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Multiple Choice
Suppose the graph of consists of two regions between and : from to , forms a triangle above the -axis with area ; from to , forms a rectangle below the -axis with area . What is the value of the definite integral ?
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Step 1: Recall the definition of a definite integral. The definite integral \( \int_a^b f(x) \, dx \) represents the net area between the graph of \( f(x) \) and the x-axis over the interval \([a, b]\). Areas above the x-axis contribute positively, while areas below the x-axis contribute negatively.
Step 2: Analyze the given graph of \( f(x) \). From \( x = 0 \) to \( x = 2 \), \( f(x) \) forms a triangle above the x-axis with an area of 3. This contributes \( +3 \) to the integral.
Step 3: From \( x = 2 \) to \( x = 4 \), \( f(x) \) forms a rectangle below the x-axis with an area of 4. Since this region is below the x-axis, it contributes \( -4 \) to the integral.
Step 4: Combine the contributions from both regions. The net area is \( +3 - 4 \), which simplifies to \( -1 \).
Step 5: Conclude that the value of the definite integral \( \int_0^4 f(x) \, dx \) is \( -1 \). This result reflects the net area between the graph of \( f(x) \) and the x-axis over the interval \([0, 4]\).