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Math1014 Calculus II
Area Between Curves

• The area between two curves over an interval can be approximated by sums of rectangular areas, after dividing the
region into pieces over subintervals. Passing to the limit as the number of subintervals of equal length tends to infinity,
the area of the region can be expressed as a definite integral.

y y
y = f(x)
d

x = k(y) x = h(y)
a b
x x

c
y = g(x)

Z b Z d
area = [ f (x) − g(x)]dx area = [h(y) − k(y)]dy
a c

For example, suppose a = x0 < x1 < · · · < xn = b with ∆x = xi − xi−1 = b−a

n . Then the area A between the graphs of
y = f (x) and y = g(x) can be approximated by a Riemann sum of rectangular areas:
n
A ≈ ∑ [ f (ci ) − g(ci )]∆x
i=1

where ci is a sample point in the subinterval [xi−1 , xi ]. Passing to the limit as n → ∞, we have
n Z n
A = lim
n→∞
∑ [ f (ci ) − g(ci)]∆x = a
[ f (x) − g(x)]dx .
i=1

• In general, a region enclosed by several curves may be divided into subregions of the above types.

x2 y2
Example-Exercise Find the area of the ellipse given by the equation + = 1, where a, b are positive constants.
a2 b2 y

√ p
y = ± ab a2 − x2 , or x = ± ba b2 − y2
Z a p Z b p
b a
b2 − y2dy = π ab
x

A=2 a2 − x2 dx = 2
−a a −b b

x3
y

Example-Exercise Find the area enclosed by the curves defined by y = and y = 4x − x2 .

2

x3 x3 x4 i2 10
Z 2 h
A= (4x − x2 − )dx = 2x2 − − =
0 2 3 8 0 3 x

Example-Exercise Find the area enclosed by the curves defined by y = x − 2 and y2 = 2x + 4.

Intersection points of the curves:
2y + 4 = 2x = y2 − 4; i.e., y2 − 2y − 8 = (y + 2)(y − 4) = 0.
y = −2, x = 0; y = 4, x = 6. y

Z 4 i4
1 h
A= (y + 2 − y2 + 2)dy = y2 /2 + 4y − y3/6 = 18
−2 2 −2
x

Z 0 √ Z 6 √
or A = 2 2x + 4dx + ( 2x + 4 − x + 2)dx = 18
−2 0
 2

Exercise Find the area enclosed by the curves y2 − 4y = x and 2y − y2 = x.

Exercise Find the area enclosed by the curves y = cos π x and y = 4x2 − 1.

Exercise Find the area under the graph of y = sin−1 x over the interval 0 ≤ x ≤ 1.