The Interaction

Between

Integrals
a b a b a b
and Areas
Z b Z b Z b
f (x)dx − g(x)dx = f (x)−g(x)dx
a a a

a b a b a b
Whether f (x) and g(x) are positive or negative,

if f (x) ≥ g(x) then f (x) − g(x) ≥ 0.

y = f (x) y = f (x) − g(x)

a b
y = g(x)
 √ x
For the area between y = x and y = :
4

Solve first for the intersections:

√ x
x= ,
4
x2
x= ,
16
16x = x2,
x(x − 16) = 0

The intersections are: (x = 0, y = 0),

and (x = 16, y = 4).

We shall need only the axis intervals 0 ≤ x ≤ 16

and 0 ≤ y ≤ 4.
 y

4
√
y= x
3

2
y= x
4

x
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
" 3
#16
16
√ x 16 1 x 1 x2
Z Z
1 2
x− dx = x − x dx = 2
3 −
x=0 4 x=0 4 2
42
0
16
2 1 2 1 2 1
    
3 3 3
2 2
= x − x
2 = 16 − 16
2 − 0 − 02
2
3 8 0 3 8 3 8
2 1 128 128 − 96 32
 
= 64 − 256 = − 32 = =
3 8 3 3 3
 x
16

15 Alternatively, reverse the roles of x and y:

14

13 Z 4
12 4y − y 2 dy
11 y=0
10 x = 4y →  3 4
y
9 = 2y 2 −
8
3 y=0
7 
4 3  
0 3 
6 ← x = y2 2
= 2·4 − 2
− 2·0 −
5 3 3
4
64 64
3 = 2 · 16 − = 32 −
2 3 3
1
96 − 64 32
1 2 3 4
y
= =
3 3
 For the area between x = y 3 − 3y 2 + 2y + 2
and x = 2y 2 − 4y + 2 :

Solve first for the intersections:

y 3 − 3y 2 + 2y + 2 = 2y 2 − 4y + 2
y 3 − 5y 2 + 6y = 0
y(y − 2)(y − 3) = 0

The intersections are: (y = 0, x = 2),

(y = 2, x = 2)
and (y = 3, x = 8).
The parabola’s vertex is: (y = 1, x = 0).
 The intersections are: (y = 0, x = 2),
(y = 2, x = 2)
and (y = 3, x = 8).
The parabola’s vertex is: (y = 1, x = 0).

We shall need only the axis intervals 0 ≤ y ≤ 3

and 0 ≤ x ≤ 8.

Begin the graph by drawing the axes and the points

as mentioned above.
Then draw curves.
 x x x

8 8 8


7 7 7

6 6 6

5 5 5

4 4 4

3 3 3

2 2 2


1 1 1
← x = 2y 2 − 4y + 2 ← x = 2y 2 − 4y + 2

y y y
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3

← x = y 3 − 3y 2 + 2y + 2 ← x = y 3 − 3y 2 + 2y + 2
Note that y 3 − 3y 2 + 2y + 2 > 2y 2 − 4y + 2 for 0 < x < 2,
and that y 3 − 3y 2 + 2y + 2 < 2y 2 − 4y + 2 for 2 < x < 3.
The area between the curves is equal to:
Z 3  
 3 2 2
(y − 3y + 2y + 2) − (2y − 4y + 2) dy


y=0
Z 3  
 3 2
= y − 5y + 6y dy


y=0
Z 2 Z 3
= y 3 − 5y 2 + 6y dy + −y 3 + 5y 2 − 6y dy
y=0 y=2

2 3
Z  Z 
3 2 3 2
   
=  y − 5y + 6y dy  +  y − 5y + 6y dy 
y=0 y=2

(Just evaluate the last two integrals,

changing any negative integral to positive.)
 y
2

√
y= 4−x
1

y =x−2
1 2 3 4
x

y =√
−1
− 4−x

Z 3 √
Z 4 √ √
4 − x − (x − 2)dx − 4 − x − (− 4 − x)dx
x=0 x=3
 x
x = 4 − y2
4 Z 2
(4 − y 2) − (2 − y)dy
y=−1
Z 2
2 + y − y 2 dy
3
=
y=−1
 2 3 2
y y
= 2y + −
2 2 3 −1
x=2−y 9
=
2
1

y
−1 1 2