Trapezoidal Rule

Definition

The trapezoidal rule is an approximation method used to estimate the definite integral of a function over an interval. It divides the area under the curve into trapezoids and sums up their areas to get an approximate total.

Related terms

Approximation Method: An approximation method provides an estimate or close approximation rather than an exact solution. It's like using a ruler with markings instead of measuring with infinite precision.

Definite Integral:

The definite integral calculates the net accumulation or total change of a quantity over an interval. It's like finding the exact sum of all those tile areas without any estimation.

Riemann Sum:

A Riemann sum is another method for approximating integrals by dividing the area under the curve into rectangles instead of trapezoids.