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TMUA 2017 · Paper 1 · Question 1 of 20

TMUA 2017 Paper 1 Question 1

Differentiation and integration — Integration · finding the constant from a point. Try it first; the answer and a full worked solution are below.

TMUA 2017 · Paper 1Differentiation and integrationIntegration · finding the constant from a point6 options
Given that dydx = 3x2 − 2 − 3xx3,    x ≠ 0 and y = 5 when x = 1, find y in terms of x.
  1. Ay = 13x3 + x−2 − 3x−1 + 623
  2. By = x3 + 12x−2 − 3x−1 + 612
  3. Cy = x3 + x−2 − 3x−1 + 6
  4. Dy = x3 + x−2 − x−1 + 4
  5. Ey = x3 + 2x−2 − x−1 + 3
  6. Fy = 3x3 + x−2 − x−1 + 2
Show the answer and worked solution
answer · C
  1. Ay = 13x3 + x−2 − 3x−1 + 623
  2. By = x3 + 12x−2 − 3x−1 + 612
  3. Cy = x3 + x−2 − 3x−1 + 6
  4. Dy = x3 + x−2 − x−1 + 4
  5. Ey = x3 + 2x−2 − x−1 + 3
  6. Fy = 3x3 + x−2 − x−1 + 2
Split the fraction into powers before integrating: 2−3xx3 = 2x−3 − 3x−2, so dydx = 3x2 − 2x−3 + 3x−2. Integrating term by term gives x3 − 2⋅x−2−2 + 3⋅x−1−1 + c = x3 + x−2 − 3x−1 + c. Putting x = 1, y = 5 gives 1 + 1 − 3 + c = 5, so c = 6. The tempting slip is to forget that dividing by x3 turns the −3x into −3x−2, which integrates to +3x−1 before the sign of the term is applied.