8

Integrating Equations

Many problems in mathematics, science, and engineering require calculating the definite integral of a function. If the function is denoted by f(x) and the interval of integration is a to b, then the integral can be expressed mathematically as

I = ab f (x) dx

f (x)

 

 

 

I

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

x

 

a

 

 

 

b

The quantity I can be interpreted geometrically as the area of a region bounded by the graph of the function f(x), the x–axis, and the limits x = a and x = b (provided that f(x) is nonnegative throughout the interval of integration).

The operation (FN) integrates the current equation with respect to a specified variable ( d_). The function may have more than one variable.