Take a look at Examples 1 and 3 in the text.

Example 1
Total Cost
Your cellular phone company offers you an innovative pricing scheme. When you make a call, the marginal cost
of the t-th minute of the call will be
c(t) = 20/(t + 100) $/min.
Use a numerical calculation to estimate the cost of a 60 minute phone call.
Solution
As we see in the text, the total cost is given by the definite integral,
60

20t+100 dt
0

Computing this integral numerically amounts to breaking the interval [0, 60] into a large number of short
intervals, and adding up the costs over these intervals. The smaller the interval, the more accurate the answer.
Thus, let us begin by deciding on the number of divisions we will use, and setting up all the values of t.
n
a
b
Delta t

120
0
60
0.5
t

t starts at a.
Add Delta t
at each step.

The
The
The
The

number of subdivisions
start of the time-interval (lower limit of integration)
end of the time-interval upper limit of integration)
width of each subinterval, given by (b-a)/n (look at its formula -- do not change this valu
c(t)

c(t)*Delta t

Riemann Sum
0

1. We will fill in the t-column with values starti

and continuing in steps of Delta t.
We would like to be able to change n withou
length of the columns each time, so we will
Instead of worrying about stopping when yo
let t go on for 1000 or so steps (or the large
you are interested in), and then set c(t) = 0
we don't want to sum terms c(t) if t >= b (s
2.

(Test your formulas by changing n, a, and b

Go down for
1000 or so
steps.

Now fill in the formula for c(t). However, ins

=20/(t+100)
we will use
=IF(t<$B$27,20/(t+100)
This sets c(t) = 20/(t+100) if t < b, and sets
to zero otherwise. (See the tutorial for Sect

a discussion of the "IF" function.)

After doing this, scroll down to where t beco

notice that c(t) becomes zero from that poin

3. Now compute the cost of each time interva

the cost by Delta t as shown in Column D.

4. The approximate total cost, or value of the

integral, is the value of the Riemann sum sh
sum of the entries in column D.

Now check your calculation for various valu

by referring to the calculations in the book.
have to do is change the value of n.

marginal cost

te the answer.

a -- do not change this value)

t-column with values starting at a = 0.

steps of Delta t.
be able to change n without changing the
umns each time, so we will use a trick:
ng about stopping when you reach b,
00 or so steps (or the largest value of n
d in), and then set c(t) = 0 if t >= b, since
sum terms c(t) if t >= b (see the text).

as by changing n, a, and b.)

mula for c(t). However, instead of using

=20/(t+100)

=IF(t<$B$27,20/(t+100),0)
0/(t+100) if t < b, and sets it equal
. (See the tutorial for Section 1.1 for

e "IF" function.)

scroll down to where t becomes 60, and

ecomes zero from that point on.

e cost of each time interval by multiplying

t as shown in Column D.

total cost, or value of the definite

lue of the Riemann sum shown: the
s in column D.

calculation for various values of n

e calculations in the book. All you
nge the value of n.