Trapezoids

Definition

Geometric shapes with four sides, where two opposite sides are parallel. In calculus, they are used as an alternative to rectangles in approximating the area under a curve when calculating certain types of integrals.

Related terms

Trapezoidal Rule:

An approximation method for definite integrals that uses trapezoids instead of rectangles.

Composite Trapezoidal Rule: An extension of the trapezoidal rule that applies it to multiple subintervals instead of just one.

Error Estimation for Trapezoidal Rule: Techniques used to determine how accurate an approximation obtained using trapezoids is compared to the actual value.