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    IB Math AAHL
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    Integration
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    Integration

    Skill Checklist

    Track your progress across all skills in your objective. Mark your confidence level and identify areas to focus on.

    35 Skills Available

    Track your progress:

    Don't know

    Working on it

    Confident

    📖 = included in formula booklet • 🚫 = not in formula booklet

    Track your progress:

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    Working on it

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    📖 = included in formula booklet • 🚫 = not in formula booklet

    Definite Integrals, Areas, and Basic Anti-Derivatives

    12 skills
    Area under a curve
    SL 5.5

    The area between a curve f(x)>0 and the x-axis is given by

    A=∫ab​f(x)dx📖

    Powered by Desmos

    Watch video explanation →
    Integration as reverse differentiation
    SL 5.5

    Integration, or anti-differentiation, is essentially the opposite of differentiation. We use the integral symbol∫ and write:

    ∫f(x)dx=a function with a derivative off(x)

    By convention we denote this function F:

    ∫f(x)dx=F(x)🚫

    We can also write

    ∫dxdy​dx=y🚫

    Notice the dx under the integral. This tells us which variable we are integrating with respect to - in this case we are reversing dxd​.

    Watch video explanation →
    The Integration Constant
    SL 5.5

    Since the derivative of a constant is always zero, then if if F′(x)=f(x), then (F(x)+C)′=f(x).


    This means that when we integrate, we can add any constant to our result, since differentiating makes this constant irrelevant:

    ∫f(x)dx=F(x)+C🚫
    Watch video explanation →
    Anti-Derivative of xⁿ, n∈ℤ
    SL 5.5
    ∫xndx=n+1xn+1​+C,n∈Z,n=−1📖
    Watch video explanation →
    Integrals of sums and scalar products
    SL 5.5

    In the same way that constant multiples can pass through the derivative, they can pass through the integral:

    ∫af(x)dx=a∫f(x)dx🚫

    And in the same way that the derivative of a sum is the sum of the derivatives:

    ∫f(x)+g(x)dx=∫f(x)dx+∫g(x)dx🚫
    Watch video explanation →
    Boundary Conditions
    SL 5.5

    If we know the value of y or f(x) for a given x, we can determine C by plugging in x and y.

    Watch video explanation →
    Definite Integrals
    SL 5.5

    A definite integral is evaluated between a lower and upper bound.

    ∫ab​f(x)dx is the integral of f(x)dx from x=a to x=b

    We can solve a definite integral with

    ∫ab​f(x)dx=[F(x)]ab​=F(b)−F(a)🚫


    where F(x)=∫f(x)dx.

    Watch video explanation →
    Calculating Definite Integral with GDC
    SL 5.5

    Graphing calculators can be used to evaluate definite integrals.


    For example, on a TI-84, math > 9:fnInt(, which prompts you with ∫□□​(□)d□. Make sure the variable of your function matches the variable that you take the integral with respect to.

    Definite Integral Rules
    SL 5.11

    Integrals of the same function with adjacent domains can be merged:

    ∫ab​f(x)dx+∫bc​f(x)dx=∫ac​f(x)dx🚫

    Similarly, the domain of an integral can be split:

    ∫ab​f(x)dx=∫am​f(x)dx+∫mb​f(x)dx🚫

    for any a<m<b.

    Watch video explanation →
    Area between curve and x-axis
    SL 5.11

    In general, the area enclosed between a curve and the x-axis is given by

    A=∫ab​∣f(x)∣dx📖

    since any region below the x-axis has f(x)<0, but area must always be positive.

    Powered by Desmos

    This can be done with technology, or by splitting the integral into parts - where f is positive and where f is negative:

    A=∫am​f(x)dx+∫mb​−f(x)dx🚫
    Watch video explanation →
    Area between curves
    SL 5.11

    The area enclosed between two curves is given by

    A=∫ab​∣f(x)−g(x)∣dx

    Powered by Desmos

    This can be done with technology, or by splitting the integral into multiple regions, each having either f(x)>g(x) or g(x)>f(x).

    Watch video explanation →
    Area between curve and y-axis
    AHL 5.17

    We find the area between a curve and the y-axis by taking an integral with respect to y. Integrals with respect to y have y-value upper and lower bounds and functions in terms of y. Therefore,

    ∫ab​∣f(y)∣dy,

    where a is the minimum y-value and b is the maximum value, returns the area between the y-axis and a curve f(y):

    Powered by Desmos

    Watch video explanation →

    Anti-Derivative Rules

    8 skills
    Anti-Derivative of xⁿ, n∈ℚ
    SL 5.6
    ∫xndx=n+1xn+1​+C,n=−1📖
    Watch video explanation →
    Anti-Derivative of sin and cos
    SL 5.6

    The integrals of sin and cos are

    ∫sinxdx ∫cosxdx​=−cosx+C📖 =sinx+C📖​
    Watch video explanation →
    Anti-Derivative leading to tan
    AHL 5.15
    ∫sec2xdx=tanx+C
    Anti-Derivative leading to sec, cosec, and cot
    AHL 5.15
    ∫secxtanxdx−∫cosecxcotx−∫cosec2x​=secx+Cdx=cosecx+Cdx=cotx+C​
    Anti-Derivatives leading to arccos, arcsin, or arctan
    AHL 5.15
    ∫√a2−x2​−1​dx=arccos(ax​)+C📖


    ∫√a2−x2​1​dx=arcsin(ax​)+C📖


    ∫a2+x21​dx=a1​arctan(ax​)+C📖
    Watch video explanation →
    Anti-Derivative of e^x
    SL 5.6
    ∫exdx=ex+C📖
    Watch video explanation →
    Anti-Derivative of 1/x
    SL 5.6
    ∫x1​dx=ln∣x∣+C📖
    Watch video explanation →
    Anti-Derivative of aˣ
    AHL 5.15
    ∫axdx=lna1​ax+C📖
    Watch video explanation →

    Techniques of Integration

    7 skills
    Integrating f(ax+b)
    SL 5.10

    If F(x)=∫f(x)dx, then

    ∫f(ax+b)dx=a1​F(ax+b)🚫
    Watch video explanation →
    Integration by substitution
    SL 5.10

    Integrating a composition of functions f(g(x)) requires us to divide by g′(x), so it is easier to find the anti-derivative of anything of the form g′(x)f′(g(x)) by first dividing by g′(x).


    In symbols, we use the known fact

    ∫kg′(x)f′(g(x))dx=kf(g(x))+C🚫

    and let u=g(x), giving us

    ∫kg′(x)f′(g(x))dx=k∫f′(u)du,🚫

    an integral we can solve more easily:

    k∫f′(u)du=kf(u)+C.


    Then, we substitute g(x) back in to get our desired result of kf(g(x))+C.

    Watch video explanation →
    Substitution and Integral Bounds
    SL 5.10

    When we make a substitution in a definite integral in the form

    ∫ab​kg′(x)f′(g(x))dx

    we need to remember that the bounds are from x=a to x=b:

    ∫ab​kg′(x)f′(g(x))dx  ​=k∫x=ax=b​f′(u)du =[kf(u)]x=ax=b​​


    We then have two choices:

    1. Plug x=a and x=b into u to find the bounds in terms of u.

    2. Plug u(x) back in and use the bounds a→b.

    Watch video explanation →
    Partial fractions
    AHL 5.15

    Consider the integral

    ∫(x−c)(x−d)ax+b​dx,

    we can break the fraction into two parts:

    (x−c)(x−d)ax+b​=x−cA​+x−dB​


    Then, find A and B using a system of equations. Finally, integrate the two fractions.

    Watch video explanation →
    Integration by parts
    AHL 5.16

    To perform integration by parts, we use

    ∫udxdv​dx=uv−∫vdxdu​dx📖


    Another common way of writing this is

    ∫udv=uv−∫vdu📖


    Begin integration by parts by picking u and dv. Then, solve by differentiating u to get du and taking the anti-derivative of dv to get v.

    Watch video explanation →
    Repeated integration by parts
    AHL 5.16

    Certain functions, like powers of x, will simplify after repeated differentiation.


    Therefore, we may perform repeated integration by parts using such functions as our u knowing that they will eventually yield a simple ∫vdu.

    Watch video explanation →
    Cyclical integration by parts
    AHL 5.16

    Cyclical integration by parts are the result of a product of two functions that do not reduce via differentiation. Instead, they "cycle," or eventually return the original integral as the ∫vdu term.


    In such cases, integrate by parts until you cycle back to the original integral I. Then, you may solve for I algebraically.

    Watch video explanation →

    Kinematics

    6 skills
    Displacement vs Distance
    SL 5.9

    Displacement s is the change in position between start and end time, whereas distance d is the total length of the path taken.


    Direction does not matter for distance, which is never negative, but displacement can be negative - usually indicating motion down or to the left.

    Powered by Desmos

    Watch video explanation →
    Displacement, velocity and acceleration
    SL 5.9

    Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity, which is the rate of change of displacement.


    v=dtds​🚫 ​
    a=dtdv​=dt2d2s​📖


    Hence, the integral of acceleration is velocity, and the integral of velocity is displacement.

    Watch video explanation →
    Average Velocity and Acceleration
    SL 5.9

    While we use derivatives to get instantaneous velocity and time, we can also find average velocity and time:

    average velocity=ΔtΔs​,average acceleration=ΔtΔv​.
    Change in Displacement from Velocity
    SL 5.9

    Change in displacement between t1​,t2​:

    ∫t1​t2​​v(t)dt📖
    Watch video explanation →
    Speed
    SL 5.9

    Speed is the magnitude of velocity:

    speed=∣v∣
    Watch video explanation →
    Distance from Velocity
    SL 5.9

    The distance can be found from the velocity using the equation

    ∫t1​t2​​∣v(t)∣dt📖

    Since speed is given by ∣v(t)∣, we see that distance is the integral of speed.

    Watch video explanation →

    Volumes of Revolution

    2 skills
    Volume of revolution about x-axis
    AHL 5.16

    A curve y=f(x) can be revolved around the x-axis to produce a 3D solid. The following example shows y=2+sinx revolved 2π about the x-axis.

    Powered by Desmos

    The volume of the resulting solid is given by

    V=∫ab​πy2dx📖
    Watch video explanation →
    Volume of revolution about y-axis
    AHL 5.16

    The volume of the solid produced by revolving a curve 2π about the y-axis by finding x in terms of y and evaluating

    V=∫ab​πx2dy📖

    Powered by Desmos

    Watch video explanation →