3.

4 CENTROID BY INTEGRATION

Example
Determine the centroid of the shaded area as shown, which is bounded by the x-axis, the line x = 2
and the parabola y2 = 8x. (y – k)2 = 4a(x – h) V(h, k)

Area of parabola by integration:

A    yu  yL  dx     16
2 2
8x  0 dx  square units
0 0 3

Location of centroid from the y-axis (or the x-coordinate of the centroid)
x2
Ax   x c dA
x1

 16 
 
2
 3  x  0 x 8x dx
 
 16 
 3  x  6.4
 
x  1.2 units

Location of centroid from the x-axis (or the y-coordinate of the centroid)
2
Ay   y c dA
0

 16 
      
2 1 
 3  y  0  2 y  2 2x dx  0  y 
2 2
2x dx   2 2x 2x dx
    0

 16  2
 3  y  4 0 x dx  8
 
y  1.5 units
C 1.2, 1.5  ans.

-1- 9TTH
Exercises

1. Determine the centroid of the shaded area which is bounded by a line: 2x + 3y = 6 in the first
quadrant.
2. Determine the centroid of the shaded area which is bounded by a parabola: x2 = - 4 (y – 1) in
the first quadrant.

-2- 9TTH