1 V=𝜋∫𝑎𝑏(𝑓𝑥)2 dx

What does this mean? How is this equation derived?

Suppose a random function, y = f(x) is graphed on a Cartesian Plane:

Thin rectangles can be drawn underneath the curve from the x-axis to touching the
curve.
These thin rectangles have an equal width of ∆𝑥

(difference between 𝑥

-values) and length 𝑓(𝑥)

. This length can be calculated (above, right) by substituting the first 𝑥

-coordinate of every rectangle width into 𝑦=𝑓(𝑥)

as the rectangle touches the curve at this 𝑥

-coordinate.

However, by observation, these rectangles do not wholly account for the area under the
curve as there are some gaps between the curve and rectangles, suggesting an
underestimation and the rectangles are overshooting the curve, suggesting an
overestimation of the area.

How can this area accurately be measured given these under/overestimations?

Rectangles of smaller widths can be created to minimise these over- and

underestimations. This means that their widths ( ∆𝑥

) would be as small as possible, i.e. as the limit of ∆𝑥

approaches 0. Due to these very small widths, the number of rectangles would have to
increase to make up the length of the area under the curve. Therefore, as the limit of ∆𝑥

approaches 0, the limit of the number of rectangles approaches ∞

. This aids in obtaining a more accurate value for the area and later on, volume and
surface area, as the gaps between the curve and rectangles are minimised.

Therefore, in calculating the area under the curve, this technique of adding up an infinite
number of rectangles using its area formula (length x width), is called the Riemann
Sums.

This is seen in the following formula:

2 Area=∑𝑖=0𝑛–1𝑓(𝑥𝑖)×∆𝑥
Where:

The width is ∆𝑥

, the height is 𝑓(𝑥)

.𝑥

-coordinate with the lowest value in 𝑓(𝑥)

place, taken from limits 𝑎

to 𝑏

.
This phenomenon can be used in the function y = f(x) to find its volume when rotated
around the x-axis in the sketch on the left:

The volume of this three-dimensional object can be calculated by adding the volumes of
an infinite number of small cylinders, which is similar to the rectangles in the Riemann
Sums but extended in a three-dimensional sense.

Using the volume of a cylinder formula: V = 𝜋𝑟2ℎ

and volume enclosed by lower and upper limits ‘a’ and ‘b’, the following volume formula
is derived:
∑𝑖=0𝑛–1𝑓𝑥𝑖2×𝜋×∆𝑥

Where:

= 𝑓𝑥

as 𝑥

is the first 𝑥

-coordinate.