If the angular position of the mass is θ(t) at time t , then its position at time (t + δt)
will be different by an amount equal to the angular velocity of the mass times the
time interval δt (cf. the familiar expression x = vt for linear motion). We might
be tempted to use ˙ θ(t) for this angular velocity. However, as we know, the angular
velocity varies during the time δt. A better estimate for the angular velocity is its
average value between the times t and (t + δt), i.e. ˙ θ(t + δt/2). Thus to a good
approximation we have