Group Work 2/24 Solutions

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1. (a) Estimate the area under the graph of f (x) = from x = 1 to x = 2 using
x
four approximating rectangles and right endpoints. Sketch the graph and the
rectangles. Is this estimate an underestimate or an overestimate?
(b) Repeat part (a) using left endpoints.

Solution:
(a) Since the length of the interval [1, 2] is 1, and we are breaking it up into 4 equal
1
intervals, ∆x = = 0.25. Thus, the estimate using the right end points is given
4
by  
1 1 1 1
R4 = 0.25 + + + ≈ 0.63452
1.25 1.5 1.75 2
which is an underestimate

(b) The estimate using the left end points is given by

 
1 1 1
L4 = 0.25 1 + + + ≈ 0.75952
1.25 1.5 1.75
which is an overestimate.
2. The speed of a runner increased steadily during the first three seconds of a race. Her
speed at half-second intervals is given by the table below. Find lower and upper esti-
mates for the distance that she traveled during these three seconds.

Solution: Since we are measuring her speed in half-second intervals, we have

∆t = 0.5. Moreover, her speed is increasing, so get a lower estimate by
Lower Estimate = 0.5(0 + 6.2 + 10.8 + 14.9 + 18.1 + 19.4) = 34.7
Thus, a lower estimate for the distance she covered is 34.7 ft.

On the other,
Upper Estimate = 0.5(6.2 + 10.8 + 14.9 + 18.1 + 19.4 + 20.2) = 44.8
Hence, an upper estimate for the distance she covered is 44.8 ft.

3. (a) Find an expression for the area under the graph of

p
f (x) = sin(x), 1 ≤ x ≤ 3
Do NOT evaluate the limit!

(b) Determine the region whose area is given by the limit

n  
X π iπ
lim tan
n→∞
i=1
4n 4n

Again, do NOT try to evaluate the limit!

Solution:
(a) s
n  
X 2 2i
lim sin 1 +
n→∞
i=1
n n

2
 π
(b) The fact that ∆x = tells us that the interval over which we are calculating has
4n
π iπ
length . Moreover, plugging in i = n into tells us that the right endpoint of
4 4n
π
our interval is . All together, we can conclude that we are calculating the area
4  
π
under the graph of tan(x) over the interval 0, .
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4. Let A be the area under the graph of an increasing continuous function f on the in-
b−a
terval [a, b], and let Ln and Rn be the approximations to A, with ∆x = , using
n
left and right endpoints, respectively.

(a) Write A, Ln and Rn in increasing order.

(b) Show that

b−a
Rn − Ln = · (f (b) − f (a))
n
(c) Deduce that
b−a
Rn − A < · (f (b) − f (a))
n
Solution:
(a) Since f (x) is a continuous and increasing function, we have that for any subinterval
[xi−1 , xi ] of [a, b], f (xi−1 ) ≤ f (x) ≤ f (xi ) on [xi−1 , xi ]. Thus,
Ln < A < Rn
.
(b) Suppose we have broken up the interval [a, b] such that
a < x1 < x2 < ... < xn−1 < b
Then  n−1 
b−a X
Ln = · f (a) + f (xi )
n i=1
and
n−1
X 
b−a
Rn = · f (xi ) + f (b)
n i=1
Thus
 n−1 !  n−1 !
b−a X b−a X b−a
Rn −Ln = · f (xi )+f (b) − · f (a)+ f (xi ) = ·(f (b)−f (a))
n i=1
n i=1
n

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(c) Since Ln < A, we have that

b−a
Rn − A < Rn − Ln = · (f (b) − f (a))
n