# Math Help - h

1. ## h

$\int_{-3}^{3}$ |x+2|...is there something special you have to do with these when they are absolute value because I'm not getting the correct answer

I integrate it to be x^2 /2 +2xthen plug the numbers in and dont get the proper answer of 13

2. Originally Posted by jst706
$\int_{-3}^{3}$ |x+2|...is there something special you have to do with these when they are absolute value because I'm not getting the correct answer

I integrate it to be x^2 /2 +2xthen plug the numbers in and dont get the proper answer of 13
$\int_{-3}^{-2}|x+2|dx + \int_{-2}^3 |x+2|dx$

$\int_{-3}^{-2}-(x+2)dx + \int_{-2}^3 (x+2) dx$

3. Hello, jst706!

$\int_{-3}^{3}|x+2|\,dx$ . Is there something special you have to do with these
. . . . when there are absolute value? . . . . yes
You might graph the function: . $y \:=\:|x+2|$

Code:
                        |           *
|         *
|       *::
*                 |     *::::
*               |   *::::::
*             | *::::::::
*           *::::::::::
::*       *:|::::::::::
::::*   *:::|::::::::::
- - - + - - * - - + - - - - + - -
-3    -2     |         3

The area is: . $\int^{-2}_{-3}(-x - 2)\,dx + \int^3_{-2}(x + 2)\,dx$