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Left Riemann sum for tan(x) on [0,1] with n=5

Consider the function f(x)=tan⁡(x)f(x) = \tan(x) on the interval [0,1][0, 1].

Partition [0,1][0, 1] into n=5n = 5 equal subintervals, and use the left-endpoint rule to approximate ∫01tan⁡(x) dx\int_0^1 \tan(x)\,dx.

Left sum=∑i=15f(xi−1)Δx\text{Left sum} = \sum_{i=1}^{5} f(x_{i-1}) \Delta x

What is the value of this left Riemann sum?

Hint

First find Δx=1−05\Delta x = \frac{1-0}{5}, then list the left endpoints x0,x1,x2,x3,x4x_0, x_1, x_2, x_3, x_4 of the five subintervals. Evaluate f(x)=tan⁡(x)f(x) = \tan(x) at each of these left endpoints, sum the results, and multiply by Δx\Delta x.

Step-by-step solution

Since a=0a=0, b=1b=1, and n=5n=5, the width of each subinterval is Δx=1−05=0.2\Delta x = \frac{1-0}{5} = 0.2. The subinterval endpoints are x0=0,x1=0.2,x2=0.4,x3=0.6,x4=0.8,x5=1x_0=0, x_1=0.2, x_2=0.4, x_3=0.6, x_4=0.8, x_5=1. For a left sum we use the left endpoints of each subinterval: x0,x1,x2,x3,x4x_0, x_1, x_2, x_3, x_4, i.e. 0,0.2,0.4,0.6,0.80, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8.

Evaluating f(x)=tan⁡(x)f(x)=\tan(x) at these points gives approximately tan⁡(0)=0\tan(0)=0, tan⁡(0.2)≈0.2027\tan(0.2)\approx 0.2027, tan⁡(0.4)≈0.4228\tan(0.4)\approx 0.4228, tan⁡(0.6)≈0.6841\tan(0.6)\approx 0.6841, tan⁡(0.8)≈1.0296\tan(0.8)\approx 1.0296. Summing these values gives approximately 2.33922.3392, and multiplying by Δx=0.2\Delta x = 0.2 gives the left Riemann sum ≈0.4678\approx 0.4678.

Left Riemann sum for tan(x) on [0,1] with n=5 — solution graph

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