Examples of Riemann Integration from definition

Def :

(I)

( ) 0

b
a

f ( x )dx = lim

f ( x )dx = lim

f ( )x
i

ba

where ( ) = max{xi : i = 1,2 ,..., n}, i [ xi 1 , xi ] , is a partition of [a, b] .

i =1

ba

f a + i
n

i =1

Algebraic formulas
n

This involves formulas such as

i=

n( n + 1 )
2

i =1

EXAMPLE 1

Evaluate

x 2 dx = lim

i2 =

n( n + 1 )( 2n + 1 )

i =1

i =1

n( n + 1 )
i3 =

x 2 dx from definition.

1
2
n

= 1, 1 + 3 , 1 + 3 , ...., 1 + 3

n
n
n

Consider the partition of [1, 4],

4

2
2
n
i 3
3 6i 9i

1
lim
=
+
+

1
3

n n2
n n n n i =1
i =1

n
6
3
= lim 1 +
n n
n
i =1

i+

i =1

9
n

i
i =1

6 n( n + 1) 9 n( n + 1)( 2n + 1)
3
+ 2
= lim n +

n
2
6
n
n
n
6 n( n + 1) 9 n( n + 1)( 2n + 1)
3
+ 2
= lim n +

n
2
6
n
n
n
1

1 9 1
= lim 3 + 91 + + 1 + 2 +
n
n 2 n
n
= 21
EXERCISE 1

Evaluate

x 3 dx

from the first principles.

(II) Trigonometry formulas

EXAMPLE 2

Evaluate

b
a

sin xdx from definition.

ba
2(b a )
n (b a )

,a +
, ...., a +
= b
Consider the partition of [a, b], = a , a +

n
n
n

b
a

sin x dx = lim

i =1

i (b a ) b a

sin a +

n
n

ba
n
ba
2 n sin

2n

= lim

i =1

i (b a )
ba
2 sin
sin a +

2n
n

ba
2n
n
ba
sin

2n

= lim

i =1

1 ba
1 b a
cos a + i +
cos a + i

2 n
2 n

ba
= lim

ba
1 b a


2n
cos a + n +
cos a +

b
a

2n
2 n
sin

2n

= cos a cos b

EXERCISE 2
(III)

Evaluate

from the first principles.

cos x dx

Lhospital Rule

More difficult problems employ the use of Lhospital rule or other properties on limit.

EXAMPLE 3

Evaluate

1
0

a x dx from definition.

= x i = , i = 0 ,1,2 ,..., n

Consider the partition of [0,1],

a x dx = lim

EXERCISE 3

( a ) = lim 1

n
n

[( a ) 1]

i =1

, applying the Geom. series formula.

a 1

by Lhospital Rule of

type, treating n as a continuous variable.

1/ n2

= ( a 1 ) lim

lim a

1
n

1
n2

ln a

a 1

ln a

= lim

1/ n
1 a

a 1

i =1

= lim( a 1 )

ln a

Show that

e x dx = e b e a

from the first principles.

(IV) Width of sub-intervals of the partition may not a constant

EXAMPLE 4

Evaluate

4
2

x 2 dx from the first principles.

2

Consider the partition of [2,4], = {2, 2r, 2r , , 2r , , 4}

where
Since

4
r =
2

1/ n

= 21 / n ,

and so

r = 2.

r = lim 21 / n = 2 0 = 1
r > 1, nlim

n
i-1

i1

i = 2r

,
xi = 2r 2r = 2r (1 r )
1
= max { xi } = xn = 4(1 r )

lim = lim 4(1 r 1 ) = 4(1 1) = 0

n

r 1

x 2 dx = lim
n

(2r ) (2r
i 1 2

3 ( i 1)

(G.P.)

Evaluate

r 1

8r

3( i 1)

b
a

( r 1)

i =1

lim 8( r 1)

i =1

EXERCISE 4
Hint :

2r i 1 ) = lim

i =1

= lim 8( r 1)
r 1

r 3n 1
r 1
3

= lim
r 1

8(2 3 1)
r + r +1
2

56
3

x k dx , where k 1 and b > a > 0, from the first principles.

2

Consider the partition of [a,b], = {a, ar, ar , , ar , , ar },

where

r=n

b
a

>1

i-1

and i = ar .
2