Proof for Mean value theorem for integrals

calculusmean-value-theorem

I have the proof in my book for the mean value theorem for integrals $$\int_a^b f(x)g(x)dx = f(c)\int_a^b g(x) dx$$

However, I don't understand the proof especially at the beginning where the proof starts with $$F(x) = \int_a^x f(t) g(t) dt – \frac{A}{B} \int_a^x g(t) dt$$

$$A = \int_a^b f(x)g(x) dx$$
$$B = \int_a^b g(x) dx$$

Where this formula come from?

Best Answer

The formula did not come from any where, it is a definition of a new function $F(x)$ that will help during the proof. To avoid confusion i will denote this function as $H(x)$.

First of all The definition of the function $H(x)$ is $$ H(x)=\intop_a^xf(t)g(t)dt-\frac{A}{B}\intop_a^xg(t)dt $$ Where $A=\intop_a^bf(t)g(t)dt$ and $B=\intop_a^bg(t)dt$.

Because $g(x)>0$ and is continuous, then $\intop_a^bg(x)dx>0$, so $H(x)$ is well defined.

Assuming that $g(x),f(x)$ are continuous functions, from the Fundamental theorem of calculus it follows that $H(x)$ is a differentiable function. Notice that $$ \begin{align} H(a)=&\intop_a^af(x)g(x)dx-\frac{A}{B}\intop_a^ag(x)dx=0\\ H(b)=&\intop_a^bf(x)g(x)dx-\frac{\intop_a^bf(x)g(x)dx}{\intop_a^bg(x)dx}\intop_a^bg(x)dx=\\ =&\intop_a^bf(x)g(x)dx-\intop_a^bf(x)g(x)dx=0 \end{align} $$ So by Rolle's theorem there exists $c\in (a,b)$ such that $H'(c)=0$. From the Fundamental theorem of calculus the derivative is $$ 0=H'(c)=f(c)g(c)-\frac{A}{B}g(c) $$ And with a little arithmetic and because $g(c)\neq0$ we will get $$ A=f(c)\cdot B\,\Rightarrow\,\intop_a^bf(x)g(x)dx=f(c)\intop_a^bg(x)dx $$

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