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Area under curve

Definite integrals

Properties:

$ - \int_a^b f(x) \phantom{.} dx = $ $ \int_b^a f(x) \phantom{.} dx $


$ \text{If } k \text{ is a constant, } \int_a^b k f(x) \phantom{.} dx = $ $ k \int_a^b f(x) \phantom{.} dx $


$ \int_a^b f(x) \pm g(x) \phantom{.} dx = $ $ \int_a^b f(x) \phantom{.} dx \pm \int_a^b g(x) \phantom{.} dx $


$ \int_a^b f(x) \phantom{.} dx + \int_b^c f(x) \phantom{.} dx = $ $ \int_a^c f(x) \phantom{.} dx $

Area bounded by curve and x-axis

diagram

$ \text{Area bounded} = $ $ \int_{x_1}^{x_2} f(x) \phantom{.} dx $


diagram

$ \text{Area bounded} = $ $ - \int_{x_1}^{x_2} f(x) \phantom{.} dx $


Example

diagram

The figure shows part of the curve $y = 2 \sin 3x + 1$, meeting the $x$-axis at the points $A$ and $B$.

(i) Show that the $x$-coordinate of $A$ is ${7 \over 18} \pi$ and that the $x$-coordinate of $B$ is ${11 \over 18} \pi $.

Solutions

(ii) Show that the total area of the shaded regions is $ \left( \sqrt{3} + {3 \over 18}\pi + {2 \over 3} \right) \text{ units}^2 $.

Solutions


Area bounded by curve and y-axis

diagram

$ \text{Area bounded} = $ $ \int_{y_1}^{y_2} f(y) \phantom{.} dy $


diagram

$ \text{Area bounded} = $ $ - \int_{y_1}^{y_2} f(y) \phantom{.} dy $


Example

diagram

The figure shows part of the curve $y = \ln (x + 1) $, which passes through the origin.

(i) Express $x$ in terms of $y$.

Answer: $ x = e^y - 1 $

Solutions

(ii) Hence, find the exact area bounded by the curve $y = \ln (x + 1)$, the line $y = \ln 4$ and the $y$-axis.

Answer: $ (3 - \ln 4) \text{ units}^2 $

Solutions


Area bounded by curve and line

Sum of two areas:

diagram

For this case, the area bounded by the line $y = x + 1$ and the curve $y = -x^2 + 2x + 3$ is the sum of the area of regions $A$ and $B$:

  1. Region $A$ is bounded by the line $y = x + 1$ and is a triangle
  2. Region $B$ is bounded by the curve $y = -x^2 + 2x + 3$ and can be found by integration, i.e. $ \int_2^3 - x^2 + 2x + 3 \phantom{.} dx $

Difference of two areas:

diagram

For this case, the area bounded by the line $y = x + 1$ and the curve $y = -x^2 + 2x + 3$ is the difference of the area of regions $C + D$ and $D$:

  1. Regions $C$ and $D$ is bounded by the curve $y = -x^2 + 2x + 3$ and can be found by integration, i.e. $ \int_{-1}^2 - x^2 + 2x + 3 \phantom{.} dx $
  2. Region $D$ is bounded by the line $y = x + 1$ and is a triangle

Example

diagram

The diagram above shows part of the curve $y = {3x + 1 \over x - 1}$. Points $P(2, 7)$ and $Q(3, 5)$ lie on the curve.

(from think! A Maths Workbook Worksheet 15C)

(i) Express ${3x + 1 \over x - 1}$ in the form of $a + {b \over x - 1}$.

Answer: $ 3 + {4 \over x - 1} $

Solutions

(ii) Find the area of the shaded region.

Answer: $ 0.227 \text{ units}^2 $

Solutions


Past year O level questions

Year & paper Comments
2024 P1 Question 13b Area bounded by curve, tangent to the curve and x-axis
2022 P2 Question 10 Area bounded by curve, tangent to the curve and y-axis
2021 P1 Question 14 Area bounded by curve, normal to the curve and axes
2021 P2 Question 10 Area bounded by curve and line (worth 12 marks since there are a lot of things to solve for)
2020 P1 Question 10 Area bounded by curve and line
2019 P2 Question 9 Area bounded by curve, tangent to the curve and y-axis
2018 P2 Question 10 Area bounded by curve, tangent to the curve and x-axis
2017 P1 Question 11ii Area bounded by curve and line
2016 P2 Question 9iii Area bounded by curve and x-axis (one region above x-axis and another region below the axis)
2015 P1 Question 12b Area bounded by curve and x-axis
2014 P2 Question 11 Area bounded by curve and line (Need to use differentiation result from first part)
2013 P2 Question 11 Area bounded by curve and line
2012 P2 Question 11 Area bounded by curve, normal to the curve and x-axis
2011 P2 Question 9 Area bounded by curve, tangent to the curve and x-axis
2010 P2 Question 7 Area bounded by curve and line
2009 P2 Question 6 Area bounded by curve and x-axis (one region above x-axis and another region below the axis)
2008 P2 Question 8iii Area bounded by curve and axes
2007 P2 Question 12 Or Area bounded by curve, tangent to the curve and x-axis
2007 P1 Question 5 Area bounded by curve and x-axis (Need to use differentiation from previous part) (Link - Subscription required)
2006 P1 Question 12 Either Area bounded by curve, normal to the curve and x-axis
2005 P2 Question 12 Either Area bounded by curve, normal to the curve and x-axis
2004 P1 Question 12 Or iii Area bounded by curve and axes
2004 P2 Question 3 Area bounded by curve and axes
2004 P2 Question 12 Or i Area bounded by curve and axes
2003 P1 Question 5 Area bounded by curve and axes (Link - Subscription required)
2002 P1 Question 4 Area bounded by line and curve


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