Show that if $f(x) > 0$ for all $x \in [a,b]$, then $\int_{a}^b f(x) dx > 0$ Assume $f$ is Riemann integrable and nonnegative over $[a,b]$. Show that if $f(x) &gt; 0$ for all $x \in [a,b]$, then $\int_{a}^b f(x) dx &gt; 0$.


This seems very obvious to me. One thing I would do is if the function is not continuous, break up the integrals it is continuous on into infinitely many small integrals which all must a approach a positive number. I still am trying to see how to make this argument rigorous.
One can show without much difficulty that a Riemann integrable function on a bounded interval has at least a point of continuity. (There exists infinitely many of them actually)Let c be a point of continuity of $f(x)$ on the interval $ [a,b]$ . Note that since $f(c)&gt;0$ there exists a neighborhood about $x=c$ such that $f(x) &gt; \frac{f(c)}{2}$ on that neighbourhood. Thus we can easily conclude that the integral is strictly positive.
Hmm, going through the Lebesgue integral actually seems to be the simplest path here.

$f$, being Riemann integrable on a bounded interval, is actually Lebesgue integrable, and its Riemann integral equals its Lebesgue integral.

Now the preimages $$f^{-1}\bigl[(1/n,\infty)\bigr]$$ must have measure zero for every $n$, because if one of them has positive measure $m$, then the integral would be at least $\frac mn$, that is, positive.

But the union of these (countably many) preimages is all of $[a,b]$ if $f$ is positive everywhere; on the other hand a countable union of sets of measure zero will itself have measure zero. This contradicts the (unspoken) assumption that the interval $[a,b]$ is nontrivial.