The Definite Integral Part I Tuesday, February

INTEGRALS
5.2
The Definite Integral Part I
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
In this section, we will learn about:
Integrals with limits that represent
a definite quantity.
DEFINITE INTEGRAL Definition 2
If f is a function defined for a ≤ x ≤ b,

we divide the interval [a, b] into n subintervals
of equal width ∆x = (b – a)/n.
 We let x0(= a), x1, x2, …, xn(= b) be the endpoints

of these subintervals.
 We let x1*, x2*,…., xn* be any sample points in

these subintervals, so xi* lies in the i th subinterval.
DEFINITE INTEGRAL Definition 2
Then, the definite integral of f from a to b is

n
f ( x) dx  lim  f ( xi *)x
b
a n 
i 1
provided that this limit exists.
If it does exist, we say f is integrable on [a, b].

INTEGRAL SIGN Note 1
The symbol ∫ was introduced by Leibniz

and is called an integral sign.
 It is an elongated S.
 It was chosen because an integral is

a limit of sums.
b
NOTATION a
f ( x) dx
b
Note 1
In the notation
 a
f ( x) dx ,
 f(x) is called the integrand.
 a and b are called the limits of integration;

a is the lower limit and b is the upper limit.
 For
b
now, the symbol dx has no meaning by itself;
a f ( x) dx is all one symbol. The dx simply indicates
that the independent variable is x.
INTEGRATION Note 1
The procedure of
calculating an integral
is called integration.
b
DEFINITE INTEGRAL a
f ( x) dx
b
Note 2
The definite integral

 a
f ( x)dx is a number.
It does not depend on x.
In fact, we could use any letter in place of x

without changing the value of the integral:
b b b
a
f ( x)dx   f (t )dt   f (r )dr
a a
RIEMANN SUM Note 3
The sum n
 f ( x *)x
i 1
i
that occurs in Definition 2 is called

a Riemann sum.
 It is named after the German mathematician

Bernhard Riemann (1826–1866).
RIEMANN SUM Note 3
So, Definition 2 says that the definite integral

of an integrable function can be approximated
to within any desired degree of accuracy by
a Riemann sum.
RIEMANN SUM Note 3
We know that, if f happens to be positive,

the Riemann sum can be interpreted as:
 A sum of areas of approximating rectangles

RIEMANN SUM Note 3
Comparing Definition 2 with the definition

of area in Section 5.1, we see that the definite
b

integral can be interpreted as:
f ( x) dx
a
 The area under the curve y = f(x) from a to b
RIEMANN SUM Note 3
If f takes on both positive and negative values,

then the Riemann sum is:
 The sum of the areas of the rectangles that lie

above the x-axis and the negatives of the areas
of the rectangles that lie below the x-axis
 That is, the areas of

the gold rectangles
minus the areas of
the blue rectangles
RIEMANN SUM Note 3
When we take the limit of such

Riemann sums, we get the situation
illustrated here.
© Thomson Higher Education

NET AREA Note 3
A definite integral can be interpreted as

a net area, that is, a difference of areas:
b

a
f ( x) dx  A1  A2
 A1 is the area of the region
above the x-axis and below the graph of f.
 A2 is the area of
the region below
the x-axis and
above
the graph of f.
© Thomson Higher Education

INTEGRABLE FUNCTIONS
To simplify the calculation of the integral,

we often take the sample points to be right
endpoints.
 Then, xi* = xi and the definition of an integral

simplifies as follows.
INTEGRABLE FUNCTIONS Theorem 4
If f is integrable on [a, b], then

n
f ( x) dx  lim  f ( xi ) x
b
a ni 
i 1
ba
where x  and xi  a  i x
n
DEFINITE INTEGRAL Example 1
Express n
lim  ( xi  xi sin xi )xi
3
n 
i 1
as an integral on the interval [0, π].
 Comparing the given limit with the limit

in Theorem 4, we see that they will be
identical if we choose f(x) = x3 + x sin x.
DEFINITE INTEGRAL Example 1
We are given that a = 0 and b = π.
So, by Theorem 4, we have:

n 
lim  ( xi  xi sin xi ) xi   ( x  x sin x) dx
3 3
n  0
i 1
DEFINITE INTEGRAL
In general, when we write

n
lim  f ( xi *) x   f ( x) dx
b
n  a
i 1
we replace:
 lim Σ by ∫
 xi* by x
 ∆x by dx
EVALUATING INTEGRALS Example 2
a.Evaluate the Riemann sum for f(x) = x3 – 6x

taking the sample points to be right
endpoints and a = 0, b = 3, and n = 6.
3
 ( x  6 x) dx .
3
b.Evaluate
0
EVALUATING INTEGRALS Example 2 a
With n = 6,
b  a 30 1
 The interval width is: x   
n 6 2
 The right endpoints are:

x1 = 0.5, x2 = 1.0, x3 = 1.5,
x4 = 2.0, x5 = 2.5, x6 = 3.0
So, the Riemann sum is:

6
R6   f ( xi ) x
i 1
 f (0.5) x  f (1.0) x  f (1.5) x

 f (2.0) x  f (2.5) x  f (3.0) x
 12 (2.875  5  5.625  4  0.625  9)
 3.9375
Notice that f is not a positive function.
So, the Riemann sum does not

represent a sum of areas of rectangles.
However, it does represent the sum of the areas of

the gold rectangles (above the x-axis) minus the
sum of the areas of the blue rectangles (below the
x-axis).
EVALUATING INTEGRALS Example 2 b
With n subintervals, we have:

ba 3
x  
n n
Thus, x0 = 0, x1 = 3/n, x2 = 6/n, x3 = 9/n.

In general, xi = 3i/n.
EVHowever, it can be interpreted
as
However,ofitareas A1 – A2,
the difference Example 2 b
where
can be
A1 and ALUATING INTEGRALS
interpreted
as
the
A2 are as shown.
This figure illustrates the calculation by showing the

positive and negative terms
in the right Riemann sum Rn for n = 40.
The values in the table

show the Riemann sums
approaching the exact
value of
the integral, -6.75,
as n → ∞.
EVALUATING INTEGRALS
A much simpler method for

evaluating the integral in Example 2
will be given in Section 5.3
5

a.Set up an expression for 4
x dx as
2
a limit of sums.
b.Use a computer algebra system (CAS)

to evaluate the expression.
Here, we have f(x) = x4, a = 2, b = 5,

and
ba 3
x  
n n
So, x0 = 2, x1 = 2 + 3/n, x2 = 2 + 6/n,

x3 = 2 + 9/n, and
xi = 2 + 3i / n
From Theorem 4, we get:

n
x dx  lim  f ( xi ) x
5

4
2 n 
i 1
n
 3i  3
 lim  f 2 
n 
i 1  n n
4
3  3i 
n
 lim   2  
i 1  n
n  n
We will learn a much easier

method for the evaluation of integrals
in the next section.
Evaluate the following integrals by interpreting

each in terms of areas.
1
a.

0
1  x 2 dx
3
b.

0
( x  1) dx
Since f ( x)  1  x  0 ,
2
we can interpret this integral as

the area under the curve y  1  x 2
from 0 to 1.
However, since y2 = 1
- x2, we get:
x2 + y2 = 1
 This shows that

the graph of f is
the quarter-circle
with radius 1.
Therefore,
1 
 1  x dx   (1) 
2 1 2
4
0 4
 In Section 8.3, we will be able to prove that

the area of a circle of radius r is πr2.
The graph of y = x – 1
is the line with slope 1
shown here.
 We compute the integral

as the difference of the
areas of the two triangles:
3
0
( x  1)dx  A1  A2  12 (2  2)  12 (11)  1.5

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INTEGRALS

If f is a function defined for a ≤ x ≤ b,

 We let x0(= a), x1, x2, …, xn(= b) be the endpoints

 We let x1*, x2*,…., xn* be any sample points in

Then, the definite integral of f from a to b is

provided that this limit exists.

If it does exist, we say f is integrable on [a, b].

The symbol ∫ was introduced by Leibniz

 It was chosen because an integral is

 a and b are called the limits of integration;

The definite integral

In fact, we could use any letter in place of x

that occurs in Definition 2 is called

 It is named after the German mathematician

So, Definition 2 says that the definite integral

We know that, if f happens to be positive,

 A sum of areas of approximating rectangles

Comparing Definition 2 with the definition

If f takes on both positive and negative values,

 The sum of the areas of the rectangles that lie

 That is, the areas of

When we take the limit of such

© Thomson Higher Education

A definite integral can be interpreted as

© Thomson Higher Education

To simplify the calculation of the integral,

 Then, xi* = xi and the definition of an integral

If f is integrable on [a, b], then

as an integral on the interval [0, π].

 Comparing the given limit with the limit

We are given that a = 0 and b = π.

So, by Theorem 4, we have:

In general, when we write

a.Evaluate the Riemann sum for f(x) = x3 – 6x

 The right endpoints are:

So, the Riemann sum is:

 f (0.5) x  f (1.0) x  f (1.5) x

Notice that f is not a positive function.

So, the Riemann sum does not

However, it does represent the sum of the areas of

With n subintervals, we have:

Thus, x0 = 0, x1 = 3/n, x2 = 6/n, x3 = 9/n.

This figure illustrates the calculation by showing the

The values in the table

A much simpler method for

b.Use a computer algebra system (CAS)

Here, we have f(x) = x4, a = 2, b = 5,

So, x0 = 2, x1 = 2 + 3/n, x2 = 2 + 6/n,

From Theorem 4, we get:

We will learn a much easier

Evaluate the following integrals by interpreting

we can interpret this integral as

 This shows that

 In Section 8.3, we will be able to prove that

 We compute the integral

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 We let x1, x2,…., xn* be any sample points in