Numeric Integration using Python and Pylab

Pylab is Python module that contain NumPy and MatPlotlib.

Let f(x) = x^2 and we want to integrate it from 0 to 1.

Numerically we could use square method or trapezoidal (which is almost better).




Let use square method first.

and count "inner square" using this code

from pylab import *

def f(x):
    return x*x

def integrate(x):
    sum = 0
    for i in arange(len(x)-1):
        sum += f(x[i])*dx
    return sum

x   = linspace(0,1,100)
dx  = x[1]-x[0]
y   = f(x)
print integrate(x)
plot(x,y)
grid(True)
show()

The result is 0.32829983335.

The  "outer square "  code below give the result 0.338400843451

from pylab import *

def f(x):
    return x*x

def integrate(x):
    sum = 0
    for i in arange(len(x)-1):
        sum += f(x[i+1])*dx
    return sum

x   = linspace(0,1,100)
dx  = x[1]-x[0]
y   = f(x)
print integrate(x)
plot(x,y)
grid(True)
show()

How about Trapezoidal method? Easy, just modify little bit, and give the result 0.333350338401,  which is much better,  :)

from pylab import *

def f(x):
    return x*x

def integrate(x):
    sum = 0
    for i in arange(len(x)-1):
        sum += (f(x[i])+f(x[i+1]))*dx/2.
    return sum

x   = linspace(0,1,100)
dx  = x[1]-x[0]
y   = f(x)
print integrate(x)
plot(x,y)
grid(True)
show()

.