# Thread: cannot simplify this antiderative

1. ## cannot simplify this antiderative

f(x) = 17/2 * (squareroot of x)^15 when C=0

I used the rule given by my teacher X^n = 1/(n+1^x) * x^n+1 +C

and end up with:

1/(15/2 + 1^17/2) * x^(15/2 + 1)

I tried simplifying this to: (x^17/2) / (17/2)

2. Originally Posted by solidstatemath
f(x) = 17/2 * (squareroot of x)^15 when C=0

I used the rule given by my teacher X^n = 1/(n+1^x) * x^n+1 +C

and end up with:

1/(15/2 + 1^17/2) * x^(15/2 + 1)

I tried simplifying this to: (x^17/2) / (17/2)
is this the function you are attempting to integrate ...

$\displaystyle f(x) = \frac{17}{2} (\sqrt{x})^{15}$

???

3. Yes.

How did you write it like that?

4. $\displaystyle \int \frac{17}{2} (\sqrt{x})^{15} \, dx = \int \frac{17}{2} x^{\frac{15}{2}} \, dx = x^{\frac{17}{2}} + C$

the math text is created by Latex ... there is an entire forum on this site dedicated to it.

5. Originally Posted by solidstatemath
Yes.

How did you write it like that?
Click on the appropriate link in my signature.

6. Originally Posted by solidstatemath
f(x) = 17/2 * (squareroot of x)^15 when C=0

I used the rule given by my teacher X^n = 1/(n+1^x) * x^n+1 +C
You have misquoted your teacher in two ways:
1) that is NOT equal to x^n so you should not write "x^n= ".
2) there is no "^x" in the first denominator.

The anti-derivative of x^n is [1/(n+1)]x^(n+1)+ C.
In Latex, that is
$\frac{x^{n+1}}{n+1}+ C$
Click on that formula to see the code for it.

and end up with:

1/(15/2 + 1^17/2) * x^(15/2 + 1)

I tried simplifying this to: (x^17/2) / (17/2)
Of course, you can check if an anti-derivative is correct by differentiating it.