Math  /  Calculus

Question```latex Suppose f(x)=x29 f(x) = \frac{x^{2}}{9} .
(a) The rectangles in the graph on the left illustrate a left endpoint Riemann sum for f(x) f(x) on the interval 2x4 2 \leq x \leq 4 . The value of this left endpoint Riemann sum is \square and it is an _________\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.
(b) The rectangles in the graph on the right illustrate a right endpoint Riemann sum for f(x) f(x) on the interval 2x4 2 \leq x \leq 4 . The value of this right endpoint Riemann sum is \square and it is an _________\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \square the area of the region enclosed by y=f(x) y = f(x) , the x x -axis, and the vertical lines x=2 x = 2 and x=4 x = 4 .

Studdy Solution

STEP 1

What is this asking? We're looking at two different ways to estimate the area under a curve using rectangles, one using left endpoints and the other using right endpoints, and we need to figure out which estimate is bigger! Watch out! Don't mix up left and right endpoints!
Also, remember that these are just *estimates* of the area, not the exact area.

STEP 2

1. Calculate the Left Riemann Sum
2. Calculate the Right Riemann Sum
3. Compare the Sums

STEP 3

Alright, let's **break down** this left Riemann sum!
We're looking at the interval from x=2x = 2 to x=4x = 4, and it's split into **four** equal subintervals.
This means each rectangle has a width of 424=24=12=0.5\frac{4 - 2}{4} = \frac{2}{4} = \frac{1}{2} = \mathbf{0.5}.

STEP 4

For the *left* Riemann sum, the height of each rectangle is determined by the function's value at the *left* endpoint of each subinterval.
The left endpoints are x=2x = 2, x=2.5x = 2.5, x=3x = 3, and x=3.5x = 3.5.

STEP 5

Let's **calculate** those heights using our function f(x)=x29f(x) = \frac{x^2}{9}: f(2)=229=49f(2) = \frac{2^2}{9} = \frac{4}{9} f(2.5)=(2.5)29=6.259f(2.5) = \frac{(2.5)^2}{9} = \frac{6.25}{9}f(3)=329=99=1f(3) = \frac{3^2}{9} = \frac{9}{9} = 1f(3.5)=(3.5)29=12.259f(3.5) = \frac{(3.5)^2}{9} = \frac{12.25}{9}

STEP 6

Now, let's **find the area** of each rectangle by multiplying its width (0.5\mathbf{0.5}) by its height.
Then, we'll **add them all up** to get the left Riemann sum: L=0.5(49+6.259+99+12.259)=0.531.59=0.53.5=1.75L = 0.5 \cdot \left( \frac{4}{9} + \frac{6.25}{9} + \frac{9}{9} + \frac{12.25}{9} \right) = 0.5 \cdot \frac{31.5}{9} = 0.5 \cdot 3.5 = \mathbf{1.75}

STEP 7

Time for the *right* Riemann sum!
We still have the same interval and the same **four** subintervals, so the width of each rectangle is still 0.5\mathbf{0.5}.

STEP 8

This time, the height of each rectangle is the function's value at the *right* endpoint of each subinterval.
The right endpoints are x=2.5x = 2.5, x=3x = 3, x=3.5x = 3.5, and x=4x = 4.

STEP 9

We already calculated f(2.5)f(2.5), f(3)f(3), and f(3.5)f(3.5) in the previous steps.
We just need f(4)f(4): f(4)=429=169f(4) = \frac{4^2}{9} = \frac{16}{9}

STEP 10

Let's **calculate** the right Riemann sum: R=0.5(6.259+99+12.259+169)=0.543.59=0.54.8333...=2.41666...R = 0.5 \cdot \left( \frac{6.25}{9} + \frac{9}{9} + \frac{12.25}{9} + \frac{16}{9} \right) = 0.5 \cdot \frac{43.5}{9} = 0.5 \cdot 4.8333... = \mathbf{2.41666...}

STEP 11

Our **left Riemann sum** is 1.75\mathbf{1.75}, and our **right Riemann sum** is 2.41666...\mathbf{2.41666...}.
Since the function f(x)=x29f(x) = \frac{x^2}{9} is increasing on the interval [2,4][2, 4], the right Riemann sum will *always* be an **overestimate** of the actual area, and the left Riemann sum will *always* be an **underestimate**.

STEP 12

(a) The left endpoint Riemann sum is 1.75\mathbf{1.75} and it is an **underestimate**. (b) The right endpoint Riemann sum is 2.41666...\mathbf{2.41666...} and it is an **overestimate** of the area.

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