Cardinalic flaw of Riemann integral

In summary: The integral is the limit of finite Riemann sums, not infinite sums.In summary, the Riemann integral is not the sum of infinite rectangles, but rather the limit of finite Riemann sums over a partition of the interval. The interval is continuous, so the number of rectangles should be uncountable, not countable. This shows that the mistaken definition is not valid.
  • #1
pyfgcr
22
0
I have learned that integral is the Riemann sum of infinite rectangle, that:
Ʃ[itex]^{n=1}_{∞}[/itex]f(xi)Δxi = ∫[itex]^{b}_{a}[/itex]f(x)dx
However, I think that (a,b) is the continuous interval, so the number of rectangle should be c instead of [itex]\aleph[/itex]0 (cardinality of natural number N).
So I wonder whether there are some problem that this definition is not valid anymore.
 
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  • #2
How so? The oo you're using is the countable infinity. An uncountable sum will

necessarily diverge , unless only countably-many are non-zero. Still, good

question.

Edit: after reading SteveL's comment, I guess I should be more precise:

The limit in the sum you describe is a limit as you approach countable infinity;

so you are selecting one point x_i* in each subinterval , and , as N-->oo (countable

infinity) there is a bijection between the number of rectangles and the x_i* you choose.

Since the x_i* are indexed by countable infinity, so are the rectangles.
 
Last edited:
  • #3
Each Δxi is a continuum - there is no contradiction.
 
  • #4
pyfgcr said:
I have learned that integral is the Riemann sum of infinite rectangle, that:
Ʃ[itex]^{n=1}_{∞}[/itex]f(xi)Δxi = ∫[itex]^{b}_{a}[/itex]f(x)dx

I'm a little confused about this definition. Typically the Riemann integral is the limit of Riemann sums, each one of which is a finite sum over a partition of the interval. Each partition is a finite set of subintervals.

There is no infinite sum such as you've notated. Is this a definition you saw in class or in a book?
 
  • #5
Thanks for explanation, I have understood.
And I mean it's the limit of finite sum, but I am a bit lazy so I remove the limit part for convenience.
 
  • #6
pyfgcr said:
I have learned that integral is the Riemann sum of infinite rectangle,
No, it isn't. It is a limit of Riemann sums, each of which involves a finite sum. That is not "the Riemann sum of infinite rectangles" which is not defined.
that:
Ʃ[itex]^{n=1}_{∞}[/itex]f(xi)Δxi = ∫[itex]^{b}_{a}[/itex]f(x)dx
However, I think that (a,b) is the continuous interval, so the number of rectangle should be c instead of [itex]\aleph[/itex]0 (cardinality of natural number N).
So I wonder whether there are some problem that this definition is not valid anymore.
It should be no surprise that your mistaken definition is not valid.
 

1. What is the Cardinalic flaw of Riemann integral?

The Cardinalic flaw of Riemann integral is a mathematical concept that refers to the inability of the Riemann integral to evaluate certain types of functions, specifically those that are unbounded or have vertical asymptotes. This flaw arises because the Riemann integral is based on the concept of partitioning a function into smaller and smaller intervals, which becomes problematic when dealing with functions that do not have finite limits.

2. How does the Cardinalic flaw affect the evaluation of integrals?

The Cardinalic flaw makes it impossible to accurately evaluate integrals for certain types of functions. This is because the Riemann integral relies on the existence of finite limits to calculate the area under a curve, and functions with vertical asymptotes or unbounded behavior do not have these finite limits. As a result, the Riemann integral cannot provide an accurate value for the area under these curves.

3. Can the Cardinalic flaw be fixed or overcome?

There are various methods that have been proposed to address the Cardinalic flaw, such as using other types of integrals like the Lebesgue integral or the Cauchy principal value. However, these methods have their own limitations and do not fully eliminate the problem. As such, the Cardinalic flaw remains an inherent limitation of the Riemann integral.

4. How does the Cardinalic flaw impact real-world applications of integrals?

The Cardinalic flaw has limited impact on most real-world applications of integrals, as the majority of functions encountered in practical situations do not have unbounded or vertical asymptotic behavior. However, it is important for mathematicians and scientists to be aware of this flaw when dealing with more complicated mathematical functions, as it can affect the accuracy of calculations and analyses.

5. Are there any alternative methods to evaluate integrals that do not suffer from the Cardinalic flaw?

As mentioned earlier, there are alternative methods such as the Lebesgue integral and Cauchy principal value that do not rely on the concept of partitioning and can handle certain types of functions that are problematic for the Riemann integral. However, these methods also have their own limitations and are not always applicable. Ultimately, the Cardinalic flaw is a fundamental limitation of integrals and cannot be completely avoided.

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