Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-chemistry-course-of-the-year-4-of-the-natural-sciences-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2022/paper-1/7/f/solution

With independent samples and finite variance, Monte Carlo integration has a root-mean-square stochastic error proportional to . The estimated standard error measures that random sampling uncertainty; it is not a deterministic bound.
For a sufficiently smooth one-dimensional integrand, the composite trapezoidal rule has error
for some , hence . It is normally much more efficient in one dimension. The stated continuity assumption alone guarantees convergence, but does not guarantee this second-order rate; bounded second derivatives are an additional assumption.
The dimensional advantage is different: a tensor grid with total points in dimensions has only about points per direction and typically error . The Monte Carlo exponent remains , although its variance prefactor can still deteriorate with dimension. This explains why the stochastic method becomes attractive for high-dimensional integrals.

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