Final Project Problems

MAT 1505-007

Problem 1: The integral

Z 5
ln(5x − 1) dx
1/5

has a discontinuity. Set up a limit that addresses this discontinuity. Note:

Think about where ln(c) is undefined, and c is a constant.

Solution:
The integrand ln(5x − 1) becomes undefined when the argument is zero:
1
5x − 1 = 0 ⇒ x=
5
So, the lower limit of integration is exactly where the logarithm is undefined.
Since ln(0) is undefined and tends to −∞, this is an improper integral.
To evaluate the integral properly, we express it as a limit:
Z 5 Z 5
ln(5x − 1) dx = lim+ ln(5x − 1) dx
1/5 ϵ→0 1/5+ϵ
1
This avoids the discontinuity at x = 5,
allowing us to evaluate the integral
correctly as an improper integral.
Problem 2: Determine the 3rd degree Taylor polynomial for sin(2x) cen-
tered at x = 1.

Solution:
The 3rd-degree Taylor polynomial of a function f (x) centered at x = a is
given by:
f ′′ (a) f ′′′ (a)
P3 (x) = f (a) + f ′ (a)(x − a) + (x − a)2 + (x − a)3
2! 3!
Let f (x) = sin(2x), and a = 1. We compute the derivatives:

f (x) = sin(2x) ⇒ f (1) = sin(2)

f ′ (x) = 2 cos(2x) ⇒ f ′ (1) = 2 cos(2)
f ′′ (x) = −4 sin(2x) ⇒ f ′′ (1) = −4 sin(2)
f ′′′ (x) = −8 cos(2x) ⇒ f ′′′ (1) = −8 cos(2)

1
 Substituting into the Taylor polynomial formula:

4 sin(2) 8 cos(2)
P3 (x) = sin(2) + 2 cos(2)(x − 1) − (x − 1)2 − (x − 1)3
2 6
4 cos(2)
= sin(2) + 2 cos(2)(x − 1) − 2 sin(2)(x − 1)2 − (x − 1)3
3
Problem 3: The velocity of an elephant running in m/s is v(t) = t3 +4t+2.
At 3 seconds, her position is 6 meters. Find her position at 12 seconds.

Solution:
We are given the velocity function:

v(t) = t3 + 4t + 2

To find the position function s(t), we integrate the velocity:

t4
Z Z
s(t) = v(t) dt = (t3 + 4t + 2) dt = + 2t2 + 2t + C
4

We use the initial condition s(3) = 6 to solve for C:

34 81 177
s(3) = + 2(32 ) + 2(3) + C = + 18 + 6 + C = +C
4 4 4
177 177 24 − 177 −153
6= +C ⇒ C =6− = =
4 4 4 4
Thus, the position function is:

t4 153
s(t) = + 2t2 + 2t −
4 4
Now evaluate s(12) to find the position at 12 seconds:

124 153 20736 153

s(12) = + 2(122 ) + 2(12) − = + 2(144) + 24 −
4 4 4 4

= 5184 + 288 + 24 − 38.25 = 5496 − 38.25 = 5457.75 meters

Problem 4: Given the integral
Z
e2x sin(x) dx,

use integration by parts to evaluate the integral. You will need to use two
iterations.

Solution:

2
We use the integration by parts formula:
Z Z
u dv = uv − v du

Let:
u = sin(x) ⇒ du = cos(x) dx
1 2x
dv = e2x dx ⇒ v= e
2
Apply the formula:
Z Z
1 1 2x
e2x sin(x) dx = e2x sin(x) − e cos(x) dx
2 2
Now compute the remaining integral by parts again. Let:

u = cos(x) ⇒ du = − sin(x) dx
1 2x 1 2x
dv = e dx e ⇒ v=
2 4
Then: Z Z
1 2x 1 2x 1
e cos(x) dx = e cos(x) + e2x sin(x) dx
2 4 4
Substitute back:
Z  Z 
2x 1 2x 1 2x 1 2x
e sin(x) dx = e sin(x) − e cos(x) + e sin(x) dx
2 4 4
Simplify:
Z Z
2x 1 1 1
e sin(x) dx + e2x sin(x) dx = e2x sin(x) − e2x cos(x)
4 2 4
Z
5 1 1
e2x sin(x) dx = e2x sin(x) − e2x cos(x)
4 2 4
Solve for the integral:
Z  
4 1 2x 1
e2x sin(x) dx = e sin(x) − e2x cos(x)
5 2 4

2 2x 1
= e sin(x) − e2x cos(x) + C
5 5
Z
2 2x 1
e2x sin(x) dx = e sin(x) − e2x cos(x) + C
5 5
Problem 5: Using the formula
Z x
g(x) = f (t) dt,
1/2

3
solve for g ′ (x), g ′ (c), and (g(c))′ when c = 1 and f (t) = sin(2t).
Hint: Use the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus.

Solution:
By the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus (Part 1), if
Z x
g(x) = f (t) dt,
1/2

then
g ′ (x) = f (x)
Since f (t) = sin(2t), we have:
g ′ (x) = sin(2x)
Now evaluate at c = 1:
g ′ (1) = sin(2)
The expression (g(c))′ is equivalent to g ′ (c), so:
(g(c))′ = sin(2)

Answers:
g ′ (x) = sin(2x)
g ′ (1) = sin(2)
(g(c))′ = sin(2)
Problem 6: Given x = 3 cos(t) and y = 3 sin(t) for 0 ≤ t ≤ π2 , eliminate
the parameter t to find a relationship between x and y. Then graph the curve.

Solution:
From the given parametric equations:
x
x = 3 cos(t) ⇒ cos(t) =
3
y
y = 3 sin(t) ⇒ sin(t) =
3
Using the Pythagorean identity:
cos2 (t) + sin2 (t) = 1
 x 2  y 2 x2 + y 2
+ =1⇒ = 1 ⇒ x2 + y 2 = 9
3 3 9
This represents a circle of radius 3 centered at the origin. Since t ∈ [0, π2 ],
both cos(t) ≥ 0 and sin(t) ≥ 0, so x ≥ 0 and y ≥ 0. Thus, the curve lies in the
first quadrant.

Graph of the Curve:

4
 y

x
1 2 3 4

Problem 7: Find the interval of convergence using the ratio test. Justify
your answer. (Centered at x = 2)
∞
X (x − 2)n
n=1
n · 3n

Solution:
Let
(x − 2)n
an =
n · 3n
We apply the ratio test:

an+1 (x − 2)n+1 n · 3n
lim = lim n+1
·
n→∞ an n→∞ (n + 1) · 3 (x − 2)n
(x − 2) n x−2 n x−2
= lim · = · lim =
n→∞ 3 n+1 3 n→∞ n+1 3
The series converges when this limit is less than 1:

x−2
<1 ⇒ |x − 2| < 3
3
So the radius of convergence is 3, giving the open interval:

−1 < x < 5

Now we check the endpoints.

At x = −1:
∞ ∞ ∞
X (−1 − 2)n X (−3)n X (−1)n
n
= n
= ⇒ Converges (Alternating Harmonic Series)
n=1
n·3 n=1
n·3 n=1
n

5
 At x = 5:
∞ ∞ ∞
X (5 − 2)n X 3n X 1
n
= n
= ⇒ Diverges (Harmonic Series)
n=1
n·3 n=1
n·3 n=1
n

Answer:
[−1, 5)
Problem 8: Solve this integral using u-substitution and the given informa-
tion: u = cos(x)
Z
(cos(x))2 · (− sin(x)) dx

Solution:
Let:
du
u = cos(x) ⇒ = − sin(x) ⇒ du = − sin(x) dx
dx
Now substitute into the integral:
Z Z
(cos(x))2 · (− sin(x)) dx = u2 du

Now integrate:
u3
Z
u2 du = +C
3
Substitute back u = cos(x):

cos3 (x)
Z
(cos(x))2 · (− sin(x)) dx = +C
3

∞
P
Problem 9: If lim an ̸= 0 or does not exist (DNE), then an is diver-
n→∞ n=1
gent. Use the divergence test to determine whether
∞
X 2+n
n=1
2n
converges, diverges, or if more information is needed.

Solution:
Let:
2+n n+2 n 2 1 1
an = = = + = +
2n 2n 2n 2n 2 n

6
 Now compute the limit:
 
1 1 1 1
lim an = lim + = +0=
n→∞ n→∞ 2 n 2 2
Since this limit is not equal to 0, the divergence test tells us the series
diverges.

Answer:
The series diverges by the divergence test.
Problem 10: Given a radius of 2 and height of 8, set up the integral for
the volume of a cylinder by rotating a function about the x-axis, starting at the
y-axis. Provide bounds and a function.
Z b
V =π (f (x))2 dx
a

Solution:
We consider the function f (x) = 2, which when rotated about the x-axis
from x = 0 to x = 8, forms a cylinder of radius 2 and height 8.

• Function: f (x) = 2
• Bounds: a = 0, b=8

Now plug into the volume formula:

Z 8 Z 8
V =π (2)2 dx = π 4 dx
0 0

Problem 11(a): Consider y = −x2 + 5 and y = 1 from x = −2 to x = 2.

Find the area between the two curves by finding the area under each individual
curve separately and then subtracting them.

Solution:
We compute the area under each curve over the interval [−2, 2] and subtract:
Z 2 Z 2
Area = (−x2 + 5) dx − 1 dx
−2 −2

Integrate −x2 + 5:

Z 2  3 2    
x 8 8 22 38 60
(−x2 +5) dx = − + 5x = − + 10 − − 10 = + = = 20
−2 3 −2 3 3 3 3 3

7
 Integrate the constant function y = 1:
Z 2
1 dx = [x]2−2 = 2 − (−2) = 4
−2

Subtract to find the area between the curves:

Area = 20 − 4 = 16
Problem 11(b): Now solve for the area between the curves with a single
integral.

Solution:
We are given the two curves:

y = −x2 + 5 and y=1

over the interval x ∈ [−2, 2].

To find the area between them using a single integral, we subtract the lower
function from the upper function and integrate:
Z 2 Z 2
(−x2 + 5) − 1 dx = (−x2 + 4) dx
 
Area =
−2 −2

Now evaluate the integral:

Z 2  3 2    
2 x 8 8 16 32 48
(−x +4) dx = − + 4x = − +8 − −8 = + = = 16
−2 3 −2 3 3 3 3 3

So, the area between the curves is 16.

Problem 12: Use the Comparison Test to determine if this series converges
or diverges:
∞
X 1
n 5+2
n=1

Solution:
We compare the given series with a simpler p-series. Consider:
1 1
an = , bn =
n5 +2 n5
For all n ≥ 1, we have:
0 < an < bn
1
P P
The series bn = n5 is a p-series with p = 5 > 1, so it converges.

8
 P
Since an < bn and bn converges, by the Direct Comparison Test, the
series
∞
X 1
n 5+2
n=1
also converges.
Problem 13: Convert the summation
X8
3n2
n=2

into an equivalent summation that starts at n = 0.

Solution:
We perform a change of index to shift the starting value to n = 0. Let:
k =n−2 ⇒ n=k+2
Change the bounds:
When n = 2, k=0 ; When n = 8, k=6
Substitute into the sum:
8
X 6
X
3n2 = 3(k + 2)2
n=2 k=0

Renaming the dummy index back to n, we get:

6
X
3(n + 2)2
n=0

Problem 14: From x = 1 to x = 7, find the arc length of the curve defined
by the function f (x) = 8x + 9. Round to two decimal places.

Solution:
The formula for the arc length of a function f (x) from x = a to x = b is:
Z b q
2
L= 1 + (f ′ (x)) dx
a
Compute the derivative of f (x):
f (x) = 8x + 9 ⇒ f ′ (x) = 8
Plug into the arc length formula:
Z 7p Z 7√ √ √
L= 2
1 + 8 dx = 65 dx = 65 · (7 − 1) = 6 65
1 1
Evaluate the integral:
√ √
L = 65 · (7 − 1) = 6 65 ≈ 6 × 8.0623 = 48.3738
Answer: L ≈ 48.37