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Areas in a Plane

How can we find the area


y1  2  x 2
between these two curves?

We could split the area into


several sections, use
subtraction and figure it out,
y2   x but there is an easier way.


Consider a very thin vertical
strip.
y1  2  x 2
The length of the strip is:

y1  y2 or  2  x 2
  x
Since the width of the strip is
y2   x a very small change in x, we
could call it dx.


y1

y1  2  x 2
y1  y2
dx
y2

Since the strip is a long thin


y2   x rectangle, the area of the strip is:
length  width   2  x 2  x  dx

2
If we add all the strips, we get: 
1
2  x2  x dx


2
1
2  x2  x dx
y1  2  x 2 2
1 3 1 2
2x  x  x
3 2 1

 8   1 1
 4   2    2   
 3   3 2

y2   x 8 1 1
6 2 
3 3 2

36  16  12  2  3 27 9
  units 2
6 6 2

What about this area ?
y x

If we try vertical strips, we


dx
y  x2 have to integrate in two parts:
dx
x   x  2 dx
2 4
0
x dx  
2

y x We can find the same area


using a horizontal strip.

y  x2
Since the width of the strip
dy is dy, we find the length of
the strip by solving for x in
y x y  x2 terms of y.
y2  x y2 x


y x We can find the same area
using a horizontal strip.

y  x2
Since the width of the strip
dy is dy, we find the length of
the strip by solving for x in
y x y  x2 terms of y.
y2  x y2 x
2
1 2 1 3
  y  2  y
2
2
dy y  2y  y
0 2 3 0
length of strip
8 10
24  2
width of strip 3 3 units

The formula for the area between curves is:

Area    f1  x   f 2  x  dx
b

a
or b
Area   [ f1 ( y)  f 2 ( y)] dy
a

That is, in general,


b
Area =  (larger function )  (smaller function ) d thickness
a

We will use this so much, that you won’t need to


“memorize” the formula!


General Strategy for Area Between Curves:

1 Sketch the curves.

2 Decide on vertical or horizontal strips. (Pick


whichever is easier to write formulas for the length of
the strip, and/or whichever will let you integrate fewer
times.)

3 Write an expression for the area of the strip.


(If the width is dx, the length must be in terms of x.
If the width is dy, the length must be in terms of y.
4 Find the limits of integration. (If using dx, the limits
are x values; if using dy, the limits are y values.)
5 Integrate to find area.
ONE ADDITIONAL EXAMPLE

Find the area of the region


bounded by the curves
y = 4x and y = x3 + 2
3x .
y  4x Sketch the SOLUTION…
y  x3  3x 2 graphs of
the two
functions.
Then find the points of
intersection by setting
the two functions equal,
then solving for x.
x  3x  4 x
3 2

x  3x  4 x  0
3 2

x( x  1)( x  4)  0
x  0, x  1 and x  4
…SOLUTION…
On the interval –4 < x < 0, x3 + 3x2 > 4x
and the curve y = x3 + 3x2 lies above the
line y = 4x. So, the area between them is
0
0  1 4 2
A1   [( x  3x )  4 x]dx   x  x  2 x 
3 2 3
4
4  4
 1 4 2   1 2 
  (0)  (0)  2(0)    (4)  (4)  2(4) 
3 4 3

 4   4 
 0  0  0  (64  64  32)
 0  (32)
 32 units 2
…SOLUTION…
On the interval 0 < x < 1, 4x > x3 + 3x2 and
the line y = 4x lies above the curve
y = x3 + 3x2. So, the area between them is
1
1  1 4 3
A2   [4 x  ( x  3 x )]dx 
3 2
 2 x 2
 x  x 
0  4 0

 3   
  2(1)  (1)  (1)    2(0)  (0)  (0)3 
2 1 4 2 1 4
 4   4 

 1   8 1  4  3
  2   1  ( 0  0  0)     0  units 2
 4   4  4
…SOLUTION
The area
bounded by
the line y = 4x
and the curve
y = x3 + 3x2 is
A  A1  A2
3
 32 
4
 32.75 units 2

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