6.

1 Areas between Curves 1

6.1 Areas between Curves
The area A of the region bounded by the curves y = f(x), y = g(x), and the
lines x = a, x = b, where f and g are continuous and f(x) g(x) for all x in
[a, b], is given by the formula
A =
_
b
a
[f(x) g(x)] dx
Area =
_
Top function Bottom function.
Example 1 Find the area of the region bounded above by y = e
x
, bounded
below by y = x, and bounded on the sides by x = 0 and x = 1. Sketch the
graph.
Solution
_
3
0
(e
x
x) dx =
_
e
x

x
2
2
_
3
0
=
_
e
3

(3)
2
2
_

_
e
0

(0)
2
2
_
= e
3

9
2
1 = e
3

11
2
Example 2 Find the area bounded y = x
2
and y = 2x x
2
. Sketch the
graph.
Step 1: Sketch the graphs of the two functions.
To sketch the graph of y = 2x x
2
, we note that the graph will be a
downward facing parabola. We can put the parabola into standard form
y = a(x h)
2
+ k by completing the square.
2
y = x
2
+ 2x = (x
2
2x + 1 1) = (x
2
2x + 1) + 1 = (x 1)
2
+ 1
The parabola has vertex (1, 1).
Step 2: Find the points of intersection.
To nd the points of intersection, we set the two functions equal to each
other.
x
2
= 2x x
2
2x
2
2x = 0
2x(x 1) = 0
x = 0 x = 1
When x = 0, we have y = 0
2
= 0. Point of intersection (0, 0).
When x = 1, we have y = 1
2
= 1. Point of intersection (1, 1).
Step 3: Set-up integral.
_
1
0
_
(2x x
2
) x
2
_
dx =
_
1
0
(2x 2x
2
) dx
6.1 Areas between Curves 3
Step 4: Evaluate the integral.
_
1
0
(2x 2x
2
) dx =
_
x
2

2x
3
3
_
1
0
=
_
1
2

2 1
3
3
_
= 1/3
For the curve shown below, the variable y cannot be written as a function
of the variable x because it does not pass the vertical line test. However, the
variable x is a function of the variable y. We see this because the curve passes
the horizontal line test, which means that for every y-value, there exists no
more than one x-value.
Suppose that we want to nd the area of the region bounded by curves
given by x = f(y) and x = g(y). For both curves, the variable x is a function
of the variable y.
4
The area of the region is given by the formula
Area =
_
Right Function Left Function =
_
d
c
(f(y) g(y)) dy
Example 3 Find the area between y = x 2 and the parabola y
2
= x.
Solution We write the equations of the curves in the form x = f(y)
and x = g(y).
x = y
2
x = y + 2
We nd the points of intersection.
y
2
= y + 2
y
2
y 2 = 0
(y 2)(y + 1) = 0
y = 2, y = 1
6.1 Areas between Curves 5
We integrate using
Area =
_
Right Left
A =
_
2
1
_
(y + 2) y
2
_
dy
=
_
y
2
2
+ 2y
y
3
3
_
2
1
=
_
2
2
2
+ 2(2)
2
3
3
_

_
(1)
2
2
+ 2(1)
(1)
3
3
_
= 2 + 4
8
3

1
2
+ 2
1
3
= 8
9
3

1
2
= 8 3
1
2
=
9
2
6
Areas between Curves Homework
Sketch the region enclosed by the given curves.
Decide whether to integrate with respect to x or y.
Draw a typical approximating rectangle and label its height and width.
Find the area of the region.
1. y = 5x x
2
, y = x
2. x = y
2
2, x = e
y
, y = 1, y = 1
6.1 Areas between Curves 7
3. y = x + 1, y = 9 x
2
, x = 1, x = 2
4. y = x, y = x
2
5. y = 12 x
2
, y = x
2
6
6. x = 2y
2
, x + y = 1
7. x = 2y
2
, x = 4 + y
2
8. y = 1/x, y = x. y =
1
4
x, x > 0
Solutions
1.
32
3
2. e (1/e) +
10
3
3. 19.5
4.
1
6
5. 72
6.
9
8
7.
32
3
8. ln 2