Mean Value Theorem for Integrals/Generalization
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Theorem
Let $f$ and $g$ be continuous real functions on the closed interval $\closedint a b$ such that:
- $\forall x \in \closedint a b: \map g x \ge 0$
Then there exists a real number $k \in \closedint a b$ such that:
- $\ds \int_a^b \map f x \map g x \rd x = \map f k \int_a^b \map g x \rd x$
Proof
Let:
- $\ds \int_a^b \map g x \rd x = 0$
We are given that:
- $\forall x \in \closedint a b: \map g x \ge 0$
Hence by Continuous Non-Negative Real Function with Zero Integral is Zero Function:
- $\forall x \in \closedint a b: \map g x = 0$
Hence:
- $\ds \int_a^b \map f x \cdot 0 \rd x = \map f k \cdot 0$
and so the result holds for any choice of $k$.
$\Box$
Let:
- $\ds \int_a^b \map g x \rd x \ne 0$
From Continuous Real Function is Darboux Integrable, $f$ is Darboux integrable on $\closedint a b$.
By the Extreme Value Theorem, there exist $m, M \in \closedint a b$ such that:
- $\ds \map f m = \min_{x \mathop \in \closedint a b} \map f x$
- $\ds \map f M = \max_{x \mathop \in \closedint a b} \map f x$
Then the following inequality holds for all $x$ in $\closedint a b$:
- $\map f m \le \map f x \le \map f M$
Multiplying by $\map g x$, and using that:
- $\forall x \in \closedint a b: \map g x \ge 0$
we get:
- $\map f m \map g x \le \map f x \map g x \le \map f M \map g x$
Integrating from $a$ to $b$ gives:
- $\ds \int_a^b \map f m \map g x \rd x \le \int_a^b \map f x \map g x \rd x \le \int_a^b \map f M \map g x \rd x$
By Linear Combination of Definite Integrals:
- $\ds \map f m \int_a^b \map g x \rd x \le \int_a^b \map f x \map g x \rd x \le \map f M \int_a^b \map g x \rd x$
Dividing by $\ds \int_a^b \map g x \rd x$ gives:
- $\ds \map f m \le \dfrac {\int_a^b \map f x \map g x \rd x} {\int_a^b \map g x \rd x} \le \map f M $
By the Intermediate Value Theorem, there exists some $k \in \openint a b$ such that:
\(\ds \dfrac {\int_a^b \map f x \map g x \rd x} {\int_a^b \map g x \rd x}\) | \(=\) | \(\ds \map f k\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \leadsto \ \ \) | \(\ds \int_a^b \map f x \map g x \rd x\) | \(=\) | \(\ds \map f k \int_a^b \map g x \rd x\) |
$\blacksquare$
Sources
- 1968: Murray R. Spiegel: Mathematical Handbook of Formulas and Tables ... (previous) ... (next): $\S 15$: General Formulas involving Definite Integrals: $15.13$