Common Calculus Mistakes
Derivative of an Integral

Some problems provide the opportunity for more than one mistake.


The Goal

Find the derivative F'(x), where

goal


The Mistakes

Find the mistakes:

1.

mistake

Need a hint? Look carefully at the red part:

mistake


2.

mistake

Need a hint? Look carefully at the red part:

mistake


3.

mistake

Need a hint? Look carefully at the red part:

mistake


4.

mistake

Need a hint? Look carefully at the red part:

mistake


5.

mistake

Need a hint? Look carefully at the red part:

mistake


6.

mistake

Need a hint? Look carefully at the red part:

mistake


7.

mistake

Need a hint? Look carefully at the red part:

mistake


A Correct Solution

correction


Explanations

By what is often called the Second Fundamental Theorem of Calculus,

formula

so all that needs to be done is to write down the integrand (the function inside the integral) with the variable t replaced by x. All of the attempted solutions are pure fiction, although the only error in Mistake 4 is that it uses the incorrect variable.

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