Additivity and linearity (Riemann integral): Let f,g:[a,b]Rf,g:[a,b]\to\mathbb{R} be and let α,βR\alpha,\beta\in\mathbb{R}. Then:

  • αf+βg\alpha f+\beta g is Riemann integrable on [a,b][a,b], and ab(αf(x)+βg(x))dx=αabf(x)dx+βabg(x)dx.\int_a^b (\alpha f(x)+\beta g(x))\,dx = \alpha\int_a^b f(x)\,dx+\beta\int_a^b g(x)\,dx.
  • For any c[a,b]c\in[a,b], ff is Riemann integrable on [a,c][a,c] and on [c,b][c,b], and abf(x)dx=acf(x)dx+cbf(x)dx.\int_a^b f(x)\,dx=\int_a^c f(x)\,dx+\int_c^b f(x)\,dx.

Additivity and linearity (Riemann–Stieltjes integral): Let γ:[a,b]R\gamma:[a,b]\to\mathbb{R} be . If f,gf,g are with respect to γ\gamma on [a,b][a,b] and α,βR\alpha,\beta\in\mathbb{R}, then αf+βg\alpha f+\beta g is Riemann–Stieltjes integrable with respect to γ\gamma and ab(αf+βg)dγ=αabfdγ+βabgdγ.\int_a^b (\alpha f+\beta g)\,d\gamma = \alpha\int_a^b f\,d\gamma+\beta\int_a^b g\,d\gamma. Moreover, for any c[a,b]c\in[a,b], abfdγ=acfdγ+cbfdγ.\int_a^b f\,d\gamma=\int_a^c f\,d\gamma+\int_c^b f\,d\gamma.

Remarks

These are the basic algebraic rules that make integration behave like a linear functional and allow decomposition.