Homework Help: Area approximation and (riemann?) sums

1. Jan 30, 2009

science_rules

1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data
I am a first-year physics student learning calculus. my question is about the approximation of the area of a region bounded by y = 0.
2. Relevant equations
Use rectangles (four of them) to approximate the area of the region bounded by y = 5/x (already did this one), and y = 0. The height of the tallest rectangle is 5 units, on the y-axis. The numbers(width of the rectangles) on the x-axis are respectively: 1, 2, 3, 4 units.

3. The attempt at a solution
The first question was to find the area bounded by y = 5/x which i did: 5/1 + 5/2 +5/3 + 5/4 = approximately 10.4. I know this is correct.
Then the area bounded by y = 0 would just be zero i assume? is there a certain way to write this one or is it just zero? i cannot see what else it could be.

2. Jan 30, 2009

Dick

I think they just mean to say find the area bounded BETWEEN the two curves y=5/x and y=0. It's just a single problem, which you already did. Not two separate problems.

3. Jan 30, 2009

science_rules

ohhh. good to know. silly me. thankyou

4. Jan 31, 2009

Staff: Mentor

science rules,
You might find it interesting that your estimate of 10.4 for the area bounded by the graph of y = 5/x and the x-axis (the line y = 0) is a very low estimate. In fact, the area of this region is infinite.