CAPE Pure Mathematics Unit II

Module 1- Complex Numbers and

Calculus II
Topic: Trapezoidal Rule
Presenter: Mr. Garth Reid
BSc Mathematics and Education (Ongoing)
Student Ambassador of Utech, Ja
Email: garthreid53@[Link]
 Objective for Today
Use the trapezoidal rule as an approximation method for evaluating
the area under the graph of the function.
 Area Under The Curve
y  axis
y  f  x

How do we find the

area under the curve
of y  f  x  ?

xa xb
x  axis
 Area Under The Curve
Recall in Module 3 y  axis
of Unit 1, in order to Please see the
find the shaded area y  f  x Geogebra link,
which is the region ensure to move the
bounded by the slider 𝑛 to see the
curve y  f  x  , the strips.
ordinates x  a, x  b
and the x  axis ; [Link]
we create strips of [Link]/graphing/jf
equal width which 43v6wp
is approximately
rectangular in order
to approximate the xa xb
x  axis
area.
b
A   f  x  dx
a
 Trapezoidal Rule
Instead of using rectangles to approximate the area, we can use
trapezoids and it gives a better approximation. To approximate the area
under the curve, we sum the area of all the trapezoids. So you need to
recall the formula to find area of a trapezium from the CSEC level.
y  axis
y  f  x

1
h A u  v  h
2

xa xb x  axis

u
 Derivation of Trapezoidal Rule
1 1 1 1 1 1
A  y0  y1  x   y1  y2  x   y2  y3  x   y3  y4  x   y4  y5  x   y5  y6  x
2 2 2 2 2 2
x
  y0  y1  y1  y2  y2  y3  y3  y4  y4  y5  y5  y6 
2
x
  y0  2 y1  2 y2  2 y3  2 y4  2 y5  y6 
2
x
  y0  2  y1  y2  y3  y4  y5   y6 
2  y  axis
y  f  x
x
b
  f  x  dx   y0  2  y1  y2  y3   yn 1   yn 
a
2

This is the general formula of the Trapezoidal

ba
Rule where, x  and n represents the
n
number of strips.

In the function given on the right, the number of

strips is six which means that we have seven
ordinates or six subintervals. Please see the y0 y1 y2 y3 y4 y5 y6
x xxx xx x  axis
Geogebra link, ensure to move the slider 𝑛 to see
the strips.
[Link]
 Worked Examples
5

Find an approximate value for the definite integral  x3dx using the
trapezoidal rule with five ordinates. 1

Solution
y0  f  a   f 1  1
x 
b  a 5 1
 1 y1  f  a  x   f  2   8
n 4
y2  f  a  2x   f  3  27
y3  f  a  3x   f  4   64
y4  f  b   f  5   125
5
1
  x dx  1  2  8  27  64   125  162 squared units
3

1
2
 Worked Examples
4

Find an approximate value for the definite integral  x 2 dx using the

trapezoidal rule with three ordinates. 0

Solution

ba 40 y0  f  a   f  0   0
x   2
n 2 y1  f  a  x   f  2   4
y2  f  b   f  4   16
4
2
  x dx  0  2  4   16   24 squared units
2

0
2
 Worked Examples
2
3
Find an approximate value for the definite integral  sin  x  dx using the
trapezoidal rule with five ordinates. 0

Solution y  f  a   f  0  0
0

 
y1  f  a  x   f    0.707106781
6
2
0  
ba 3  y2  f  a  2x   f    0.930604859
x    3
n 4 6
 
y3  f  a  3x   f    1
2
 2 
y4  f  b   f    0.930604859
 3 
2 
3
  sin  x  dx  6 0  2  0.707106781  0.930604859  1  0.930604859   1.624734367 squared units
0
2
 Worked Examples
4

Find an approximate value for the definite integral   x  1 x  4  dx using

the trapezoidal rule with four ordinates. 1

Solution
y0  f  a   f 1  0
y1  f  a  x   f  2   2
b  a 4 1 y2  f  a  2x   f  3  2
x   1
n 3 y3  f  b   f  4   0
4
1
   x  1 x  4  dx  0  2  2  2   0   4 squared units
1
2