On the monotonicity of left and right Riemann sums

Abstract

Riemann sums, a classical method for approximating the definite integral of a function, have been extensively studied in the past. However, their monotonic properties, while still of great importance, particularly in approximation theory and interpolation theory, remain somewhat obscure. This paper is dedicated to proving general theorems about the monotonicity of left and right Riemann sums, a problem first raised by Fejér in 1950. We provide a much-needed review of the literature on the problem and offer several new sufficient and necessary conditions for the monotonicity of Riemann sums. Additionally, we present a new insightful proof of a fundamental theorem related to these sums using tools from the theory of majorization. The author also delves deeper into a question posed by Borwein, almost resolving it completely.