A remote-controlled electric skateboard accelerates along a straight test track. During the first \(6\,\text{s}\), its velocity is modeled by \(v(t)=-\frac{1}{16}t^3+\frac{1}{4}t^2+\frac{3}{4}t+2\), where \(t\) is measured in seconds and \(v(t)\) is measured in meters per second. The graph of the velocity function is shown.
a) Use the graph to determine the skateboard's velocity at \(t=0\), \(2\), \(4\), and \(6\) seconds.
b) Approximate the distance traveled during the first \(6\) seconds by using three trapezoids over \([0,2]\), \([2,4]\), and \([4,6]\).
c) Find the exact distance traveled by evaluating \(\int_0^6v(t)\,\text{d}t\). Compare it with the approximation from part b, and find the absolute error.

Hints
- Locate the curve where it crosses the vertical grid lines at the requested times.
- For each trapezoid, use the two velocity values as the parallel sides and the time interval as the width.
- Distance traveled is the area under the velocity-versus-time graph. Which calculus tool gives this area exactly?
- Absolute error is the absolute value of the difference between the exact and approximate values.
Solution
1. From the graph, \(v(0)=2\), \(v(2)=4\), \(v(4)=5\), and \(v(6)=2\), in meters per second.
2. With trapezoid width \(2\), the approximation is \(\frac{2}{2}(2+4)+\frac{2}{2}(4+5)+\frac{2}{2}(5+2)=6+9+7=22\,\text{m}\).
3. An antiderivative is \(V(t)=-\frac{1}{64}t^4+\frac{1}{12}t^3+\frac{3}{8}t^2+2t\).
4. The exact distance is \(V(6)-V(0)=\frac{93}{4}=23.25\,\text{m}\).
5. The absolute error is \(|23.25-22|=1.25\,\text{m}\).
Answer
a) \(v(0)=2\,\text{m/s}\), \(v(2)=4\,\text{m/s}\), \(v(4)=5\,\text{m/s}\), and \(v(6)=2\,\text{m/s}\)
b) \(22\,\text{m}\)
c) The exact distance is \(23.25\,\text{m}\), and the absolute error is \(1.25\,\text{m}\).