Trapezoidal rule error bounds problem

[mrwall-e]

Homework Statement

a. Use the trapezoidal rule with n = 4 subintervals to estimate \int_0^2 x^2 dx.

b. Use the error bound to find the bound for the error.

c. Compute the integral exactly.

d. Verify the error is no more than the error bound.

Homework Equations

Here, based on the problem, a = 0, b = 2, and N = 4.

T_N = \frac{1}{2} Δx(f(x_0) + 2f(x_1) + ... + 2f(x_{N - 1}) + f(x_N)) where Δx = \frac{b - a}{N} and x_i = a + iΔx.

Error(T_N) \leq \frac{K_2(b - a)^3}{12N^2} where f''(x) \leq K_2 for x \in [a, b].

Error(T_N) = |T_N - \int_a^b f(x) dx|.

The Attempt at a Solution

a. I calculated Δx = \frac{2 - 0}{4} = \frac{1}{2}. Therefore, T_N = \frac{1}{2}*\frac{1}{2}(0 + \frac{1}{2} + 1 + 2 \frac{1}{4} + 4) = 1.9375.

b. Since f''(x) = 2, I used K_2 = 2. So therefore, Error(T_N) \leq \frac{2*(2)^3}{12(4)^2} = \frac{1}{12} = .0833.

c. \int_0^2 x^2 dx = 2.6667.

d. Error(T_N) = |1.9375 - 2.6667| = .7292, which is definitely outside the error bound.

What did I do wrong?

Thanks for any help, I really appreciate it.

 

[Steely Dan]

a. I calculated Δx = \frac{2 - 0}{4} = \frac{1}{2}. Therefore, T_N = \frac{1}{2}*\frac{1}{2}(0 + \frac{1}{2} + 1 + 2 \frac{1}{4} + 4) = 1.9375.

You have five terms here, but by your definition of the trapezoid sum there can only be four terms in the sum, which indicates that you have incorrectly applied the definition. You used x = 0 as the first term but the first term in the sum is n = 1, not 0.

 

[mrwall-e]

You have five terms here, but by your definition of the trapezoid sum there can only be four terms in the sum, which indicates that you have incorrectly applied the definition. You used x = 0 as the first term but the first term in the sum is n = 1, not 0.

Sorry, the equation was wrong. It should be fixed now.

 

[Steely Dan]

Sorry, the equation was wrong. It should be fixed now.

That is fine, but you've still computed the individual terms incorrectly. In particular, the third and fourth terms are incorrect.

 

[mrwall-e]

That is fine, but you've still computed the individual terms incorrectly. In particular, the third and fourth terms are incorrect.

That would do it.. such a stupid mistake, thanks!