F.

APPLICATION OF INTEGRALS

1. Displacement
2. Arc length of a curve,
3. Area of region bounded curves
4. Area of a surface of revolution
5. Volume of a solid of a revolution.

F.1. Displacement

Let x=x (t ) is the displacement at x-direction at time t , then the velocity and acceleration at
time t are given, respectively, by:
' dx
⃗v (t )=x (t )=
(i) dt
2
'' d ⃗v d x
⃗a (t )=x (t )= =
(ii) dt dt 2
2
'' d ⃗v d x
⃗a (t )=x (t )= = 2
It means that, if it is given acceleration dt dt , then

(iii) ⃗v (t )=∫ ⃗a (t )dt

(iv)
x(t )=∫ ⃗v (t )dt

Example 1: A car is travelling at 72 km/h. At a certain instant its brakes are applied to
produce a constant deceleration of 0.8 m/s2. How far does the car travel before coming to a
stop?

Solution: Let x(t ) be the distance the car travels in the t seconds after the breaks are applied.
'' 2
Then the deceleration x (t )=−0 . 8(m/ s ) , and the velocity at time t is given by
v(t )=x' (t )=∫ x ' ' (t )dt=∫−0 .8 dt=−0. 8t+c1 m/s.
' c =20 . Thus,
Since x (0 )=72 km/h = 20 m/s, we have 1
'
x ( t )=20−0 . 8 t
And
x(t )=∫ ( 20−0. 8 t ) dt=20 t−0 .4 t2 +c 2 .
2
Since x(0)=0 , we have 2
c =0
and x(t )=20 t−0 . 4 t . When the car has stopped, its
velocity will be 0. Hence, the stopping time is the solution t of the equation
0=x' (t )=20−0 . 8 t , that is, t=25 s .
2
The distance travelled during deceleration is x (25)=20(25)−0 . 4(25 ) =250 m.
F.2. Arc length (Length of a curve)

The length of the curve is defined as

The length of the line segment joining and is given by

Theorem 1
If y=f ( x ) is a function with continuous first order derivative on the interval , then the
length of the curve (arc length) y=f ( x), x∈[ a , b ] is defined by the integral
b
Arc length , L=∫ √ 1+[ f ' ( x )]2 dx
a

Example 1: Find the length of the curve y=x from (1,1) to ( 2,2 √ 2 ) .
2

1
dy 3
y=x ⇒ = x 2
3/ 2

Solution: Let dx 2 , then the required arc length is given by

√
2 2
9
L=∫ √ 1+[ dy /dx ]2 dx=∫ 1+ x dx
1 1 4 . By method of substitution,
9 9 13 22
u=1+ x ⇒ du= dx x=1⇒ u= x=2 ⇒u=
Let 4 4 . When 4 and when 4 Hence,

22/ 4 1 3 3 3
4
9 13/ 4
8 2 22 /4 8 22 2 13
L= ∫ u du=| u | = [
2
27 13 /4 27 4
−
4 ( ) ( ) 2 ]≈2 . 09
Example 2: Find the length of the curve from to

Let , then and

Solution:

Hence,

√
4 4 4 4
13 9 1 11
L=∫ √ 1+[f ( x )] dx=∫
' 2
+ x dx= ∫ √13+9 x dx= ∫ (13+9 x )1/2 d ( 13+9 x )
0 0 4 4 20 290

4 3
1 1 2 1 4
L= ∫ (13+ 9 x )1/2 d ( 13+9 x )= ( 13+9 x ) 2 |40 = [( 13+ 9 x ) √ 13+9 x ]0
18 0 18 3 27

1 1 1
L=
27
[ (13+9( 4 )) √ 13+9(4 ) ]− [(13+9(0 )) √13+9(0) ]= [ 343−13 √ 13 ]
27 27

Theorem 2
t <t <t 1 is parametric function of the curve with continuous first
If x=x (t ) , y= y(t ) , 0
order derivative, then the length of the curve (arc length) , is defined by the integral

√[
t1

] [ ]
2 2
dx dy
Arc length , L=∫ + dt
t0 dt dt

Example 3: Determine the length of an arc of the cycloid x=a(θ+ sin θ) , y=a(1−cosθ )
measured from θ=0 to θ=π (or from (0,0) to (aπ , 2a) ).

Solution: Let x=a(θ+sin θ) and y=a(1−cosθ ) , then dx /dθ=a(1+cos θ ) and

dy /dθ=a sin θ .

√[ ] [ ]
θ1 π
2 2
dx dy
Arc length , L=∫ dθ=∫ √ a ( 1+cos θ ) + a ( sin θ) dθ
2 2 2 2
+
θ0 dθ dθ 0

√ [ ]
π π π π
1 θ θ
Arc length , L=a∫ √ 2+2 cos θ dθ=a ∫ 4 cos θ dθ= 2 a∫ cos dθ= 4 a sin
2
=4 a
0 0 2 0 2 2 0
 2
Example 4: Find the length of the curve x=t−3 and y=t −4 between the point (−1, 0)
to (0, 5) .

Solution

We know that the values of x is from x=−1 to x=0 . Thus, when x=−1 then t=2 and
when x=0 then t=3 . (Similarly, we can use the value of y for finding the value of t ).
dx dy
x=t−3 ⇒ =1 y=t 2 −4 ⇒ =2 t
dt , dt .

Hence,

√[ ] [ ]
t1 3 3
2 2
dx dy
Arc length , L=∫ dt=∫ √1 + [ 2 t ] dt=∫ √ 1+4 t dt
2 2 2
+
t0 dt dt 2 2

1 1
= (2 t ) √(2t )2 +12 + 12 ln|2 t+ √ 12 +(2t )2|+c
2 2
1
¿ t √ 1+4 t 2 + ln|2t + √ 1+4 t 2|+ c
2

[ ]
3
2 1
t √ 1+4 t + ln|2 t+ √ 1+ 4 t |
2
2 2
¿

Formulae
1 1
∫ √ a2 + x 2 dx= 2 x √ x 2+a 2 + 2 a2 ln|x+ √a 2+ x 2|+ c
F.3. Areas of a plane curves
b

Let y=f ( x ) is continuous on [ a, b ] , then the definite integral ∫a

f (x )dx
may be interpreted
as the area bounded by the curves y=f ( x ) and the x-axis from x=a and y=b .

y=f ( x )
y

Area

x
 a b

b
Area=∫a f ( x ) dx , f ( x )≥0
Or

b
Area=|∫ f ( x ) dx|, f ( x )< 0
a

Example 1: Find the area bounded by the curve y=2 x , x-axis from x=0 to x=2 .
Solution
2 2
2
∫ y dx=∫ 2 x dx=[ x 2]0=( 2 )2−(0)2=4
Area = 0 0

Example 2: Find the area bounded by the curve y=2 x , x-axis from x=−2 to x=0 .
Solution
0 0 0

∫ y dx=∫ 2 x dx=∫ x 2 dx=(0)2−(−2 )2=−4

We know that −2 −2 −2 is negative.
0
Area=|∫ y dx|=|−4|=4
But the area should be positive, i.e., −2 .

Example 3: Find the area bounded by the curve y=√ x , x-axis from x=1 to y=4 .
Solution

[ ][ ]
4 4 4 1 3 4 4

1 1 1
2
3 1
2
3 1
2
3
2
3
14
Area=∫ y dx=∫ √ x dx=∫ x dx= x 2 = x √ x = 4 √ 4 − (1) √ 1 = =4
2
3
2
3 ( )( )
2 2
x y
2
+ 2 =1
Example 4: Find the area of the quadrant of the ellipse a b between the major and
minor axes.

Solution: b
a
2 2
x y b
+ 2 =1 ⇒b 2 x 2 + a2 y 2 =a 2 b2 ⇒ y=± √a 2−x 2
2
Let a b a .
a
a a b 2 2 b
Area ==∫0 ydx=∫0
a
√ a −x dx = ∫ √ a2 −x 2 dx
a 0
The required area is given by: .
π
x=0 ⇒θ , x=a ⇒ θ=
Let x=a sin θ ⇒ dx=a cosθ dθ and when 2 . Hence,
 π π
a 2 2
b b b
∫
a 0
√ a −x dx= ∫ √ a −a sin θ a cos θ dθ= ∫ √ a cos θ a cos θ dθ
2 2
a 0
2 2 2
a 0
2 2

π π π

[ ]
2 2 2 π
b ab ab 1
= ∫ a cos θ dθ=ab ∫ cos θ dθ= ∫ [ 1+cos 2 θ ] dθ=
2 2 2
θ+ sin 2 θ 2
a0 0
2 0 2 2 0

=
[
ab π 1 π 1
+ sin 2( )−0− sin 2(0 ) =
2 2 2 2 2 ]
π ab
4
Example 5: Find the area A of the plane region lying above the x-axis and under the curve
y=3 x−x 2 .
Solution:
2
We need to find the points where the curve y=3 x−x meets the x-axis. These are solutions
of the equation
2
0=3 x− x =x (3−x ).
The only roots are x = 0 and 3. Hence, the area of the region is given by
3
3 1 3 27 27 9
A=∫ ( 3 x− x2 ) dx=| x 2 − x3| = − −(0−0 )=
0 2 3 0 2 3 2 square units.

Example 6: Find the area under the curve y=sin x , above y = 0 from x = 0 to x=π .
Solution: The required area is
π
A=∫ sin x dx=|−cos x|π0 =−(−1−1 )=2
0 square units.

F.4. Area between two curves

If f and g are continuous functions on the interval [a, b] and if f (x )≥g( x )≥0 for all x in [a,

b], then the area of the region bounded above by y=f ( x ) and below by y=g( x ) from

x=a to x=b is represented by

b
A=∫ [ f ( x )−g (x )]dx
a

Example 1: Find the area of the bounded, plane region R lying between the curves

2 2
y=x −2 x and y=4−x .
Solution: First, we must find the intersections of the curves, so we solve the equations

simultaneously:

y=x 2 −2 x= y=4−x 2
2 x 2 −2 x−4=0
2( x−2)( x+1)=0
So x = 2 or x = -1

2 2
Since 4−x ≥x −2 x ,−1≤x≤2, The area A of R is given by

2 2 2
2
A=∫ [ ( 4−x )−( x −2 x ) ] dx=∫ (4−2 x 2 +2 x )dx =|4 x − x3 +x 2|
2 2

−1 −1 3 −1
2 2
¿ 4 (2)− (8 )+4−(−4+ +1 )
3 3
= 9 square units.

2
Example 2: Find the area of the region bounded above by y = x+6, bounded below by y=x

, and bounded on the sides by the lines x = 0 and x = 2.

Solution: The required area

[ ]
2 2
x2 x 3 34
A=∫ [ ( x +6 )−x ]dx= + 6 x− 2
=
0 2 3 0 3

Example 3 Find the area of the region bounded by the curves and
Solution: The two curves and meet when , i.e. which
gives or . Note that on the interval , the graph of lies above that of
. Thus the area of the region between and is
F.5. Volume of Revolution

The Disc Method:

The volume of the solid of revolution generated by revolving about the -axis the region
bounded by the curve , where is continuous, and the -axis from
to is given by

Example: Find the volume of a sold ball having radius a.

Solution: The ball can be generated by rotating the half-disk, 0≤ y≤√ a2 −x 2 ,−a≤x ≤a
about the x-axis. Therefore its volume is
a a a
22 1 4
V =π ∫ ( √ a −x 2
) dx=2 π ∫ ( a −x ) dx= 2 π|a x− x | = πa3
2 2 2 3

−a 0 3 0 3 cubic units.

Example: Find the volume of the solid of revolution when the region which is bounded
by the curves and is revolved about
(i) The -axis, (ii) The -axis
Solution: Let us first find the points of intersection between the two given curves.
Solving the two equations and , we have
i.e.
So, or , and the curves meet at and .

(i) The region bounded by the two curves (refer to the figure above) is revolved about
the -axis. Note that a small vertical slice of the solid which is perpendicular to the
axis of revolution is in the form of a washer with cross sectional area

The volume obtained by revolving about the -axis is

(ii) The region is revolved about the -axis. A small horizontal slice of the solid which
is perpendicular to the axis of revolution is in the form of a washer with cross
sectional area

The volume obtained by revolving about the -axis is

The Shell Method:

The volume of the solid of revolution is

Example: Find the volume of the solid generated by revolving the region bounded by the

curve and the -axis between and about

(i) The -axis
(ii) The -axis
(iii) The line
Solution:
(i) The given region is revolved about the -axis. Subdivide the region into small
strips that are parallel to the axis of revolution, then each strip when revolved
generates a cylindrical shell. The volume of the solid of revolution about the -
axis is
(ii)When the given region is revolved about the -axis, we subdivide the region into small
strips that are perpendicular to the axis of revolution. Each strip when revolved generates a
disc. The volume of the solid of revolution is

(iii)When the given region is revolved about the line , a vertical strip at coordinate is

at distance from the axis of revolution; and when revolved it generates a

cylindrical shell. The volume of solid of revolution is

F.6. Area of Surface of Revolution

If is a continuously differentiable non-negative function on ,then the area of a surface

generated by revolving the curve , about the -axis is

Suppose that a parametric curve in the upper half of the -plane defined by a pair of
continuously differentiable functions

Example 1: Find the surface area of a sphere with radius

Solution: The surface of a sphere can be generated by revolving a semicircle
, about the -axis.

Let , . Then