Area between curves

Vertical slices.
The area between the curves y = f(x) and y = g(x) over a 6 x 6 b is obtained as follows.
Zb
A= (f(x) − g(x)) dx
a

Observe that the rectangular slice has length given by f(x) − g(x) and width dx.

y = f(x)

y = g(x)

a x
b
dx

Horizontal slices.
The area between the curves x = f(y) and x = g(y) over c 6 y 6 d is obtained as follows.
Zd
A= (f(y) − g(y)) dy
c

Observe that the rectangular slice has length given by f(y) − g(y) and width dy.

y
x = g(y) x = f(y)
d

dy

Gilles Cazelais. Typeset with LATEX on January 13, 2007.

Example 1. Find the area bounded by the two parabolas y = x2 and y = 2x − x2 .

Solution. We first find the points of intersection of the parabolas by solving

x2 = 2x − x2 ⇐⇒ 2x2 − 2x = 0 ⇐⇒ 2x(x − 1) = 0.

The solutions are x = 0 or 1. The points of intersections are then (0, 0) and (1, 1).
y

y = 2x − x2

y = x2
x
0 1

We find the area using vertical slices as follows.

Z1 Z1
A= (2x − x2 − x2 ) dx = (2x − 2x2 ) dx
0 0
2x3 1
 
= x2 −
3 0
2 1
=1− =
3 3

Example 2. Find the area between the line y = x − 1 and the parabola y2 = 2x + 6.

Solution. By solving y + 1 = (y2 − 6)/2, we can deduce that the points of intersection are
(−1, −2) and (5, 4).
y
(5, 4)
y2 − 6 4
x=
2

x=y+1
x

(−1, −2) −2

We find the area using horizontal slices as follows.

Z4   2 
y −6
A= (y + 1) − dy
−2 2
Z4 4
1 y3 y2
  
1 2


= − 2 y + y + 4 dy = − + + 4y 
−2 2 3 2 −2
1 8


= − 6 (64) + 8 + 16 − 6 + 2 − 8 = 18