Integration by Riemann sums Consider the integral ∫₁⁴ (3𝓍― 2) d𝓍.


(a) Evaluate the right Riemann sum for the integral with n = 3 .

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the problem. The integral ∫₁⁴ (3𝓍 - 2) d𝓍 represents the area under the curve of the function f(𝓍) = 3𝓍 - 2 from 𝓍 = 1 to 𝓍 = 4. To approximate this integral using the right Riemann sum, we divide the interval [1, 4] into n = 3 subintervals.
2. Step 2: Determine the width of each subinterval. The width of each subinterval, Δ𝓍, is calculated as Δ𝓍 = (b - a) / n, where a = 1, b = 4, and n = 3. Substitute these values into the formula to find Δ𝓍.
3. Step 3: Identify the right endpoints of each subinterval. The right endpoints are the values of 𝓍 at the end of each subinterval. For n = 3, the subintervals are [1, 2], [2, 3], and [3, 4]. The right endpoints are 𝓍₁ = 2, 𝓍₂ = 3, and 𝓍₃ = 4.
4. Step 4: Evaluate the function f(𝓍) = 3𝓍 - 2 at each right endpoint. Substitute 𝓍₁, 𝓍₂, and 𝓍₃ into the function to calculate f(𝓍₁), f(𝓍₂), and f(𝓍₃).
5. Step 5: Compute the right Riemann sum. Multiply each function value f(𝓍ᵢ) by the width Δ𝓍, and then sum these products: R₃ = Δ𝓍 × [f(𝓍₁) + f(𝓍₂) + f(𝓍₃)]. This gives the approximation of the integral using the right Riemann sum.

Key Concepts

Riemann Sums

Riemann sums are a method for approximating the value of a definite integral by dividing the area under a curve into small rectangles. The sum of the areas of these rectangles provides an estimate of the integral's value. Depending on the chosen points (left, right, or midpoint) for the height of the rectangles, different types of Riemann sums can be calculated, which converge to the exact value of the integral as the number of rectangles increases.

Definite Integral

A definite integral represents the signed area under a curve defined by a function over a specific interval [a, b]. It is denoted as ∫ₐᵇ f(x) dx and provides a numerical value that corresponds to the accumulation of quantities, such as area, over that interval. The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus connects differentiation and integration, stating that the definite integral can be evaluated using antiderivatives.

Partitioning the Interval

Partitioning the interval involves dividing the range of integration into smaller subintervals, which is essential for calculating Riemann sums. For n subintervals, the width of each subinterval is Δx = (b - a)/n. In this case, with n = 3 for the integral from 1 to 4, the interval is divided into three equal parts, allowing for the evaluation of the function at specific points to approximate the area under the curve.