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Multiple Choice
Suppose is an antiderivative of . Which of the following statements about the indefinite integral is true?
A
The indefinite integral equals , where is an arbitrary constant.
B
The indefinite integral equals .
C
The indefinite integral equals only , without any constant.
D
The indefinite integral does not depend on any constant of integration.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the concept of an antiderivative. An antiderivative of a function f(x) is a function F(x) such that the derivative of F(x) equals f(x). In mathematical terms, if F'(x) = f(x), then F(x) is an antiderivative of f(x).
Step 2: Recall the definition of an indefinite integral. The indefinite integral of f(x), written as ∫f(x) dx, represents the family of all antiderivatives of f(x). This family includes an arbitrary constant of integration, C, because the derivative of a constant is zero.
Step 3: Analyze the options provided in the problem. The correct statement should reflect the fact that the indefinite integral ∫f(x) dx equals F(x) + C, where F(x) is an antiderivative of f(x) and C is an arbitrary constant.
Step 4: Eliminate incorrect options. For example, the statement 'The indefinite integral ∫f(x) dx equals f(x) + C' is incorrect because f(x) is the original function, not its antiderivative. Similarly, the statement 'The indefinite integral ∫f(x) dx equals only F(x), without any constant' is incorrect because it ignores the constant of integration.
Step 5: Conclude that the correct answer is: 'The indefinite integral ∫f(x) dx equals F(x) + C, where C is an arbitrary constant.' This aligns with the definition of indefinite integrals in calculus.