Riemann Sums

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The applet below computes a Riemann sum for a given function and displays the sum and the rectangles that define the sum. In choosing the rectangles, it can use: Left Endpoint Rule, Midpoint Rule, Right Endpoint Rule, Inscribed Rectangles, Circumscribed Rectangles, or the Trapezoid Rule (the Trapezoid Rule rule is not a Riemann sum, but like the other rules it can also be used to approximate the integral).

• Increase the number of intervals to get better and better approximations to the integral.
• See what happens when you try different methods.
• Compare the approximations with the actual integral.
• Try some other functions.

RiemannSums applet written by David Eck (http://math.hws.edu/javamath/index.html)