Mathematics (T) coursework STPM Term 2

Title : The approximation the value of the definite integrals

Introduction
The region under a curve between two set limits is referred to as a definite integral
b

in mathematics. The definite integral is denoted by the ∫ f ( x ) dx . Hence, for a function f(x),
a

defined with reference to the x-axis, a represents the lower limit and b represents the upper
limit. We divide the area into rectangles and add them together to determine the area
under a curve between two limits. The area is more precisely calculated when there are
more rectangles. To sum all the areas, we divide the area into an endless number of
rectangles of the same (very small) size. Definite integrals are based on the underlying
theory mentioned above.

The exact value of a definite integral cannot always be determined. For these
situations, a rough estimate of the definite integrals is required. We can estimate the
definite integral of any function numerically by using the methods for approximating
integrals. The Trapezoidal Rule (also known as the Trapezium Rule), Simpson's Rule, and
Maclaurin series expansion are the three most often used methods of numerical integration.

A rule in calculus called the trapezoidal rule divides the overall area into smaller
trapezoids rather than utilising rectangles to calculate the area under curves. This
integration determines the area by approximating the region beneath a function's graph as
a trapezoid. The left and right sums are averaged out according to this rule. When the
underlying function is smooth, the trapezoidal rule does not provide an exact number
similar to Simpson's Rule. This is due to the fact that Simpson's Rule employs quadratic
approximation rather than linear approximation. Both Simpson's Rule and the Trapezoidal
Rule produce an approximate number for the integrals, but Simpson's Rule produces an
even more precise approximation value.

A numerical technique known as Simpson's Rule uses quadratic functions to estimate

the value of a definite integral. It is exact for linear and quadratic functions and typically (but
not always) more accurate than approximations made using the trapezium rule. When
applying Simpson's rule, the interval is often divided into N equal-sized subintervals, where
N is an even number, and the integral over each pair of adjacent subintervals is
approximated using the aforementioned approximation. Simpson's Rule is based on the idea
that we can find a quadratic equation through any set of three points. According to
Simpson's Rule, the error in estimating the integral of a four-times-differentiable function is
proportional to the fourth derivative of the function at a particular point in the interval.

A power series called a Maclaurin series enables one to approximate a function f (x)
if one is aware of the values of the function's successive derivatives at zero and the input
values are near to zero. It is equivalent to the function it represents in many practical
contexts. The sine function is one application of the Maclaurin series. Because of how the
sine function is defined, it is difficult to compute the function's output values for different
input values. However, for x=0, it is simple to determine the values of sin(x) and all of its
derivatives. With the aid of the Maclaurin series, it is possible to construct accurate
estimates of sin(x) for inputs that are close to but not exactly zero. A polynomial that
corresponds to the values of sin(x) and a certain number of its subsequent derivatives at x=0
is produced using the Maclaurin series. The generated polynomial roughly resembles the
sine curve. A Maclaurin series can be used to calculate an otherwise impractical sum, locate
the antiderivative of a complex function, or approximate a function. Polynomial
approximations for the function are provided by partial sums of a Maclaurin series. By
setting x 0=0 , one can create a Maclaurin series, a specific case of a Taylor series.