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Area Between 2 Curves Using Integration

This document discusses using integration to find the area between two curves. It provides a formula for finding this area by subtracting the area under the lower curve from the upper curve and integrating between the x-values. It also shows an alternative way to derive the formula by considering the area of thin rectangles between the curves. There are examples and exercises provided.

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mukondimmagoda
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64 views2 pages

Area Between 2 Curves Using Integration

This document discusses using integration to find the area between two curves. It provides a formula for finding this area by subtracting the area under the lower curve from the upper curve and integrating between the x-values. It also shows an alternative way to derive the formula by considering the area of thin rectangles between the curves. There are examples and exercises provided.

Uploaded by

mukondimmagoda
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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3/24/2019 3.

Area between 2 Curves using Integration

Interactive Mathematics
Learn math while you play with it

3. Area Between 2 Curves using Integration


by M. Bourne

y 2 = f 2 (x)

y2 − y1

y 1 = f 1 (x)
Δx x
a b
Area bounded by the curves y 1 and y 2 , & the lines x = a and x = b, including a typical rectangle.

We are trying to find the area between 2 curves, y 1 = f 1 (x) and y 2 = f 2 (x), and the lines x = a and x = b.

We see that if we subtract the area under lower curve

y 1 = f 1 (x)
from the area under the upper curve

y 2 = f 2 (x),
then we will find the required area. This can be achieved in one step:
b
A = ∫ (y 2 − y 1 ) dx
a

Alternative Way to Find The Formula (from first principles)


Another way of deriving this formula is as follows (the thinking here is important for understanding how we develop the later
formulas in this section).

Each "typical" rectangle indicated has width Δx and height y 2 − y 1 , so its area is (y 2 − y 1 )Δx.

If we add all these typical rectangles, starting from a and finishing at b, the area is approximately:

b
∑(y 2 − y 1 )Δx
x=a

Now if we let Δx → 0, we can find the exact area by integration:


b
A = ∫ (y 2 − y 1 ) dx
a

Summing vertically to find area between 2 curves


Likewise, we can sum vertically by re-expressing both functions so that they are functions of y and we find:
d
A = ∫ (x2 − x1 ) dy
c

Notice the c and d as the limits on the integral (to remind us we are summing vertically) and the dy . It reminds us to
express our function in terms of y . top
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3/24/2019 3. Area between 2 Curves using Integration

Example
2 2
Find the area between the curves y = x + 5x and y = 3 − x between x = −2 and x = 0.

Answer

Exercises
1. Find the area bounded by y = x3 , x = 0 and y = 3.

Answer

2. Find the area bounded by the curves

y = x2 + 5x and y = 3 − x2 .

(This is an extension of the Example above.)

Answer

3. Find the area bounded by the curves

y = x2 , y = 2 − x and y = 1.

Answer

top
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