Approximating Area Under a

Curve
Created @April 21, 2022 10:04 PM

Reviewed

Class Calculus

Exam

Property

URL
b
definite integral - ∫a f(x)dx
indefinite integral - ∫ f(x)dx

Integration

📎 2nd Fundamental Theorem of Calculus

b
∫ f(x)dx = F (b) − F (a)
a

example:
3
∫1 x2 dx
1. find the antiderivative for the function
3
a. x3 ∣31

2. solve for F(b)

Approximating Area Under a Curve 1

 33
a. 3 = 27/3 = 9
3. solve for F(a)
3
a. 13 = 1/3
4. F(b) - F(a)
1
a. 9− 3
= 8 23 = 26
3

Area Under a Curve

A = Δx ∑ f(x)

breaks up area into sections with Δx as the width, and f(x) as the height, starts at
a, goes to b

b−a
Δx =
n
n = # of rectangles you break it up into

Approximating
the larger n is, the more accurate your approximation is

Right Riemann Sum will overapproximate; Left Riemann Sum will underapproximate
example:
8
∫0 x2 dx; n = 4
1. indentify f(x) and solve for Δx

a. f(x) = x2
8−0
b. Δx = 4
=2
2. break up length between a and b into chunks with a width of Δx

Approximating Area Under a Curve 2

 a. points are at 0,2,4,6,8

3. choose n number of points; the leftmost points for the left sum,AL ; rightmost
for the right sum,AR ; halfway between points for the midpoint sum, AM

a. AL : use points 0,2,4,6 (points written as x1 , x2 , x3 , x4 , etc.)

b. AR : use points 2,4,6,8 (points written as x1 , x2 , x3 , x4 , etc.)
c. AM : use points 1,3,5,7 (points written as x1 , x2 , x3 , x4 , etc.)
4. plug things in!

a. Δx ∑ f(x) → plug in Δx and f(x)

b. 2(x1 )2 + (x2 )2 + (x3 )2 + (x4 )2 → plug in points
c. AL : 2(02 + 22 + 42 + 62 ) = 2(0 + 4 + 16 + 36) = 2(56) = 112
d. AR : 2(22 + 42 + 62 + 82 ) = 2(4 + 16 + 36 + 64) = 2(120) =
240
e. AM : 2(12 + 32 + 52 + 72 ) = 2(1 + 9 + 25 + 49) = 2(84) =
168
**note - exact value = 170.67

Trapezoidal Rule
b
Δx
∫ f(x)dx = [f(x0 ) + 2f(x1 ) + ... + 2f(xn−1 ) + f(xn )]
a 2

written as Tn
example:
8
∫0 x2 dx; n = 4 (same problem as before)

1. indentify f(x) and solve for Δx

a. f(x) = x2
8−0
b. Δx = 4
=2
2. break up length between a and b into chunks with a width of Δx

Approximating Area Under a Curve 3

 a. points are at 0,2,4,6,8

3. skip previous step 3, trapezoidal rule uses all the points

4. plug things in!

Δx
a. T4 = 2 [f(x0 ) +2f(x1 ) + ... + 2f(xn−1 ) + f(xn )] →
plug in f(x), Δx, and n first

b. T4 = 22 [(x0 )2 + 2(x1 )2 + 2(x2 )2 + 2(x3 )2 + (x4 )2 ] → plug

in points

c. T4 = 02 + 2(2)2 + 2(4)2 + 2(6)2 + (8)2 = 8 + 32 + 72 +

64 = 176

📎 Trapedzoidal Rule = A L +A
2
R
=Tn

Simpson’s Rule

written as Sn

example:
8
∫0 x2 dx; n = 4 (same problem as before)

1. indentify f(x) and solve for Δx

a. f(x) = x2
8−0
b. Δx = 4
=2
2. break up length between a and b into chunks with a width of Δx

a. points are at 0,2,4,6,8

3. skip previous step 3, Simpson’s rule uses all the points

4. plug things in!

Δ

Approximating Area Under a Curve 4

 a. S4 = Δx3
[f(x0 ) + 4f(x1 ) + 2f(x2 ) + ... + 4f(xn−1 ) +
f(xn )] → plug in f(x), Δx, and n first
b. S4 = 23 [(x0 )2 + 4(x1 )2 + 2(x2 )2 + 4(x3 )2 + (x4 )2 ] → plug
in points

c. S4 = 23 [(0)2 + 4(2)2 + 2(4)2 + 4(6)2 + (8)2 ] = 23 [16 +

32 + 144 + 64] = 23 (256) = 5123

Approximating Area Under a Curve 5