The Stacks Project

Tag 03GT

Fundamental Theorem of Calculus

Theorem (Fundamental Theorem of Calculus). Let $f : [a,b]\to \mathbb R$ be a continuous function. Then there exists a function $F: [a,b]\to \mathbb R$ such that $F'(x)=f(x)$ for all $x\in [a, b]$, and it is unique up to an additive constant.

 

Proof. To construct such a function $F: [a, b]\to \mathbb R$, we define $$ F(x)=\int_a^x f(t)\, dt \qquad x\in [a,b] $$ as a Riemann integral. Since $f$ is continuous, this is well-defined. To find its derivative, consider $$ \frac{F(x+h)-F(x)}{h}=\frac{1}{h}\int_x^{x+h} f(t)\,dt $$ for $h\not =0$, small enough that $x+h\in [a, b]$. By the Mean Value Theorem for definite integrals..., $f$ attains its "mean value" over the interval $[x,x+h]$, i.e., $$ \frac{1}{h}\int_x^{x+h} f(t)\,dt = f(c)$$ for some $c\in[x,x+h]$. Therefore, $$ F'(x)=\lim_{h\to 0} \frac{F(x+h)-F(x)}{h} = \lim_{h\to 0} f(c) = f(x) $$ by the continuity of $f$.

 

For uniqueness, let $G: [a, b]\to\mathbb R$ be another function with $G'(x)=f(x)$, so that $F-G$ is a function such that $(F-G)'(x)=F'(x)-G'(x)=f(x)-f(x)=0$ for all $x\in [a,b]$. By a corollary to the Mean Value Theorem, $F-G$ is constant over $[a,b]$. more details...