}$. Then $\displaystyle\int\left(x+4x^{-2/3}\right)dx=\frac12x^2+4\cdot\frac{x^{1/3}}{1/3}+C=\frac12x^2+12x^{1/3}+C$.
(d) $\tan x\cos x=\dfrac{\sin x}{\cos x}\cos x=\sin x$, so the integral is $-\cos x+C$.
Initial-Value Problems
A differential equation relates an unknown function and its derivatives. The simplest is $\dfrac{dy}{dx}=f(x)$, whose solutions are exactly the antiderivatives $y=F(x)+C$. An initial-value problem adds a condition $y(x_0)=y_0$ that picks out one member of the family. For example, $\dfrac{dy}{dx}=6x^2$ gives $y=2x^3+C$, and $y(1)=5$ forces $2+C=5$, so $C=3$ and $y=2x^3+3$.
✏️ Example 4 — Solving an initial-value problem
Solve $\dfrac{dy}{dx}=\sin x$, $y(0)=5$.
💡 Show solution▶
Step 1 $y=\displaystyle\int\sin x\,dx=-\cos x+C$.
Step 2 $y(0)=-\cos0+C=-1+C=5$, so $C=6$.
Answer $y=-\cos x+6$.
✏️ Example 5 — Decelerating car
A car travelling at $88$ ft/s ($60$ mph) brakes, decelerating at a constant $15\ \text{ft/s}^2$.
a How many seconds elapse before the car stops?
b How far does it travel during that time?
💡 Show solution▶
Set-up Let $t$ be seconds after braking, $a(t)=-15$, $v(0)=88$, $s(0)=0$.
(a) $v^\prime(t)=-15\Rightarrow v(t)=-15t+C$, and $v(0)=88$ gives $v(t)=-15t+88$. It stops when $v=0$: $t=\dfrac{88}{15}\approx5.87$ s.
(b) $s^\prime(t)=-15t+88\Rightarrow s(t)=-\dfrac{15}{2}t^2+88t+C$ with $C=0$. Then $s\left(\dfrac{88}{15}\right)\approx258.13$ ft.
Interactive 2 — From Acceleration to Position
Two antidifferentiations turn a constant acceleration into velocity and position. Watch the car and the three graphs together.
5 $f=-\dfrac2x-\dfrac{x^3}{6}+C$; $f(1)=-2-\tfrac16+C=0\Rightarrow C=\tfrac{13}{6}$. So $f(x)=-\dfrac2x-\dfrac{x^3}{6}+\dfrac{13}{6}$.
V
V. A car is driven at $40$ mph when the brakes are applied. It decelerates at a constant $10\ \text{ft/s}^2$. How long does it take to stop, and how far does it travel? VI. You are merging onto the freeway, accelerating at a constant $12\ \text{ft/s}^2$. How long does it take to reach $60$ mph, and how far do you travel?
💡 Show solutions▶
V $40$ mph $=\dfrac{40\cdot5280}{3600}=\dfrac{176}{3}\approx58.67$ ft/s. $v(t)=-10t+\dfrac{176}{3}=0\Rightarrow t=\dfrac{88}{15}\approx5.87$ s. $s(t)=-5t^2+\dfrac{176}{3}t$, so $s\left(\tfrac{88}{15}\right)=\dfrac{7744}{45}\approx172.09$ ft. (Try the second scenario in Interactive 2.)
VI $60$ mph $=88$ ft/s. $v(t)=12t=88\Rightarrow t=\dfrac{22}{3}\approx7.33$ s. $s(t)=6t^2$, so $s\left(\tfrac{22}{3}\right)=\dfrac{968}{3}\approx322.67$ ft.
VII
Evaluate the integral. Rewrite the integrand first where needed, and check each answer by differentiating.
1 A particle moves on a line with acceleration $a(t)=6t-4\ \text{m/s}^2$, initial velocity $v(0)=3$ m/s and initial position $s(0)=1$ m. Find $v(t)$, $s(t)$ and $s(2)$.
2 A stone is thrown straight up at $15$ m/s from the edge of a cliff $20$ m high, so $a(t)=-9.8\ \text{m/s}^2$. Find its height $s(t)$ above the ground, the time it reaches its highest point, and that maximum height.
3 A workshop's marginal cost is $C^\prime(x)=0.03x^2-2x+40$ OMR per unit, and its fixed cost is $C(0)=500$ OMR. Find the cost function $C(x)$ and the cost of producing $50$ units.
4 A student writes $\displaystyle\int x\cos x\,dx=\frac{x^2}{2}\sin x+C$. Check this by differentiating and explain the mistake.
5 $F$ and $G$ are both antiderivatives of the same function $f$ on an interval, with $F(0)=2$ and $G(0)=-1$. What is $F(x)-G(x)$? Why?
💡 Show solutions▶
1 $v(t)=3t^2-4t+C_1$, $v(0)=C_1=3$: $v(t)=3t^2-4t+3$. $s(t)=t^3-2t^2+3t+C_2$, $s(0)=C_2=1$: $s(t)=t^3-2t^2+3t+1$, and $s(2)=8-8+6+1=7$ m.
2 $v(t)=-9.8t+15$ and $s(t)=-4.9t^2+15t+20$. Highest point when $v=0$: $t=\dfrac{15}{9.8}=\dfrac{75}{49}\approx1.53$ s. Then $s=20+\dfrac{15^2}{2(9.8)}=20+\dfrac{1125}{98}\approx31.48$ m.
3 $C(x)=0.01x^3-x^2+40x+K$ with $C(0)=K=500$: $C(x)=0.01x^3-x^2+40x+500$. $C(50)=1250-2500+2000+500=1250$ OMR.
4 Product rule: $\dfrac{d}{dx}\left(\dfrac{x^2}{2}\sin x\right)=x\sin x+\dfrac{x^2}{2}\cos x\neq x\cos x$. The student integrated each factor separately; the antiderivative of a product is not the product of antiderivatives. (The correct answer, $x\sin x+\cos x+C$, needs integration by parts, met later.)
5 Two antiderivatives of the same function differ by a constant, so $F(x)-G(x)=k$ for all $x$. At $x=0$: $k=2-(-1)=3$. Hence $F(x)-G(x)=3$ everywhere.
🔬 Research–Teaching NexusResearch-based · optional, about 30 minutes
Research question. Can you recover the distance travelled from speed readings alone?
Why it matters. Car navigation systems and phone step counters rebuild distance from speed or acceleration; this is called dead reckoning.
What to do.
As a passenger, read the speedometer every 10 s on a short trip, or use sample data (km/h): 0, 20, 35, 45, 50, 50, 48, 40, 25, 10, 0.
Convert speeds to m/s (divide by 3.6).
Estimate distance with a sum of speed $\times$ 10 s (use the trapezoid method).
Compare with the odometer or a map app.
Tools: Phone timer, spreadsheet, map app
Hand in: A half-page note: your distance estimate, the odometer value, and one limitation.
Going further. Anywhere: use a free GPS logging app to record speed and compare with the recorded distance.
Instructor note: The sample data give about $0.90$ km; students should notice that position is an antiderivative of velocity.