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GATE 2026 Exam Date Announced – Complete Schedule, Syllabus, and Key Details » GATE Study Materials » Chemical Engineering » Integration by Trapezoidal and Simpson’s Rule
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Integration by Trapezoidal and Simpson’s Rule

When you have integrals, there are a few different methods you can use to calculate them- the trapezoidal rule and Simpson’s rule being two of the most popular.

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When you’re dealing with integrals, there are a few different methods you can use to calculate them- the trapezoidal rule and Simpson’s rule being two of the most popular. But which one is right for the job? In this article, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of each method, so you can choose the right one for the task at hand. Let’s get started!

What Is Simpson’s Rule?

Simpson’s rule is a method of numerical integration that was first described by Thomas Simpson, though it had been used before this by Isaac Newton. This method uses quadratic polynomials on each interval to perform the interpolation of the function being integrated between each pair of points where the function value is known. The result is then used as part of the calculation for an approximation to the integral. The method is called Simpson’s rule because this interpolation results in a parabola, which was known as a “Simpson” at the time that Newton and Simpson worked it out.

The formula used by Simpson’s rule can be derived in a number of ways. The result is

∫baf(x)dx ∫ a b f ( x ) d x ≈ h3[f(x0)+4f(x1)+2f(x2)+⋯+2f(xn−2)+4f(xn−1)+f(xn)] Here, hi =xi+12−xi−12i=0,…,nhi = x i + 12 − x i − 12 , i = 0 , … , n  and the nodes for which the function is known are x0,xn.

What Is a Trapezoidal Rule?

The trapezoidal rule is a numerical integration technique that can be used to calculate the area under a curve between two points. This method uses a series of straight lines connecting each point on the curve to its neighbours, with the sum of the areas of the trapezoids formed in this way being equal to the area under the curve.

The formula used by the Trapezoidal rule can be derived in a number of ways. The result is

∫baf(x)dx ∫ a b f ( x ) d x ≈ h[f(x0)+f(xn)] Here, hi =xi+12−xi−12i=0,…,nhi = x i + 12 − x i − 12 , i = 0 , … , n  and the nodes for which the function is known are x0,xn.

Integration by Trapezoidal and Simpson’s Rule

Integration by Trapezoidal Rule

The trapezoidal rule is a numerical integration technique that can be used to approximate the area under a curve. This method is based on dividing the region of interest into several trapezoids and then calculating the average value of the function within each trapezoid.

Integration by Simpson’s Rule

The Simpson’s rule is another numerical integration technique that can be used to approximate the area under a curve. This method is based on dividing the region of interest into intervals and then calculating the average value of each interval.

How do you choose between the two?

The Simpsons rule is more accurate than trapezoidal for three reasons: it uses fewer segments, it does not require any interpolation steps and it has a smaller error.

The Trapezoidal Integration rule is less accurate than Simpson’s integration because of its small number of segments, which means that the area under the curve cannot be calculated accurately and there are many interpolation steps to find out where exactly the points will lie on their respective intervals (which makes it harder to calculate).

Numerical Integration By Trapezoidal And Simpson’s Rules

The trapezoidal rule and Simpson’s rule are two of the most popular numerical integration methods. However, few people know how to choose between them. This is because these methods have a lot in common: they both use polynomials as their basic functions, and they both require an even number of function evaluations.

The two methods differ in the order of their basic functions, which is how they derive their names: The trapezoidal rule uses a piecewise linear interpolant (i.e., first-order polynomials), while Simpson’s rule uses a quadratic interpolant (i.e., second-order polynomials).

Since these two methods are so similar, it is natural to expect that they should be used in the same way. However, this is not true: Simpson’s rule has a much better approximation error than the trapezoidal rule. As a result, when you have an even number of function evaluations, Simpson’s rule should always be used instead of the trapezoidal rule.

The only time that you should use the trapezoidal rule is when you have an odd number of function evaluations. In this case, the trapezoidal rule will give a better approximation error than Simpson’s rule.

Conclusion

The trapezoidal and Simpson’s Rule are two methods that can be used to approximate the value of a definite integral. These rules are often more accurate than using the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. In this post, we’ve looked at how each rule works and when it should be used. We also provided some examples in numerical integration by trapezoidal and Simpson’s rules pdf so you can see how these rules work in practice. If you’re still having trouble understanding these concepts, don’t worry! There are plenty of resources available online and in your local library. Ask your teacher or professor for help, too. And as always, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us. We’re happy to help!

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