Prove that the following function is Riemann Integrable

real-analysisriemann-integration

Let $f:[0,1]\rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ be defined by \begin{equation*}
f(x) = \begin{cases}
x & \text{if } x =\frac{1}{n} & \text{for } n\in\mathbb{N},\\
0 & \text{otherwise}
\end{cases}
\end{equation*}

Prove that $f$ is Riemann Integrable.

I know this can be proved by the fact that this function $f$ is discontinuous only at countably many points $\frac{1}{n}$, so it is Riemann Integrable.

I want to see the procedure that involves finding $L(P,f)$ and $U(P,f)$ where $P$ is any partition taken over $[0,1]$. I am unable to prove that it is Riemann Integrable using this procedure. Can someone please help me out? Thanks in advance.

Best Answer

It is easy to show that $L(P,f) = 0$ for any partition.

Take $x_k = 1/k$, $\epsilon_n = 1/n^2$ (where $n$ is large) and a partition that includes the subintervals

$$[0, x_n - \epsilon_n], [x_n - \epsilon_n, x_n + \epsilon_n],[x_{n-1} - \epsilon_n, x_{n-1} + \epsilon_n] \ldots , [1- \epsilon_n,1]$$ and show that $U(P,f) = 1/n - 1/n^2 + (n-1) \cdot (2/n^2) + 1/n^2 \underset{n\to \infty}\to 0$.

For any $\epsilon > 0$ we can choose $n$ such that $U(P,f) - L(P,f) < \epsilon$ and the Riemann criterion is satisfied.