Specific Example The problem: Find the area of the irregular shaped region bounded by f ( x ) , the x-axis, over

the interval [a, b].

General The problem: The quantity we want to find depends on so ething that varies. !ppli"ations "o e fro geo etry (length, area, volu e), biology (population), physi"s (wor#), or anything that "an be easured. Creating a slice: Ta#e a sli"e of the proble . %e assu e that everything is "onstant over that sli"e so that we "an use for ulas fro algebra or trig. &n geo etry the sli"e ight be a re"tangle, a "ylinder, or a box. &n applied fields the sli"e ight only depend on the units involved. 'n"e the sli"e is deter ined, a for ula is developed to approxi ate the quantity of interest. (on)t forget, x has units too.

Creating a slice: $oo# at the area of the region bounded by f ( xi ) , the x-axis, over the interval [ xi , xi + x] . ! re"tangle "an be used to esti ate this irregular region. The re"tangle is "alled a sli"e. area of the re"tangle = f ( xi ) x

Setting up a Riemann Sum: (ivide the interval [a,b] into n equal subintervals. *reate n re"tangles and add up their areas. su of areas of re"tangles = f ( xi ) x
i =+ n

Setting up a Riemann Sum: (ivide the interval of interest into n equal subdivisions. The ,ie ann -u will depend on the for ula we developed for a single sli"e. &f we only want an esti ate of the quantity of interest, we "an stop at this step. ! left hand rule will start with i = . and end with i = n + .! right hand rule will start with i = + and end with i = n . Creating a definite integral: as x . . %e ta#e the li it of the ,ie ann -u as x . . The expression involving the li it is "alled the definition of the definite integral. &f we want to evaluate it, we use the Funda ental Theore and integration te"hniques. &n so e "ases, we "annot find the "losed for for F ( x) . &n that "ase we "an only find a ,ie ann -u .

&f only an esti ate of the area is needed, we "an stop at this step. Creating a definite integral: Ta#e the li it of the ,ie ann -u
x . n

li

f ( x ) x =
i =+ i

b a

f ( x )dx to evaluate the

/se the Funda ental Theore definite integral.

b a

f ( x )dx = F (a ) F (b)