I know how to integrate, but I still never see any real world example of it, so it is difficult to understand. Why is it useful?

(In tandem with the whiteboard) Integration is a way of working out the total of something. An example of this is if you see a graph of velocity and time, the area under the graph is the total distance travelled. This makes sense if the velocity is constant, you don't need a complex mathematical process to see what the distance is. But how about if the velocity isn't constant?

Let's look at a simple example, which uses a little bit of physics. Let's examine the total force that water exerts on a wall. This will demonstrate the way to derive an indefinite integral from first principles and then apply it - it should then be more apparent what the purpose of integration is.

Answered by Cain M. Maths tutor

2764 Views

See similar Maths A Level tutors

Related Maths A Level answers

All answers ▸

Differentiate y = x^3 + 2x^2 + 4x + 3


How would you integrate ln x


A function f is defined by f(x) = x^3 - 3x^2 + 1. i) Write down f'(x). ii) Hence find the co-ordinates of the stationary points of the curve y=f(x).


Differentiate Y = 4X/(X^2+5) and give dy/dx in its simplest form


We're here to help

contact us iconContact usWhatsapp logoMessage us on Whatsapptelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

© MyTutorWeb Ltd 2013–2025

Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy
Cookie Preferences