009B Sample Midterm 1, Problem 1 Detailed Solution

Let  $f(x)=1-x^{2}$.

(a) Compute the left-hand Riemann sum approximation of  $\int _{0}^{3}f(x)~dx$  with  $n=3$  boxes.

(b) Compute the right-hand Riemann sum approximation of  $\int _{0}^{3}f(x)~dx$  with  $n=3$  boxes.

(c) Express  $\int _{0}^{3}f(x)~dx$  as a limit of right-hand Riemann sums (as in the definition of the definite integral). Do not evaluate the limit.

Foundations:
1. The height of each rectangle in the left-hand Riemann sum is given by choosing the left endpoint of the interval.
2. The height of each rectangle in the right-hand Riemann sum is given by choosing the right endpoint of the interval.
3. See the Riemann sums (insert link) for more information.

Solution:

(a)

Step 1:
Since our interval is  $[0,3]$  and we are using 3 rectangles, each rectangle has width 1.
So, the left-hand Riemann sum is
$1(f(0)+f(1)+f(2)).$

Step 2:
Thus, the left-hand Riemann sum is
${\begin{array}{rcl}\displaystyle {1(f(0)+f(1)+f(2))}&=&\displaystyle {1+0+-3}\\&&\\&=&\displaystyle {-2.}\end{array}}$

(b)

Step 1:
Since our interval is  $[0,3]$  and we are using 3 rectangles, each rectangle has width 1.
So, the right-hand Riemann sum is
$1(f(1)+f(2)+f(3)).$

Step 2:
Thus, the right-hand Riemann sum is
${\begin{array}{rcl}\displaystyle {1(f(1)+f(2)+f(3))}&=&\displaystyle {0+-3+-8}\\&&\\&=&\displaystyle {-11.}\end{array}}$

(c)

Step 1:
Let  $n$  be the number of rectangles used in the right-hand Riemann sum for  $f(x)=1-x^{2}.$
The width of each rectangle is
$\Delta x={\frac {3-0}{n}}={\frac {3}{n}}.$

Step 2:
So, the right-hand Riemann sum is
$\Delta x{\bigg (}f{\bigg (}1\cdot {\frac {3}{n}}{\bigg )}+f{\bigg (}2\cdot {\frac {3}{n}}{\bigg )}+f{\bigg (}3\cdot {\frac {3}{n}}{\bigg )}+\ldots +f(3){\bigg )}.$
Finally, we let  $n$  go to infinity to get a limit.
Thus,  $\int _{0}^{3}f(x)~dx$  is equal to  $\lim _{n\to \infty }{\frac {3}{n}}\sum _{i=1}^{n}f{\bigg (}i{\frac {3}{n}}{\bigg )}.$

Final Answer:
(a)     $-2$
(b)     $-11$
(c)     $\lim _{n\to \infty }{\frac {3}{n}}\sum _{i=1}^{n}f{\bigg (}i{\frac {3}{n}}{\bigg )}$

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