Lesson Plan: Definite Integrals as Limits of Riemann Sums Mathematics • Higher Education

This lesson plan includes the objectives, prerequisites, and exclusions of the lesson teaching students how to interpret a definite integral as the limit of a Riemann sum when the size of the partitions tends to zero.

Objectives

Students will be able to

understand and use the correct notation for definite integrals,
understand and evaluate definite integrals as limits of Riemann sums.

Prerequisites

Students should already be familiar with

right, left, and midpoint Riemann sums,
the concept and use of the limit operation.

Exclusions

Students will not cover

evaluating definite integrals as antiderivatives.