After an injection, the concentration of a medication in the blood is modeled by
\(f(t)=10te^{-0.2t}\),
where \(t\geq0\) is measured in hours and \(f(t)\) is measured in \(\text{mg/L}\).
Find the average concentration during the first \(20\) hours. Give an exact expression and a value rounded to two decimal places. Then compare this average with the maximum concentration \(50/e\,\text{mg/L}\).
Hints
- Start with the average-value formula on the interval from \(0\) to \(20\).
- The integrand is a product of \(t\) and an exponential function; choose an antiderivative method that handles that product.
- Keep the endpoint evaluation exact until the final rounding step.
- Compare quantities with the same units only after you have found the average concentration.
Solution
1. The average value on \([0,20]\) is \(f_{\text{avg}}=\frac{1}{20}\int_0^{20}10te^{-0.2t}\,\text{d}t\).
2. Integration by parts gives an antiderivative \(F(t)=-50(t+5)e^{-0.2t}\).
3. Therefore, \(\int_0^{20}f(t)\,\text{d}t=F(20)-F(0)=250-1250e^{-4}\).
4. Thus \(f_{\text{avg}}=\frac{25}{2}-\frac{125}{2}e^{-4}\approx11.36\,\text{mg/L}\).
5. Since \(50/e\approx18.39\,\text{mg/L}\), the average concentration over the first \(20\) hours is less than the maximum concentration.
Answer
\(f_{\text{avg}}=\frac{25}{2}-\frac{125}{2}e^{-4}\approx11.36\,\text{mg/L}\), which is less than the maximum concentration \(50/e\approx18.39\,\text{mg/L}\).