Area Under Curve

1. Curve Tracing :
To find the approximate shape of a curve, the following procedure is adopted in order:
(a) Symmetry:
(i) Symmetry about x



axis:
If all the powers of '

y

' in the equation are even then the curve is symmetrical about the x

axis.
E.g.: y
2
= 4 a

x.
(ii) Symmetry about y



axis:
If all the powers of '

x

' in the equation are even then the curve is symmetrical about the y

axis.
E.g.: x
2
= 4 a

y.
(iii) Symmetry about both axis;
If all the powers of '

x

' and '

y

' in the equation are even, the curve is symmetrical about the axis of '

x
' as well as '

y

'.
E.g.: x
2
+ y
2
= a
2
.
(iv) Symmetry about the line y = x:
If the equation of the curve remains unchanged on interchanging '

x

' and '

y

', then the curve is
symmetrical about the line y = x.
E.g.: x
3
+ y
3
= 3 a

x

y.
(v) Symmetry in opposite quadrants:
If the equation of the curve remains unaltered when '

x

' and '

y

' are replaced by x and y respectively,
then there is symmetry in opposite quadrants.
E.g.: x

y = c
2
.
(b) Find the points where the curve crosses the xaxis and also the yaxis.
(c) Find
x d
y d
and equate it to zero to find the points on the curve where you have horizontal tangents.
(d) Examine if possible the intervals when f

(x) is increasing or decreasing.
(e) Examine what happens to y when x or x .
(f) Asymptotes :
Asymptoto(s) is (are) line (s) whose distance from the curve tends to zero as point on curve moves towards
infinity along branch of curve.
(i) If
a x
Lt

f(x) = or
a x
Lt

f(x) = , then x = a is asymptote of y = f(x)

(ii) If
+ x
Lt
f(x) = k or
x
Lt
f(x) = k, then y = k is asymptote of y = f(x)
(iii) If
x
Lt

x
) x ( f
= m
1
,
x
Lt
(f(x) m
1
x) = c, then y = m
1
x + c
1
is an asymptote. (inclined to right)
(iv) If
x
Lt

x
) x ( f
= m
2
,
x
Lt
(f(x) m
2
x) = c
2
, then y = m
2
x + c
2
is an asymptote (inclined to left)
Example : Find asymptote of y = e
x
Solution.
x
Lim
y =
x
Lim
e
x
= 0
y = 0 is asymptote.
Example : Find asymptotes of xy = 1 and draw graph.
Solution y =
x
1
0 x
Lim

y =
0 x
Lim

x
1
= x = 0 is asymptote.
x
Lim
y =
x
Lim

x
1
= 0 y = 0 is asymptote.
Example : Find asymptotes of y = x +
x
1
and sketch the curve.
Solution
0 x
Lim

y =
0 x
Lim

\
|
+
x
1
x
= + or
x = 0 is asymptote.
0 x
Lim

y =
0 x
Lim

\
|
+
x
1
x
=
there is no asymptote of the type y = k.
x
Lim

x
y
=
x
Lim

|

\
|
+
2
x
1
1
= 1
x
Lim
(y x) =
x
Lim

|

\
|
+ x
x
1
x
=
x
Lim

x
1
= 0
y = x + 0 y = x is asymptote.
A rough sketch is as follows
2. 2. 2. 2. Quadrature : Quadrature : Quadrature : Quadrature :
(a) If f(x) 0 for x [a, b], then area bounded by curve y = f(x), x-axis, x-axis, x = a and x = b is

b
a
dx ) x ( f
Example : Find area bounded by the curve y = n x + tan
1
x and x-axis between ordinates x = 1 and x = 2.
Solution y = n x + tan
1
x
Domain x > 0
dx
dy
=
x
1
+
2
x 1
1
+
> 0
It is increasing function
x
Lt
y =
x
Lt
(n x + tan
1
x) =
+
0 x
Lt
y = +
0 x
Lt
(n x + tan
1
x) =
A rought sketch is as follows
Required area =

+
2
1
1
) x tan x n ( dx
=
2
1
2 1
) x 1 ( n
2
1
x tan x x x n x
(

+ +


= 2 n 2 2 + 2 tan
1
2
2
1
n 5 0 + 1 tan
1
1 +
2
1
n 2
=
2
5
n 2
2
1
n 5 + 2 tan
1
2
4

1
(b) If f(x) 0 for x [a, b], then area bounded by curve y = f(x), x-axis, x = a and x = b is

b
a
dx ) x ( f
Example : Find area bounded by y = x log
2
1
and x-axis between x = 1 and x = 2.
Solution. A rought sketch of y = x log
2
1
is as follows
Area =

2
1
2
1
x log dx =

2
1
e
x log . e log
2
1
dx
= e log
2
1
.
2
1 e
] x x log x [
= e log
2
1
. (2 log
e
2 2 0 + 1)
= e log
2
1
. (2 log
e
2 1)
Note : If y = f(x) does not change sign an [a, b], then area bounded by y = f(x), x-axis between
ordinates x = a, x = b is

b
a
dx ) x ( f
.
(c) If f(x) > 0 for x [a,c] and f(x) < 0 for x [c,b] (a < c < b) then area bounded by curve y = f(x) and xaxis
between x = a and x = b is

c
a
b
c
dx ) x ( f dx ) x ( f
.
Example : Find the area bounded by y = x
3
and xaxis between ordinates x = 1 and x = 1.
Solution Required area =

+
0
1
1
0
3 3
dx x dx x
=
0
1
4
4
x

(
(

+
1
0
3
4
x
(
(

(
= 0
|

\
|

4
1
+
4
1
0 =
2
1
Note : Area bounded by curve y = f(x) and xaxis between ordinates x = a and x = b is

b
a
dx | ) x ( f | .
(d) If f(x) > g(x) for x[a,b] then area bounded by curves y = f(x) and y = g(x) between ordinates x = a and
x = b is ( )dx ) x ( g ) x ( f
b
a

.
Example : Find the area enclosed by curve y = x
2
+ x + 1 and its tangent at (1,3) between ordinates x = 1 and
x = 1.
Solution.
dx
dy
= 2x + 1
dx
dy
= 3 at x = 1
Equation of tangent is
y 3 = 3 (x 1)
y = 3x
Required area =
dx ) x 3 1 x x (
1
1
2

+ +
=
1
1
2
3
1
1
2
x x
3
x
dx ) 1 x 2 x (

(
(

(
+ = +

=
|

\
|
+ 1 1
3
1

|

\
|
1 1
3
1
=
3
2
+ 2 =
3
8
Note : Area bounded by curves y = f(x) and y = g (x) between ordinates x = a and x = b is

b
a
dx | ) x ( g ) x ( f |
.
(e) If g (y) 0 for y [c,d] then area bounded by curve x = g(y) and yaxis between abscissa y = c and
y = d is

=
d
c y
dy ) y ( g
Example : Find area bounded between y = sin
1
x and yaxis between y = 0 and y =
2

.
Solution y = sin
1
x
x = sin y
Required area =

2
0
dy y sin
=
]
2
0
y cos

= (0 1) = 1
Note : The area in above example can also evaluated by integration with respect to x.
Area = (area of rectangle formed by x = 0, y = 0 , x = 1, y =
2

) (area bounded by y = sin

1
x,
xaxis between x = 0 and x = 1)
=
2

1
0
1
x sin dx =
2

(x sin
1
x +
2
x 1
)
1
=
2

\
|
+

1 0 0
2
= 1
Some more solved examples Some more solved examples Some more solved examples Some more solved examples
Example : Find the area contained between the two arms of curves (y x)
2
= x
3
between x = 0 and x = 1.
Solution (y x)
2
= x
3
y = x x
3/2
For arm
y = x + x
3/2

dx
dy
= 1 +
2
3
x
1/2
> 0 x > 0.
y is increasing function.
For arm
y = x x
3/2

dx
dy
= 1
2
3
x
1/2
dx
dy
= 0 x =
9
4
,
2
1
2
2
x
4
3
dx
y d

= < 0 at x =
9
4
at x =
9
4
y = x x
3/2
has maxima.
Required are a =
+ +
1
0
2 / 3 2 / 3
dx ) x x x x (
= 2
1
0
2 / 5
1
0
2 / 3
2 / 5
x 2
dx x
(
(

(
=

=
5
4
Example : Find area contained by ellipse 2x
2
+ 6xy + 5y
2
= 1
Solution. 5y
2
+ 6xy + 2x
2
1 = 0
y =
10
) 1 x 2 ( 20 x 36 x 6
2 2

y =
5
x 5 x 3
2


y is real R.H.S. is also real.

5
< x <
5
If x =
5
, y = 3
5
If x =
5
, y = 3
5
If x = 0, y = +
5
1
If y = 0, x = +
2
1
Required area =

|
|

\
|

+
5
5
2 2
5
x 5 x 3
5
x 5 x 3
dx
=
5
2

5
5
2
dx x 5
=
5
4

dx x 5
5
0
2

Put x =
5
sin : dx =
5
cos d
L.L : x = 0 = 0
U.L : x =
5
=
2

=
5
4

=
d cos 5 sin 5 5
2
0
2
= 4

2
0
2
d cos = 4
2
1

2

=
Example : Let A (m) be area bounded by parabola y = x
2
+ 2x 3 and the line y = mx + 1. Find the least area
A(m).
Solution. Solving we obtain
x
2
+ (2 m) x 4 = 0
Let , be roots + = m 2, = 4
A (m) =

+ + dx ) 3 x 2 x 1 mx (
2
=

+ + dx ) 4 x ) 2 m ( x (
2
=

|
|

\
|
+ + x 4
2
x
) 2 m (
3
x
2 3
=
) ( 4 ) (
2
2 m
3
2 2
3 3
+

+

= | |.
4 ) (
2
) 2 m (
) (
3
1
2 2
+ +

+ + +
= 16 ) 2 m (
2
+
( ) 4 ) 2 m (
2
) 2 m (
4 ) 2 m (
3
1
2
+

+ +
= 16 ) 2 m (
2
+
3
8
) 2 m (
6
1
2
+
A(m) =
6
1
( )
2 / 3
2
16 ) 2 m ( +
Leas A(m) =
6
1
(16)
3/2
=
3
32
.
Self Practice Problems
1. Find the area between curve y = x
2
3x + 2 and xaxis
(i) bounded between x = 1 and x = 2. Ans.
6
1
(ii) bound between x = 0 and x = 2. Ans. 1
2. Find the area included between curves y = 2x x
2
and y + 3 = 0.
Ans.
3
32
3. Find area between curves y = x
2
and y = 3x 2 from x = 0 to x = 2.
Ans. 1
4. Curves y = sinx and y = cosx intersect at infinite number of points forming regions of equal area between
them calculate area of one such region.
Ans.
2 2
5. Find the area of the region bounded by the parabola (y 2)
2
= (x 1) and the tangent to it at ordinate y = 3
and xaxis.
Ans. 9
6. Find the area included between y = tan
1
x, y = cot
1
x and yaxis.
Ans. n2
7. Find area common to circle x
2
+ y
2
= 2 and the parabola y
2
= x.
Ans.
3
2
2
3
3

8. Find the area included between curves y =

2
2
x 4
x 4
+

and 5y = 3|x| 6.
Ans. 2
5
8
9. Find the area bounded by the curve |y| +
2
1
= e
|x|
.
Ans. 2 (1n2)
10. Find the area of loop y
2
= x (x 1)
2
.
Ans.
15
8
11. Find the area enclosed by |x| + |y| < 3 and xy > 2.
Ans. 34n2
12. Find are bounded by x
2
+ y
2
< 2ax and y
2
> ax, x > 0.
Ans.
|

\
|
6
8 3
a
2
.