Riemann Sums are used to approximate

the area between a curve and the x-axis over an

interval. Riemann sums divide the areas into
rectangles. By adding the areas of the
rectangles, one gets an approximation for the
area under the curve on the given interval.
Usually Riemann sums will use equally
sized partitions of the interval to make
calculations easier. By having bases of
equal length, the base can be factored out
when calculating the sum.
Heres an example of how a Riemann Sum works:
1
Consider the function y on the interval [1,3].
x
Let' s approximate the area under the curve using
4 partitions (n 4, where n # of partitions).

y=1/x
 y=1/x
(1,1)

(1,0) x1 x2 x3 x 4

First, we find the length of our partitions, x i , where i is

the ith partition. Since we want uniform partitions, we will
ba
use x i , where a and b are the endpoints of the interval.
n
 y=1/x
(1,1)

(1,0) x1 x2 x3 x4

3 -1 1
For our interval, [1,3] , the x i will be .
4 2
 (1,1)
y=1/x

(1,0) x1 x2 x3 x 4

Next, we calculate the value of the function at the right endpoints

of our partitions. These values will be the heights of our rectangles.
3 5
The right endpoints are at ,2, ,3.
2 2

3 2 1 5 2 1
f( ) f(2) f( ) f(3)
2 3 2 2 5 3
 (1,1)
y=1/x

(1,0) x1 x2 x3 x 4

1 2 1 2 1 19
The area will be R right ( )
2 3 2 5 3 20

Notice, since the intervals' heights were calculated using right

1
endpoints, the endpoints are at 1 i, for i 1 to 4. We could
2
4
1 1
find the area, then the following way : R right f 1 i
i 1 2 2
In general, to approximate the area under a curve over
an interval [a, b] with n partitions, we can use right endpoints
n
of our intervals and the area will be R f

a
b a b a
i
i 1 n n

Base of
Height of
each rectangle
each rectangle
using the right
endpoint.
Example : If we want the area under the curve for
y x 2 over [0,2] by dividing the region into 4 rectangles,
2
1 4
1 1 4
1 2
x so we want : i i
2 i 1 2 2 i 1 8

On the TI - 89 or TI - 89 Titanium, click F3 then ( sum

15
Enter i / 2 ^ 2 (1 / 2), i,1,4 . Answer : .
4
Now, let' s look at y x on [0,2] , bounded
2

by the x - axis, but using 100 partitions. What is x?

1
x ____.
50 Write the summation without
simplifying it.
2
100
1 1
i
i 1 50 50

 Next, let' s look at y x 3 - x 2 over the interval [3,5] with 6 intervals.

x
5 - 3 1 , so the area will be equal to (sum of heights) base.
6 3
1 2 4 5
The right endpoints are at 3 , 3 , 3 1 , 3 , 3 , 3 2 .
3 3 3 3
6 1
3
1
2

Therefore, the sum of the heights 3 i 3 i .

i 1 3 3

1
Since the base of each rectangle is x , we have
3
6 1
3
1 1
2

Area (sum of heights) base 3 i 3 i .

i 1 3 3 3

1
On the calculator, you should enter 3 1/3 * i ^3 3 1 / 3 * i ^ 2 , i,1,6)
3
3170
ANSWER : 117 .407
27
 6 1
3
1 1
2

3 i 3 i
3 3 3
i 1

Next, compute the Riemann sums for 50 and 100 intervals,

using the same interval, [3,5].

50
1
3
1
2
1 65612
For 50 intervals : 3 i 3 i 104.9792

i 1
25
25 25 625

100
1
3
1
2
1 260387
For 100 intervals : 3 i 3 i 104.1548

i 1
50
50 50 2500

For the function y x 3 x 2 , let the number of intervals be n instead
of a number, and let the interval be [a, b]. We get
n
Area a
b a
3

i a
b a
i
2
ba
.


i 1 n n n

Use expand on the calculator to expand the above summation.
Write your answer down.
4 4 4 3 3 3
Did you get : a a a ab ab a
2 2
2n 4n 4 2n 2n 2n
a 3 a 3 a 2b a 2b ab 3 ab 3
2
2 2
6n 3 2n 2n 2n 2n
ab 2 ab 2 b 4 b 4 b 4 b 3 b 3 b 3
2 2 2
2n 2n 2n 4n 4 2n 6n 3
a 4 a 4 a 4 a 3b a 3b a 3
2 2
2n 4n 4 2n 2n 2n
a 3 a 3 a 2b a 2b ab 3 ab 3
2
2 2
6n 3 2n 2n 2n 2n
ab 2 ab 2 b 4 b 4 b 4 b 3 b 3 b 3
2 2 2
2n 2n 2n 4n 4 2n 6n 3
Remember, we want the number of intervals to approach infinity,
so take lim for this expression.
n

MOST OF THE TERMS GO TO ZERO!!!

What do you get?

a 4 a 3 b 4 b3
Did you get : ? What does this mean?
4 3 4 3

YOU NOW HAVE A FORMULA FOR THE AREA UNDER THE CURVE
ON ANY INTERVAL [a, b] FOR THE FUNCTION y = x3 x2.
You now know how to use Riemann Sums!

The next step is to add a bit of Calculus to the mix.

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Georg Friedrich Bernhard Riemann

Born: September 17, 1826
Died: July 20, 1866