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Definite integral as the limit of a sum

Evaluating

Concept 1 of 7 in Definite Integration

1 / 14

Think about this

Four rectangles stand on [0,1][0, 1], each 14\tfrac14 wide and as tall as the line y=xy = x at its right end. Their total area is 1+2+3+416=58\tfrac{1 + 2 + 3 + 4}{16} = \tfrac58, but the triangle under the line has area 12\tfrac12. Can rectangles ever give exactly 12\tfrac12?