1.

2 Definite Integrals
 1.2.1 Riemann and Trapezoidal Sum

Consider a function 𝑓(𝑥) which is defined (i.e. bounded) over the closed interval[𝑎, 𝑏].

Consider a partition P of 𝑎, 𝑏 into 𝑛 subintervals by the points

a  x0  x1  x2      xn  b

This partition corresponds to the subintervals

𝑥0 , 𝑥1 , 𝑥1 , 𝑥2 , 𝑥2 , 𝑥3 ,∙ ∙ ∙ , 𝑥𝑛−1 , 𝑥𝑛
 1.2.1 Riemann and Trapezoidal Sum
A Riemann sum is an approximation of the area under a curved by
dividing it into multiple simple shapes (like rectangles or
trapezoids). Riemann sums use rectangles to approximate the
area under a curve. Another useful integration rule is the
Trapezoidal Rule.
 Left, middle and right Riemann sums
To make a Riemann sum, we must
choose how we are going to make
our rectangles. One possible choice
is to make our rectangles touch the
curve with their to-left corners. This
is called a left Riemann sum.

Another choice is to make our

rectangles touch the curve with
their top-right corners. This is a right
Riemann sum.

In a middle Riemann sum, the

height of each rectangle is equal to
the value of the function at the
middle point of its base.
In each [𝑥𝑟−1 , 𝑥𝑟 ] choose any point 𝑐𝑟 such that 𝑥𝑟−1 ≤ 𝑐𝑟 ≤ 𝑥𝑟 .
Then the sum
𝑛

𝑆𝑛 = 𝑓 𝑐𝑟 𝑥𝑟 − 𝑥𝑟−1
𝑟=1
𝑛

= 𝑓 𝑐𝑟 ∆𝑥𝑟 , ∆𝑥𝑟 = 𝑥𝑟 − 𝑥𝑟−1

𝑟=1

is called a Riemann sum for the function 𝑓(𝑥) on [𝑎, 𝑏].

Suppose 𝑓(𝑥) ≥ 0, on[𝑎, 𝑏] . Then the Riemann sum
𝑛

𝑆𝑛 = 𝑓 𝑐𝑟 ∆𝑥𝑟
𝑟=1

is the sum of the areas of the n rectangles shown below, and thus represents an
approximation to the area under the graph on[𝑎, 𝑏]. Figure below illustrates the case
where n = 5.
Different choice of the nodal points 𝑐𝑟 give different values of the Riemann sums.

Commonly used Riemann sums are :

left Riemann sum ( 𝑐𝑟 = 𝑥𝑟−1 ),

right Riemann sum(𝑐𝑟 = 𝑥𝑟 ) and

𝑥𝑟−1 +𝑥𝑟
middle Riemann sum(𝑐𝑟 = ).
2

If we use
𝑓 𝑥𝑟−1 + 𝑓(𝑥𝑟 )
𝑓 𝑐𝑟 = ,
2

average of the heights at end points of the subinterval, it is called the Trapezoidal
Riemann sum.
Summary of Riemann Sum:
Let a function 𝑓(𝑥) is defined in the closed interval [𝑎, 𝑏].

In evaluation of Riemann sums we commonly use equal subintervals. Dividing [𝑎, 𝑏]

into 𝑛 equal sub-intervals of the length
𝑏−𝑎
∆𝑥 =
𝑛

Riemann sum of 𝑓(𝑥) over the interval [𝑎, 𝑏] is

𝑛 𝑛

𝑆𝑛 = 𝑓 𝑐𝑟 ∆𝑥 = ∆𝑥 𝑓(𝑐𝑟 )
𝑟=1 𝑟=1

For all r if The sum 𝑆𝑛 will be called

𝑐𝑟 = 𝑥𝑟−1 left Riemann sum
𝑐𝑟 = 𝑥𝑟 right Riemann sum
𝑐𝑟 = (𝑥𝑟 + 𝑥𝑟−1 )/2 middle Riemann sum

𝑓 𝑥𝑟−1 + 𝑓 𝑥𝑟 Trapezoidal Riemann sum

𝑓 𝑐𝑟 =
2
 1.2.2 Numerical Integration (The Trapezoidal Rule)
𝑏−𝑎
First we subdivide the interval [𝑎, 𝑏] into 𝑛 subintervals of width 𝛥𝑥 = .
𝑛

Then on each interval we will approximate the function by a straight line joining the
function values at either endpoint on the interval.

The following figure illustrates the case for 𝑛 = 6.

Each of these shaded objects is a trapezoid (hence the rule’s name) and as we can see
some of them do a very good approximation to the actual area under the
corresponding segment of the curve.
 The area of the trapezoid in the interval 𝑥𝑟 , 𝑥𝑟+1 is given by,
𝛥𝑥
𝐴𝑟 = 𝑓 𝑥𝑟 + 𝑓 𝑥𝑟+1 × .
2

Then sum of the area of the 𝑛 trapeziums (e.g. 6 in the above figure) will approximate the
area under the curve and is given by,

𝑏
𝑓 𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑎
𝛥𝑥 𝛥𝑥
≈ 𝑓 𝑥0 + 𝑓 𝑥1 × + 𝑓 𝑥1 + 𝑓 𝑥2 × + ⋯ + 𝑓 𝑥𝑛−1 + 𝑓 𝑥𝑛
2 2
𝛥𝑥
×
2
∆𝑥
≈ 𝑓 𝑥0 + 2𝑓 𝑥1 + 2𝑓 𝑥2 + ⋯ + 2𝑓 𝑥𝑛−1 + 𝑓 𝑥𝑛
2

Which is known as the composite Trapezoidal rule.

 Example set 1.2.1
Example 1:

Find the area under the curve 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 4 − 3𝑥 2 + 3 by using different Riemann sum over
the interval [0,1.6] using 8 subintervals.

Solution:

The following table shows the estimated area, using different Riemann sum, under the
curve 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 4 − 3𝑥 2 + 3 over the interval [0,1.6]using 8 equal subintervals .

Here, 𝑎 = 0 and 𝑏 = 1.6 and 𝑛 = 8

Then the length of each subintervals is,

𝑏 − 𝑎 1.6
Δ𝑥 = = = 0.2
𝑛 8
 left Riemann sum right Riemann sum middle Riemann sum
Riemann sum
[𝑥𝑟−1 , 𝑥𝑟 ] 𝑐𝑟 𝑓(𝑐𝑟 ) 𝑐𝑟 𝑓(𝑐𝑟 ) 𝑐𝑟 𝑓(𝑐𝑟 )
[0.0, 0.2] 0.0 3 0.2 2.8816 0.1 2.9701
[0.2, 0.4] 0.2 2.8816 0.4 2.5456 0.3 2.7381
[0.4, 0.6] 0.4 2.5456 0.6 2.0496 0.5 2.3125
[0.6, 0.8] 0.6 2.0496 0.8 1.4896 0.7 1.7701
[0.8, 1.0] 0.8 1.4896 1.0 1.0000 0.9 1.2261
[1.0, 1.2] 1.0 1.0000 1.2 0.7536 1.1 0.8341
[1.2, 1.4] 1.2 0.7536 1.4 0.9616 1.3 0.7861
[1.4, 1.6] 1.4 0.9616 1.6 1.8736 1.5 1.3125
𝑓 𝑐𝑟
14.6816 13.5552 13.9496

Δ𝑥 ∗ 𝑓 𝑐𝑟
2.9363 2.7110 2.7899

The Trapezoidal Riemann sum is,

0.2
𝑆𝑛 = 3 + 2 × 2.8816 + 2.5456 + 2.0496 + 1.4896 + 1.0000 + 0.7536 + 0.9616 + 1.8736 ×
2
= 2.8237.
 The following figures show the geometrical interpretation of the above Riemann sums,

Note that the exact value of the area is 2.80115 which is calculated using the integration
will be considered later.
Example 2:
1 2
Use the Trapezoidal rule with 𝑛 = 5 to approximate the integral 0.5
1 + 𝑒 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 to
3 decimal places.

Solution:
1−0.5 2
Here 𝑎 = 0.5, 𝑏 = 1 and 𝑛 = 5. So ∆𝑥 = = 0.1 and 𝑓 𝑥 = 1 + 𝑒𝑥 .
5

Hence,
x 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
f(x) 1.5113 1.5599 1.6224 1.7019 1.8022 1.9283

Using the Trapezoidal rule, we have

1
2 0.1
1 + 𝑒 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 ≈ [1.5113 + 2 1.5599 + 2 1.6224
0.5 2
+2(1.7019) + 2 1.8022 + 1.9283]
=0.8406 ≈ 0.841
Example 3:
𝜋
Evaluate 0 (3 + cos 𝑥) 𝑑𝑥. to three decimal places using Trapezoidal rule with four
subintervals.[Note that in calculating the values of cos x use radian mode]

Solution:
𝜋
Here 𝑎 = 0, 𝑏 = 𝜋 and 𝑛 = 4. So,∆𝑥 = 4
and 𝑓 𝑥 = 3 + cos 𝑥.

Hence,
x 0 π/4 π/2 3π/4 π
f(x) 2.0000 1.9254 1.7321 1.5142 1.4142

Using Trapezoidal rule we have

𝜋
(3 + cos 𝑥) 𝑑𝑥
0
1 𝜋
≈ . [2 + 2 ∗ 1.9254 + 1.7321 + 1.5142 + 1.4142]
2 4 𝜋
≈ × 13.7576 ≈ 5.403
8
 Exercise set 1.2.1
1. Estimate the value the following integrals to 3 decimal places using ‘n’ subintervals of
equal length using (i) left Riemann sum, (ii) right Riemann sum, (iii) middle Riemann
sum and (iv) Trapezoidal rule.

2 −3𝑥 7 1 5 1
(a) 0
𝑒 𝑑𝑥 (n = 4), (b) 1 𝑥 3 +1
𝑑𝑥 (n = 6), (c) 3 1−ln 𝑥
𝑑𝑥 (n = 4),

1 1
(d) 0
sin(𝑥) cos(𝑥 2 ) 𝑑𝑥 (n = 4), (e) 0
sin 𝑥 2 𝑑𝑥 (n = 5).

2. Calculus– James Stewart - 8th edition

P- 388 Ex # 1, 3, 7, 9
P- 524 Ex # 7, 8, 9 (n= 4, 6) LRS, RRS, MRS, TR