HKCWCC Advanced Level Pure Maths.

Geometric Applications of Definite Integrals

1. Areas of Plane Figures
(A) Equations of Curves are represented in Rectangular Form
Revisions:
Let A denote the area (or the total area ) of the shaded region.

y y

y = f(x)
a b
x
0

x y = f(x)
0 a b b b

∫ ∫
b b
A = − f ( x) dx = f ( x) dx
A= ∫ f ( x)dx = ∫ f ( x) dx a a
a a

y
y

y = g(x)
a 0 d b b
x 0
c x
a
y = f(x)

y = f(x)

c d b

∫
A = − f ( x) dx + ∫ f ( x) dx − ∫ f (x)dx b b

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

∫
a a
= f ( x ) dx
a

y
y
x = ϕ(y)
d d
x = ϕ(y)
c
c
x
x 0
0

d d d d

∫
A = ϕ( y) dy = ∫ ϕ( y) dy
∫
A = − ϕ( y) dy = ∫ ϕ( y ) dy
c c c c

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HKCWCC Advanced Level Pure Maths.
y y

d
d x = ϕ(y)
q x = ψ(y)

x
0
x
c
p
x = ϕ(y)
c d d

p q d
∫
A = [ϕ( y) − φ( y)] dy = ∫ ϕ( y ) − φ( y) dy
∫ ∫ ∫
c c
A = ϕ( y) dy − ϕ( y) dy + ϕ( y) dy
c p q
d

= ∫ ϕ( y) dy
c

Class Exercises:
x2 y2
(1) Find the area enclosed by the ellipse + =1
a2 b2

(2) Find the area enclosed by the graphs x − 2 y 2 + 4 = 0

(B) Equations of Curves are in Parametric Form

If the equation of the curve is in parametric form

 x = F (t )
 where t is a parameter and if t = α when x = a and t = β when x = b
 y = G ( t)
y
dx
Conditions: (1): = F ' ( t) is continuous on [α, β]
dt
t =β
(2): F’(t) does not change sign on [α, β], t =α
β β

then the area ∫ G (t ) F ' ( t) dt =

∫ y x' ( t) dt
0 a x
α α b
Class Exercise:
 x = a cos t
(1) Find the area of the ellipse  , where a > 0 and b > 0.
 y = b sin t

 x = a cos3 t
(2) Find the area of the region bounded by the astroid  where a > 0
 y = a sin 3 t

 x = at
(3) Find the area bounded by one arch of the curve  where a > 0 and 0 ≤ t ≤ 2π and the
 y = a (1 − cos t)
x-axis.

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HKCWCC Advanced Level Pure Maths.

(C) The equation of the curve is in polar coordinate form

Class Exercises:
(1) Find the area of one loop of the four-leaved rose r = a sin 2θ (a > 0)
(2) Find the area of the cardiod r = a (1 − cos θ), (a > 0).

(3) Ex. 6.1. #19 - #21.

2. Arc length of Plane Curves.

(A) Equations of curves are in
Rectangular Form
The length of the curve is
Definition 2.1.
defined as the limit of the sum
of the chords joining adjacent points of division increases without bound in such a way that
at the same time each chord separately tends to zero. The length of the arc PoPn is
n
lim
λ→0
∑P i −1 Pi , where λ = max {Pi-1Pi : i = 1, 2, … .n }
i =1

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HKCWCC Advanced Level Pure Maths.

Definition 2.2. If the limit exists, then the curve is said to be rectifiable.
A curve y = f(x) is said to be
(1) continuous if f(x) is a continuous function of x.
(2) smooth if f’(x) is a continuous function.
(3) Very smooth if f”(x) is a continuous function.

Theorem 2.1. If a curve of y = f(x) has a continuous derivative on [a, b], then the length of the curve
from x =a to x = b is given by
b b 2
 dy 
∫ 1 + ( f ' ( x)) 2 dx = ∫ 1 +   dx
 dx 
a a

For details, refer to textbook p.244-245.

Class Exercises:
1 1 7
(1) Find the length of the curve y = ( x + 1)( x + 2 ) − ln(2 x + 3) [ 6 + ln ]
8 8 5

(2) Find the length of the parabolic arc y 2 = −4 x from (0, 0) to (-4, 4). [ 2 5 + ln(2 + 5 ) units ]

(3) Find the length in the first quadrant of the curve

2 2
 x 3  y 3 a 2 + ab + b 2
  +   = 1 , where a > b > 0 [ ]
a b a+b

(B) Equations of Curves are in Parametric Form

If y = f(x) is a smooth function and is expressed in parametric form x = x(t) and y = y(t),
Theorem 2.2.
then its arc length form t = t 1 to t = t 2
b 2 t2
 dy 
Arc length = ∫ 1 +   dx = ∫ [x' ( t) ]2 + [y ' (t ) ]2 dt
a
 dx  t 1

Conditions: The curve moves in the direction of the increasing or decreasing values of
x (i.e. x(t) does not change sign in (t1, t 2)
Proof: Suppose t = t 1, x = a and t = t 2, x = b

 2 
  dy  
b 2  t2 
 dy    dx  dt
Arc length = ∫  dx  ∫
1 +   dx =  1 +  dt
 dx  dt 
a t1    
  dt  
 
t2 2 2 t2
 dx   dy 
= ∫   +   dt = ∫ [x' (t ) ]2 + [y' ( t) ]2 dt
t1
 dt   dt  t1

Class Exercises:
 x = a cos3 t
(1) Find the length of the circumference of the astroid  [6a]
 y = a sin 3 t

(2) Find the length of one arch of the cycloid

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HKCWCC Advanced Level Pure Maths.

 x = a (t − sin t )
 [8a]
 y = a (1 − cos t)

(C) Equations of the Curves are in Polar Coordinate Form

Theorem 2.3. Let r = r(θ) be a smooth curve defined on [α, β] where α < β.
β 2
 dr 
Arc length between θ = α and θ = β = ∫ r2 +  dθ
 dθ 
α

 x = r (θ) cos θ
Proof:  where (α ≤ θ ≤ β)
 y = r (θ) sin θ
β 2 2
 dx   dy 
Arc length = ∫ 
 d θ
 +

 dθ
 dθ 
α

= ∫ [r ' (θ) cosθ − r (θ) sin θ]2 + [r ' (θ) sin θ + r (θ) cosθ]2 dθ
α

β β 2
 dr 
= ∫ [r (θ) ]2 + [r ' (θ) ]2 dθ = ∫ r +
2
 dθ
α α
 dθ 

Class Exercises:
θ
(1) Find the total length of the curves (a) r = a sin 3 (b) r = a (1 + cos θ) , the cardioid.
3

3
(a) [ πa ] (b) [ 8a ]
2

3. Volumes of Solids of Revolution

Let y = f(x) be a continuous function defined on [a, b], and S be the region bounded by
Theorem 3.1.
the curve y = f(x), the lines x =a and x = b and the x-axis. Then the volume V of the solid
generated by revolving the region S one complete revolution about the x-axis is given by

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HKCWCC Advanced Level Pure Maths.

b b

∫
V = π y dx = π [ f ( x )] 2 dx ∫
2

a a

Proof:
(1) Divide the interval [a, b] into n parts by inserting points
a = xo < x1 < x 2 < … .< x i-1 < xi < … ..<xn-1 < xn = b
(2) In each subinterval [ xi-1, xI ], take any point ξi.

Construct a cylinder with the base radius ξ i and height ( xi − xi −1 )

Therefore, the volume of the cylinder π f (ξii ) (x i − x i −1 ) = π f (ξii ) 2 ( xi − xi −1 )

2

(3) The sum of all the volumes of these n cylinders is

n

∑ π[ f (ξi )] i
2
( xi − xi −1 )
i =1

(4) As λ(∆ ) → 0 , where λ(∆) = max { ( xi − xi −1 ) : i = 1, 2, … .n }

Hence the required volume is

n b

V = lim
λ→0
∑ π[ f (ξi )] i
2
∫
( xi − xi −1 ) = π[ f ( x)] 2 dx
i =1 a

b b

∫
= π [ f ( x)] dx = π y 2 dx ∫
2

a a

Corollary 3.2. Let y = f(x) be a continuous function defined

on [a, b], and S be the region bounded by the
curve y = f(x), the lines x =a and x = b and the
y = h. Then the volume V of the solid
generated by revolving the region S one
complete revolution about the y = h is given by
b b

∫
V = π ( y − h ) 2 dx = π [ f ( x) − h ] 2 dx ∫
a a

Let x = ϕ(y) be a continuous function

Theorem 3.3.
defined on [c, d], and S be the region

bounded by the curve x = ϕ(y), the lines y =

c and y = d and the y- axis. Then the
volume V of the solid generated by
revolving the region S one complete
revolution about the y-axis is given by
d d

∫
V = π x dy = π [ϕ( y)] 2 dy ∫
2

c c

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Corollary 3.4. Let x = ϕ(y) be a continuous function defined on

[c, d], and S be the region bounded by the curve x
= ϕ(y), the lines y = c and y = d and the x = k.
Then the volume V of the solid generated by
revolving the region S one complete revolution
about the x = k is given by
d d

∫ ∫
V = π ( x − k ) 2 dy = π [ϕ( y ) − k ] 2 dy
c c

Class Exercises:
(1) Find the volume of the solid generated by revolving one complete revolution of the upper half region
2
2
x  y 3
of the closed curve   +   = 1 about the line y = b, (a > 0, b > 0)
 
a b

51 3π
[ πab 2 ( − ) cu. units]
35 8
(2) Find the volume of the solid generated by revolving the region bounded by the cycloid

 x = a (t − sin t )
 where a > 0 and 0 ≤ t ≤ 2π , and the x – axis bout the x –axis.
 y = a (1 − cos t)

[ 5π 2 a 3 cu. units]

4. Shell Method
In the preceding section, the volume of solid of revolution is found by using circular disks. For certain types of
solid, it is more convenient to use hollow circular cylinders as differential elements – i.e., thin cylindrical shells.

Theorem 4.1. The volume of solid generated by the region bounded by the graph f(x), the x-axis and the
line x = a and x = b is revolved about the y-axis.
If the internal radius and external radius of the shell are x and (∆x+x) respectively, then the
cross section area A is given by

A = π ( x + ∆x) 2 − πx 2 = π[( x + ∆x) + x][ ( x + ∆x ) − x ] = π ( 2 x + ∆x )∆x

For ∆x tends to zero, we obtain the result A = 2πx∆x
Let f(x) be a continuous on [a, b]. If the area bounded by x ∆x
the graph of f(x), the x – axis, the lines x = a and x = b is
resolved about the y-axis, the volume v of the solid generated
b

∫
is V = 2π xf ( x) dx
a

Corollary 4.2. The volume of the bounded by the curves y2 = f(x) y

y2 = f(x)
and y1 = g(x) and is revolved about y – axis is
b

∫
given by V = 2π x( y 2 − y1 ) dx where y 2 ≥ y1 .
a
y1 = g(x)
(1)
x
0 a b
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For Further Reference

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HKCWCC Advanced Level Pure Maths.

Corollary 4.3. The volume of the bounded by the curves x2 =F(y) y x1 = G(y)
and x1 = G(y) and is revolved about x – axis is
d
d

∫
given by V = 2π y ( x 2 − x1 ) dy where x 2 ≥ x1 .
c x2 = F(y)
c

x
0

Class Exercises:

(2) Find the volume of the solid generated by revolving the area bounded by the curve y = a 2 − x 2 and

2πa 3
the x-axis about y-axis. [ ]
3

Find the volume of the solid generated by revolving the region bounded by graph of y = x 3 , the x-axis and the

π
line x =1 about the line x =1. [ ]
10

5. Solids with known parallel cross section

Consider a solid with a curved lateral surface and two end planes x = a and x = b.

Let A(x) be the cross section area of the solid by a plane perpendicular to the x-axis.
1. Divide [a, b ] into {a = xo, x1 , x2, … ,x i-1, xi, … x n = b} and λ(∆) = max {∆xi : i = 1, 2, … n }
2. There exists some ξi ∈ [ xi −1 , x i ] such that area of the cross-section = A(ξi ) and the volume of the

portion V’ = A (ξi ) ∆xi .

n b

3. The volume of the whole solid = lim

λ→0
∑ A(ξi )∆xi = ∫ A( x)dx where A(x) is the cross-section area
i =1 a

function.

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