Analyzing the Setup
We are tasked with solving for f(t) in the following integral equation:
∫0xf(t)dt=x2+∫x1t2f(t)dt
This equation presents a function trapped within integral boundaries. To liberate f(t), we must employ the Newton-Leibniz rule.
The Magic Wand
The Newton-Leibniz Rule
The Newton-Leibniz rule provides the bridge between accumulation and change. It is defined as:
dxd∫g(x)h(x)F(t)dt=F(h(x))h′(x)−F(g(x))g′(x)
Applying this to the left side, ∫0xf(t)dt, the derivative with respect to x simplifies elegantly to f(x).
The Surgery
Differentiating the Right Side
Now, we differentiate the right side, x2+∫x1t2f(t)dt. The derivative of x2 is 2x.
For the integral term ∫x1t2f(t)dt, the upper limit is a constant (1), so its derivative is 0. The lower limit is x, so we subtract the integrand evaluated at x:
dxd∫x1t2f(t)dt=0−(x2f(x))(1)=−x2f(x)
Combining these, our equation transforms into a simple algebraic form:
The Algebraic Cleanup
To isolate f(x), we move all terms containing the function to one side:
Factoring out f(x), we obtain:
Dividing by (1+x2), we find the explicit form of our function:
The Final Sprint
The Quotient Rule
To find f′(1/2), we apply the quotient rule, dxd(vu)=v2u′v−uv′, where u=2x and v=1+x2. Given u′=2 and v′=2x, we have:
f′(x)=(1+x2)22(1+x2)−(2x)(2x)
Simplifying the numerator:
f′(x)=(1+x2)22+2x2−4x2=(1+x2)22−2x2
The Victory Lap
Finally, we substitute x=1/2 into the derivative:
f′(1/2)=(1+1/4)22−2(1/4)=(5/4)22−1/2
This simplifies to:
f′(1/2)=25/163/2=23⋅2516=2524
The final result is 24/25.