Abstract for Jim Reynolds' Talk
Title: Equal Areas, Apple Orchards,
and Fun with The Fundamental Theorem
Abstract: One part of the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus states conditions about the differentiability of functions defined as the integral (with respect to t) of f(t) from t = a to t = x. Because many students' first impression of this result is that it is abstract and useless, problems that utilize it in unexpected ways have always been favorites of mine.This presentation deals with two such problems.
One
problem starts with functions g(x) = kxn and h(x) = xn
with n>0 and k>1 then
seeks to
determine a function y = f(x) (passing through the
origin) such that for any Quadrant I point P on g(x)
the area bounded by g, h, and the vertical line through P is
always equal to the area bounded by f, g and the horizontal line
through
P. The other problem looks at a typical
yield function Y(t),
in tons per year, for an apple orchard and considers when
the orchard should be replanted.