A Visualization in GeoGebra of Leibniz’s Argument on the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus

Abstract

In the literature, it is usually assumed that Leibniz described proof for the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus (FTC) in 1693. However, did he really prove it? If the answer is no from today’s perspective, are there works in which Leibniz introduced arguments that can be understood as formulations and justifications of the FTC? In order to answer this question, we used a historiographic methodology with expert triangulation. From the study of Leibniz’s manuscripts describing the inverse problem of tangents and its relationship with the quadrature problem, we found evidence of a geometrical argument from which the FTC can be inferred. We present this argument using technological resources and modern notation. This result can be used to teach the FTC due to the existence of dynamic and geometrical software, which makes it suitable for the classroom. Moreover, it provides another interpretation of the FTC complementary to the interpretation using Riemann sums.