[Math] How to show that the upper and lower Riemann integrals of a function, say $f(x) = -2x$, are equal

real-analysisriemann sumriemann-integration

The problem:
Suppose $a < b$. I want to show that the function $f: [a,b]\to\mathbb{R},\ f(x) = -2x$ is integrable on the interval $[a,b]$, using the fact that a bounded function is integrable, if and only if its lower and upper Riemann-integrals on the interval $[a,b]$ are the same:
\begin{align*}
\underline{\int_a^b} f
&= \sup\left\{ s(P_1) \mid s(P_1) = \sum_{i=1 }^{n} m_i (x_i – x_{i-1})\right\}\\
&= \inf\left\{ S(P_2) \mid S(P_2) = \sum_{j=1 }^{k} M_j (x_j – x_{j-1})\right\}\\
&= \overline{\int_a^b} f,
\end{align*}

where $m_i$ and $M_j$ are the infimum and supremum of given subintervals respectively.
Obviously $f$ is bounded, so it makes sense to use the above theorem.
Based on the definitions of lower- and upper Riemann sums $s(P)$ and $S(P)$,
I get that I should choose the partitions $P_1 = \{x_i\}_{i=0}^{n}$ and
$P_2 = \{x_j\}_{j=0}^{k}$ so that the sums are equal, but I'm having trouble coming up with appropriate ones. How should I go about this?

Best Answer

I assume that $m_i$ and $M_j$ are supremums of $f$ on a given subinterval? If so, you are talking about Darboux sums, not Riemann sums.

Hint:

  • You don't need to find partition for which the sums are equal, only similar (i.e. $S(P)-s(P)<\epsilon$).
  • You can easily calculate the values $M_j$ and $m_i$ since $f$ is a monotone function.