AREAS
USING
INTEGRATION
Learning objectives and overview:
After reading this presentation you should be able to:
• Find the area bounded by a curve and the x-axis.
• Find the area bounded by a curve and the x-axis when the
whole or part of the region is below the x-axis.
• Find the area enclosed by two curves.
Edexcel specification reference:
AS and A Level Mathematics: Pure Mathematics Section 8.3
Definite integrals and areas under curves.
The area, A, bounded by a curve, y = f(x),
the x-axis and the lines x = a, and x = b,
is given by:
b
A y dx
a
Example 1: Find the area shown enclosed by the curve
y = x2, the x-axis, and the lines x = 1 and
x = 2.
2 2
x 3 2 3 1 3 8 1 7
I = x dx = = – =
2 – =
3 3 3 3 3 3
1 1
7
Hence, the shaded area = (units squared)
3
Example 2: Find the area enclosed by the curve y = 3x2 – 6x
and the x-axis.
Firstly we need to find where the curve crosses the x-axis.
i.e. When y = 0; 0 = 3x2 – 6x
0 = 3x(x – 2)
x = 0 or 2
The graph looks like this:
2 2 2
3x3 6x2 3
Now, I = 3x – 6x dx =
2 – = x – 3x
2
0 3 2
0 0
= [ 8 – 12 ] – [ 0 ] = – 4
n.b. The integral is negative, this is because the area lies below the
x-axis. The actual area is 4 (units squared)
Since an area below the x-axis gives
a negative value, care must be taken
when part of the required region
is above the x axis and part is below.
e.g.
Example 3: Find the area shown enclosed
by the curve y = x (x – 1), the
x-axis, and the line x = 2 .
We need to calculate
2 separate integrals:
1 2
I1 = – x dx and, I2 =
x 2
– x dx
x 2
0 1
1
x x 3
1 1
2
1
I1 3 2 6 For the actual area,
3 2 0 add the 2 answers,
2
ignoring the negative:
x x 1 1 5
3 2
8
I 2 3 2 3 2 6 1 5
3 21 Area 1
6 6
Area bounded by two curves:
y y = g(x)
To find the area bounded by
two curves, (or a curve and
a line), consider the graph
shown:
The required area, R, is the R y = f(x)
area under y = f(x) between
x = a and x = b, minus the
area under y = g(x) between a x
b
x = a and x = b.
Use simultaneous equations to find the points of intersection.
b b
Then R = f(x) dx – g(x) dx b
a a
Since the limits are the same for both integrals,
they can be combined to a single integral:
R= f(x) – g(x) dx
a
Example 4: The curve y = x2 – 4x + 5 y
B
and the line y = 2x intersect
as shown. Find the area of the region R
enclosed by the two graphs.
R
A
Firstly we need the two points of
intersection, A and B. 1 5 x
x2 – 4x + 5 = 2x
The required area, R, is the area under
x – 6x + 5 = 0
2
the line, between x = 1 and x = 5,
(x – 1)(x – 5) = 0 minus the area under the curve between
x = 1 and x = 5.
x = 1 or 5
5 5
i.e. R = 2x dx – x2 – 4x + 5 dx
1 1
5
Note: The 1st part of the integral i.e.
2x dx ( the area under the line)
1
could be found by calculating the area of a trapezium.
5 5
We now have: R= 2x dx – – 4x + 5 dx
x 2
1 1
b
Since the limits are the same for both integrals,
they can be combined to a single integral:
i.e. R = f(x) – g(x) dx
a
5
R= 2x – (x 2
– 4x + 5) dx
1
5
R= 6x – x 2
– 5 dx
1
5
x 3 125 1 32
R = 3x –
2
– 5x = ( 75 – – 25 ) – ( 3 – –5) =
3 3 3 3
1
Summary of key points:
The area, A, bounded by a curve, y = f(x), the x-axis and the lines
x = a, and x = b, is given by:
b
A y dx
a
A region which lies below the x-axis gives a negative integral.
The area, R bounded by two functions which intersect at
x = a, and x = b is given by: b
R= f(x) – g(x) dx
a
Care must be taken when part of the required region is above
the x-axis, and part is below.
This PowerPoint produced by [Link] ; Updated Sep.2017