8. The expression \[ \frac{1}{20} \left[ \left(\frac{1}{20}\right)^2 + \left(\frac{2}{20}\right)^2 + \left(\frac{3}{20}\right)^2 + \cdots + \left(\frac{20}{20}\right)^2 \right] \] is a Riemann sum approximation for






Answer is: option3

\( \int_0^1 x^2 \, dx \)

Solution:

The given expression can be written as:

\[ \sum_{k=1}^{20} \left( \frac{1}{20} \right) \left( \frac{k}{20} \right)^2 \]

This matches the general form of a Riemann sum:

\[ \sum_{k=1}^{n} \left( \frac{b-a}{n} \right) f \left( a + \frac{(b-a)k}{n} \right) \]

where:

  1. \(n = 20\) (number of subintervals),
  2. \(\frac{b-a}{n} = \frac{1}{20}\) (width of each subinterval),
  3. \(f \left( a + \frac{(b-a)k}{n} \right) = \left( \frac{k}{20} \right)^2\) (function evaluated at sample points).

From \(\frac{b-a}{20} = \frac{1}{20}\), we get \(b - a = 1\).

The sample points are \(\frac{k}{20}\), which suggests \(a = 0\) (since when \(k = 1\), the first point is \(\frac{1}{20}\)).

Thus, \(b = 1\) (since \(b - a = 1\) and \(a = 0\)).

The function evaluated at the sample points is:

\[ f\left(\frac{k}{20}\right) = \left(\frac{k}{20}\right)^2 \Rightarrow f(x) = x^2 \]

The Riemann sum approximates:

\[ \int_a^b f(x)\,dx = \int_0^1 x^2\,dx \]

This corresponds to option (C).

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