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Midpoint Riemann sum for sin(x) on [0, pi] with n=6

Consider the function f(x)=sin⁡(x)f(x) = \sin(x) on the interval [0,π][0, \pi].

Partition [0,π][0, \pi] into n=6n = 6 equal subintervals, and use the midpoint of each subinterval to approximate the area under f(x)=sin⁡(x)f(x) = \sin(x) on [0,π][0, \pi]. Compute the midpoint sum M6M_6.

Hint

First find Δx=π−06\Delta x = \frac{\pi - 0}{6}, then list the six subintervals and find the midpoint of each. Evaluate sin⁡(x)\sin(x) at each midpoint, add the results, and multiply the total by Δx\Delta x.

Step-by-step solution

The width of each subinterval is Δx=π−06=π6\Delta x = \frac{\pi - 0}{6} = \frac{\pi}{6}. The subintervals are [0,π6],[π6,π3],[π3,π2],[π2,2π3],[2π3,5π6],[5π6,π][0,\frac{\pi}{6}], [\frac{\pi}{6},\frac{\pi}{3}], [\frac{\pi}{3},\frac{\pi}{2}], [\frac{\pi}{2},\frac{2\pi}{3}], [\frac{2\pi}{3},\frac{5\pi}{6}], [\frac{5\pi}{6},\pi], so the midpoints are π12,π4,5π12,7π12,3π4,11π12\frac{\pi}{12}, \frac{\pi}{4}, \frac{5\pi}{12}, \frac{7\pi}{12}, \frac{3\pi}{4}, \frac{11\pi}{12}.

Evaluating sin⁡(x)\sin(x) at these midpoints gives approximately 0.2588,0.7071,0.9659,0.9659,0.7071,0.25880.2588, 0.7071, 0.9659, 0.9659, 0.7071, 0.2588. Summing these values gives about 3.86373.8637, and multiplying by Δx=π6≈0.5236\Delta x = \frac{\pi}{6} \approx 0.5236 gives M6≈2.0233M_6 \approx 2.0233.

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