CHAPTER 8

Area Under a Curve

8.1 Introduction

In the previous chapter we have learnt the meaning of the definite integrals. In this
chapter we shall learn one of the important applications of the definite integrals
namely calculating the area under a curve, x – axis and the ordinates x = a and x = b.

8.2 Objectives of the chapter

By the end of this chapter you should be able to: -

• establish the formula for finding the area under a curve the x – axis and the
ordinates x = a and x = b.
• apply the formula to calculate exact area under different types of curves and also
the areas between two curves.

8.3 Formula for the area under a curve and enclosed by the lines

the x – axis, and the ordinates x = a and x = b.

S R y = f (x)

y
x =b
x=a p Q

a x x+∆x
b
Figure 1

Consider the area under a curve y = f (x), and enclosed by the lines the x- axis and the
ordinates x = a and x = b.
Divide the area into n equal strips of width ∆x and height y.
The area of the strip PQRS = yr∆x. Consider the total area of all the strips.
Total area required = ∑ yr ∆x .
x =b b
If ∆x → 0 the area required is A = ∫ ydx or A = ∫ f (x )dx
x=a a

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8.4 Area below x – axis
If the required area is below x – axis as in the figure 2

x=a x=b

a b c
y=f (x)

Figure 2
Figure 3

Then A = ∫ (− y )dx since the y coordinate is negative. Hence ∫ f (x )dx will be

negative. Since we are interested only in the magnitude of the area we can take only
the magnitude if the area is negative.

8.5 Combined area under a curve

If we wish to find the area under a curve between x = a and x = c (figure 3). We must
find the area above x-axis and the area below x – axis separately and add the
magnitudes of the two areas.
For example, let the area under the curve between x = a and x = b be 15 units and in
between x = b to x = c be –5 units. Then the total area under the curve between x = a
and x = c is:
A = 15 + − 5
=15+5
=20 sq units

8.6 Area between two intersecting curves

y=f (x)

P Q

y1 Y=g (x) y2

a b
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 Figure 4
Let the equations of two curves be y = f (x) and y = g (x).
Suppose that they intersect at P and Q. Let the points of the intersection of the two
curves be (a , y1 ) and (b, y2).
The magnitude of the area between the two curves is:
b
A=
x=a
∫ [ f (x ) − g (x )]dx

Proof
The area bounded by the four boundaries y = f (x), the x- axis, x = a and x = b is
b

∫ f ( x)dx
a

Similarly the area enclosed by the four boundaries y = g (x), the x – axis x = a and x =
b
b is ∫ g (x )dx .
a
Hence the shaded area between the two curves is:

b b
A = ∫ f ( x )dx − ∫ g [x ]dx
a a
b
= ∫ [ f (x ) − g (x )]dx
a

If this is negative we can take only the magnitude or the modulus of A.

The following examples illustrate all the types of areas under the curves.

Example 1
Find the area of the rectangle bounded by the line y = 2, the x – axis, the ordinate x =
1 and x = 5 using the formula. A = ∫ ydx

Solution

y=2

y=2

x=1 x=5
Figure 5
The curve in this case is y = 2.

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 b
Using the formula A = ∫ ydx we have
a
5
A = ∫ 2dx
1

= [2 x ]x =1
x =5

=(10) – (2)
= 8 sq units

The area in this case is very simple since the area of the rectangle of length 4 units
and breadth 2 units is 8 sq units.

Example 2
Sketch the curve y = 2x2 from x = 0 to x = 5.
Evaluate the area enclosed by the curve, the x – axis and the ordinates x = 1 to x = 4

Solution
Let us prepare a table showing some points on the curve.

X 0 1 3 5
Y 0 2 18 50

y=2x2

1 5
Figure 6

The above figure shows the curve y = 2x2.

By formula,
b
A= ∫ ydx
x=a
4
= ∫ 2x 2 dx
1

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 x=4
 2 x3 
= 
 3  x =1
 128   2 
= − 
 3  3
=42 sq units

Example 3
1. Sketch the curve y = x 3 − 3 x 2 + 2 x from x = 0 to x = 3.
2. Find the area included between the curve y = x3 - 3x2 + 2x and the axis of x
from x = 0 to x = 2.
2

∫ (x )
− 3 x 2 + 2 x dx . Interpret your result.
3
3. Evaluate
0

Solution

a) The following table shows some points on the curve.

X 0 1 2 0.5 1.5 2
Y 0 0 0 0.375 -0.375 0

The graph is shown in the figure

0 1 2

Figure 7

b) Part of the area is positive and the other part is negative. Hence we should find
each area separately.
Area from x =0 to x = 1 is given by
1
A= ∫ (x − 3 x 2 + 2 x dx )
3

x =0

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 1
 x4  1 
=  − x 3 + x 2  =  − 1 + 1 − 0
4 0  4 

=1/4 sq units
Area from x = 1 to x = 2 is given by
2
A2 = ∫ (x − 3 x 2 + 2 x dx )
3

1
2
 x4 
=  − x3 + x 2 
4  x =1
1 
= (4 − 8 + 4) −  − 1 + 1
4 
1
= − sq units
4

Required area = A1 + A2

1 1
= +
4 4
1
= sq units
2

2
A= ∫ (x )
− 3 x 2 + 2 x dx
3
c)
0
2
 x4 
=  − x3 + x 2 
4 0
= (4 − 8 + 4 ) − (0 )
= 0 sq unit

If we evaluate the area directly from x = 0 to x =2 we get the area = 0.

This is because the area above x – axis is positive and that below the x- axis is
negative. Hence we should not find the area directly from x = 0 to x = 2.

Example 4
Evaluate the area enclosed between the curve y = x2 – 5x + 4 and the x- axis.

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Solution
Here the ordinates are not given. Let us find the points of intersection of the curve
with the x – axis.
Solving y = x2 – 5x + 4 (the curve)
And y = 0 (the x – axis)
we have x2 – 5x + 4 = 0
(x – 1) (x – 4) = 0
Hence x = 1 and x = 4.
If we sketch the curve y = (x – 1) (x – 4) we get the following graph.

0
1 4

y=(x-1)(x-4)

The entire area is below x – axis hence required area

Figure 8 is:
4
A= ∫ (x )
− 5 x + 4 dx
2

x =1
4
 x3 5 x 2 
=  − + 4 x 
 3 2 1
 64 80  1 5 
= − + 16  −  − + 4 
 3 2  3 2 
27
= sq units
6

=4.5 sq units

Example 5
Find the area between the curve x2 = y and the straight line y = 2.

Solution
It is always better to sketch the curve to determine whether the required area is
completely above the x – axis or below the x – axis or a portion of the area is above
the x – axis and the other portion is below the x – axis.
The following figure shows the sketch of the curves:

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 y=x2

A B

….. ……………….………. y=2

……….………………
…………………
….………
D C

x=- 2 x= 2

Figure 9

Solving y = x2 and y =2 we get x2 = 2 and x = 2 and x = - 2 and y =2. Since the

complete area required is above the x – axis we get the required area.

2
A= ∫ ydx
− 2

2
= ∫ x dx
2

− 2

2
 x3 
=  
 3 − 2

2 2 −2 2
=  −
  3 

 3   

4 2
sq units.
3
This is the area below the curve and the x – axis.
4 2
The shaded area = Area of the rectangle ABCD -
3

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=22 2 − ( ) 4 2
3

−4 2
=4 2−
3

8 2
= sq units
3
Example 6
Find the area enclosed by the line y = 4x and the curve y = x2.

Solution
The graph is shown in the figure below:

y=4x
y=x2

16

0,0 4 Figure 10
The points of intersection of the curve y = x2 and the line y = 4x are given by solving
the two equations.
Using x2 = 4x we have
X2 – 4x = 0 or x (x – 4) = 0.
Hence x = 0 or x = 4 correspondingly y = 0 or y = 16.
The required area (shaded) = Area under the line (y = 4x) – area under the curve (y =
x2).
4

∫ (4 x − x )dx
2
=
0

4
 4 x 2 x3 
=  − 
 2 3 0

= 32 – 64/3

= 32/3 sq units

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Exercise 8
1. Find the area under the curve y = x + 3x2 between x = 1 and x = 2.

2. Find the area enclosed by the curve x2y = 36, the x – axis and the lines x = 6 and x
= 9.

3. Find the area enclosed by the curve y = x , the x – axis and the ordinates x = 1
and x =4.

4. Find the area enclosed by the curve y = x (x –4) and the axis of x.

5. Find the area in the first quadrant enclosed by the line y = x and the curve y = x3.

6. Find the area between the curve x2 = y and the line y = 2.

7. Find the area in the positive quadrant enclosed by the curves y = x2 and y = x3.

8. Find the area common to the two curves y2 = 12x and x2 + y2 = 24x.

9. Find the area common to the circle x2 + y2 = 25 and the parabola 3x2 = 16y.

10. Find the area common to the circle

x2 + y2 = 16 and the ellipse x2 + 3y2 = 24.

Summary

You have learnt the following from this chapter:

i. The area enclosed by a curve y = f (x), the x – axis, the ordinate x = a and the
ordinate x = b is given by
b
A= ∫ ydx
a

b
= ∫ f ( x)dx
a

ii. Area above the x – axis is positive and the area below the x – axis is negative.

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iii. If the required area consists of one portion above the x - axis and the other
portion below the x – axis. We must find each area separately and add their
magnitudes.

iv. If y = f (x) and y = g (x) are two curves and if they intersect, the numerical
b
value of the area between the two curves. ∫ [ f ( x) − g ( x)dx] provided the
a

common points of intersection have their x coordinates a and b.

Further reading
Additional pure mathematics
By L. Harwood Clarke
Heinemann Educational Books Ltd
London

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