07.

03
Simpson’s 1/3 Rule for Integration-More Examples
Chemical Engineering
Example 1
In an attempt to understand the mechanism of the depolarization process in a fuel cell, an
electro-kinetic model for mixed oxygen-methanol current on platinum was developed in the
laboratory at FAMU. A very simplified model of the reaction developed suggests a
functional relation in an integral form. To find the time required for 50% of the oxygen to be
consumed, the time, T  s  is given by
0.6110  6 6.73 x  4.3025  10 7 
T    dx
1.2210  6  2.316  10 11 x
 

a) Use Simpson’s 1/3 rule to find the time required for 50 % of the oxygen to be
consumed.
b) Find the true error, E t , for part (a).
c) Find the absolute relative true error, t , for part (a).

Solution
ba ab 
a) T  f (a)  4 f    f (b)
6   2  
a  1.22  10 6
b  0.61  10 6
ab
 0.91500  10 6
2
 6.73 x  4.3025  10 7 
f ( x)    
 2.316  10 11 x 
 6.731.22  10 6   4.3025  10 7 
f 1.22  10 6       3.0581 10
11

 2 .316  10 11
1.22  10 6
 

 6.73 0.61 10 6   4.3025  10 7 

f  0.61 10 6       3.2104  10
11

 2.316  10  0.61 10 
11 6


07.03.1
07.03.2 Chapter 07.03

 6.73 0.91500  10 6   4.3025  10 7 

f  0.91500  10  6       3.1089  10
11

 2 . 316  10 11
 0.91500  10 6
 
 b  a  ab 
T   f  a  4 f    f  b 
 6   2  
 0.61 10 6  1.22  10 6 
 
6
     
 f 1.22  10 6  4 f 0.915  10  6  f 0.61  10 6 
 
  0.61  10 
 
6
 
6
 
  3.0581 1011  4  3.1089  1011  3.2104  1011
 
 190160 s

b) The exact value of the above integral is,

 6.73 x  4.3025  10 7
0.6110  6 
T    dx
1.2210  6
2.316  10 11 x
 
 1.90140  10 5 s
so the true error is
Et  True Value  Approximate Value
 1.90140  10 5  190160
 24.100
c) The absolute relative true error, t , would then be
True Error
t   100
True Value
 24.020
  100
1.90140  10 5
 0.012675 %

Example 2
In an attempt to understand the mechanism of the depolarization process in a fuel cell, an
electro-kinetic model for mixed oxygen-methanol current on platinum was developed in the
laboratory at FAMU. A very simplified model of the reaction developed suggests a
functional relation in an integral form. To find the time required for 50% of the oxygen to be
consumed, the time, T  s  is given by

0.6110  6 6.73 x  4.3025  10 7 

T    dx
1.2210  6  2.316  10 11 x
 

a) Use four-Simpson’s 1/3 Rule to find the time required for 50% of the oxygen to be
consumed.
b) Find the true error, E t , for part (a).
c) Find the absolute relative true error, t , for part (a).
Simpson’s 1/3 Rule for Integration-More Examples: Chemical Engineering 07.03.3

Solution
 
ba n 1 n2

a) T f ( x 0 )  4  f ( x i )  2  f ( xi )  f ( x n )
3n  i 1 i 2

 i odd i even 
n4
a  1.22  10 6
b  0.61  10 6
ba
h
n
0.61  10 6  1.22  10 6

4
 0.15250  10 6
 6.73 x  4.3025  10 7 
f ( x)    
 2.316  10 11 x 

So
f  x0   f 1.22  10 6 
 6.731.22  10 6   4.3025  10 7 
f 1.22  10 6       3.0581 10
11

 2.316  10 1.22  10 
11 6



f  x1   f 1.22  10 6  0.15250 10 6  f 1.0675  10 6   
 6.731.0675  10 6   4.3025  10 7 
f 1.0675  10 6       3.0799  10
11

 2.316  10 1.0675  10 
11 6


f  x 2   f 1.0675  10 6  0.15250  10 6  f 0.915  10 6   
 6.73 0.915  10   4.3025  10  6 7
f  0.915  10 6       3.1089  10
11

 2.316  10  0.915  10 
11 6



f  x3   f 0.915  10 6  0.15250  10 6  f 0.76250  10 6   
 6.73 0.76250  10   4.3025  10  6 7
f  0.76250  10 6       3.1495  10
11

 2.316  10  0.76250  10 
11 6


f  x 4   f  x n   f  0.61  10 6 
 6.73 0.61 10 6   4.3025  10 7 
f  0.61 10     6
  3.2104  10
11

 2.316  10  0.61 10 
11 6


 
ba  n 1 n 2
T f  x0   4  f  xi   2  f  xi   f  x n  
3n  i 1 i 2

 i  odd i even 
07.03.4 Chapter 07.03

 
 
3

 f 1.22  10  4  f  xi 
6

0.61 10  6  1.22  10 6  
i 1
i odd
  
3 4 
 
2
 2 f  xi   f 0.61 10  6 
  i 2

 i even 


 0.61 10 6
12
  
f 1.22  10 6  4 f  x1   4 f  x3   2 f  x 2   f 0.61 10 6  

  6
  
 .0 6110  f .1 2210  4 f .1 067510 
6  6 6

6 
     6
12 4 f .0 7625010  2 f .0 91510  f .0 6110 

 .0 6110  .3 058210  4 .3 079910   

6 11 11

  
12 4 .3 149510   2 .3 108910   .3 210410  11 11 11

 190140 s

b) The exact value of the above integral is

 6.73 x  4.3025  10 7
0.6110  6 
T    dx
1.2210  2.316  10 11 x
6
 
 1.90140  10 5 s
so the true error is
Et  True Value  Approximate Value
 1.90140  10 5  190140
 1.9838
c) The absolute relative true error, t , would then be
True Error
t   100
True Value
 1.9838
  100
1.90140  10 5
Simpson’s 1/3 Rule for Integration-More Examples: Chemical Engineering 07.03.5

 0.0010434 %

Table 1 Values of Simpson’s 1/3 Rule for Example 2 with multiple segments.
n Approximate Value Et t %
2 190160 24.100 0.012675
4 190140 1.9838 0.0010434
6 190140 0.42010 2.2094  10 4
8 190140 0.13655 7.1815  10 5
10 190140 0.056663 2.9802  10 5