Chapter 5: Integration and Its Applications

§   5.5   Applications of Integration 

(a)   The Definite Integral and Area  
(1) Definite Integral as the Limit of a Sum

Consider finding the area of the region enclosed by the curve y = f(x), the x-
axis and the lines x  a and x  b , where f(x) is a continous real function
such that f ( x)  0 for a  x  b .

y T
y  f(x)

W
Q yn
P
R δAi
y1 y2 yi
δx δx δx δx
L S
0 a M N b
x

Let A be the area under the curve y = f(x), from x = a to b (i.e., RLST). Divide
the area A into many rectangular strips of equal width, e.g. MNQW. Let
the width of each strip be δx .

Let δAi be the area of a typical strip MNQW. Then, δAi  yi δx and the
required area A can now be found by summing the areas of all the strips from
x = a to x = b.

Thus we have A  δA1  δA1  δA2  ...  δAn

= sum of area of n rectangles, each with width δx from x =
a to x = b.
= ( y1  y2  ...  yn )δx

As δx  0 , the approximation becomes more accurate. Thus we obtain

A  lim  y1  y2    yn δx   y dx, where y  f ( x) .
b

 x0 a

(Area under a curve is the limit of a sum of the areas of rectangles.)

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 Chapter 5: Integration and Its Applications

lim  y1  y2    yn δx   y dx is defined by German Mathematician

b

 x 0 a

Bernhard Riemann and hence the integration that we are learning now is also
called Riemann Integral.

۞ Example 20
The diagram shows part of the graph of y  x 2 with rectangles of equal
width approximating the area under the curve between x  0 and x  1 .
6
Show that the total area of the four rectangles shown is square units. In
25
general, when the x-axis between x  0 and x  1 is divided into n equal
parts, the area under the curve may be approximated by the total area, A, of
1
(n  1) rectangles each of width . Given that
n
1 (n  1)(2n  1)
12  22    n 2  n(n  1)(2n  1), show that A  and
6 6n 2
1
explain how the exact value of  0
x 2 dx may be deduced from this
expression.
y

1 x
0 5
3
1
5

Solution
Area of 4 rectangles  15  15   15  52   15  53   15  54 
2 2 2 2

1 2

125

1  22  32  42 
6
 units 2
25

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 Chapter 5: Integration and Its Applications

1
Total area of  n  1 rectangles of width ,
n
2 2 2 2
11 12 13 1  n 1 
A            
nn nn nn n n 
1
 3 12  22  32     n  1 
2

n  
1  n  1 n  2n  1

n3 6


 n  1 2n  1
6n 2
1
 0
x 2 dx  Area under the curve, y  x 2 between x  0 and x  1

 1 
 lim  sum of the area of  n  1 rectangles of width , A 
n 
 n 
  n  1 2n  1 
 lim  
n 
 6n 2 
1

3

(2) Area of a Planar Surface

(i) Area bounded by the curve y = f(x), the x-axis and the lines x = a and
x=b
Let A denote the area of the region required.
Case 1: The curve y  f  x  between x  a and x  b is above the x-axis, i.e.

f  x  0 .
b
Then A   y dx.
a
y  f ( x)

a b x

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 Chapter 5: Integration and Its Applications

Case 2: The curve y  f  x  between x  a and x  b is below the x-axis, i.e.

f  x  0 .
b b
Then A   a
y dx    y dx.
a

a b
x

y  f ( x)

Case 3: The part of the curve y  f  x  between x  a and x  c is above

the x-axis, and the part of the curve between x  c and x  b is
c b
below the x-axis, i.e.  a
y dx  0 and  c
y dx  0 .

y  f ( x)
b
a c x

Let A1 be the area of the shaded region between x  a and x  c .

Let A2 be the area of the shaded region between x  c and x  b .
Then
c b c b
A = A1  A2   a
y dx   c
y dx   a
y dx   y dx .
c

There are two methods to calculate the area under a graph using graphic
calculator. Both methods are shown in Example 20.

۞ Example 21

Find the area of the regions bounded by the curve y  x( x  2)( x  1) and the
x-axis,
(a) correct to 3 decimal places.
(b) giving your answer in exact form

Solution

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 Chapter 5: Integration and Its Applications

(a) Method 1: Consider the areas above and below the x-axis separately.
0 2
Area of region =  1
x( x  2)( x  1) dx  
0
x( x  2)( x  1) dx

= 0.41666667 + 2.666667 = 3.083 units 2 (3 d.p.)

Method 2: Use the function abs( which can be found by pressing ALPHA
WINDOW 1 to make ‘negative areas’ become positive. Sketch the graph of
y  x( x  2)( x  1) and find the area under this graph from x  1 to x  2 .

Note that we can also press ALPHA WINDOW 4 to choose fnInt( to find the
definite integral of a function. However using this method will not enable us
to see the graph. Therefore, always ‘make the graph positive’ by using the
function abs(.

 Note
If we calculate the required area without considering the area above and
below the x-axis separately, we will key in ‘Lower Limit’ as –1 and ‘Upper
Limit’ as 2 after Step (4) and obtain the answer –2.25, which is incorrect.

0 2
(b) Area of region =  1
x( x  2)( x  1) dx   0
x( x  2)( x  1) dx
0 2
=  -1
x 3  x 2  2 x dx   0
x 3  x 2  2 x dx

x 4 x3 x 4 x3
= [   x 2 ] 0-1  [   x 2 ] 20
4 3 4 3
1 1 8
= (   1)  4   4
4 3 3
5 8
= 
12 3
37
=
12

(ii) Area bounded by the curve x = g(y), the y-axis and the lines y = p
and y = q

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 Chapter 5: Integration and Its Applications

Case 1: The curve between y  p and y  q is on the right of the y-axis, i.e.
q
 p
x dy  0 .

q Let A be the area of the shaded

region shown on the left.
x  g( y )
Then
p
q
A   x dy
p

Case 2: The curve between y  p and y  q is on the left of the y-axis, i.e.
q
 p
x dy  0 .

q Let A be the area of the shaded

region shown on the left. Then
x  g( y ) q q
p A  p
x dy    x d y .
p

Case 3: The part of the curve between y  p and y  e is on the left of the
y-axis and the part of the curve between y  e and y  q is on the
e q
right of the y-axis, i.e.  p
x dy  0 and  e
x dy  0 .
q
e x  g( y )

Let A1 be the area of the shaded region between y  p and y  e .

Let A2 be the area of the shaded region between y  e and y  q .
Then
e q e q
A1  A2   p
x dy   e
x dy    x dy   x dy .
p e

۞ Example 22

Find the area of the region bounded by the curve y 2  a  x , and the y-axis
in terms of a, where a is a positive constant.

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 Chapter 5: Integration and Its Applications

Solution

Let A denote the area of the region required. By letting a = 1 (or any other
positive constant), we can use the graphic calculator to obtain the shape of
the graph.

Method 1 (integrate with respect to y -axis):

When x = 0, y   a .
a

 a  y  dy 2 ay  13 y3 
a a a
A x dy  2  x dy  2  2
 a 0 0
0
3

    1  4
3
 2 a a  a  0   a 2 units 2
 3  3

Method 2 (integrate with respect to x-axis):

When y = 0, x = a.
a
  1  1 
a  x dx 2    1   a  x  2 
1
A  2  y dx  2 
a a

0 0
  2 1   0
a
4 3
 4 32
    a  x    a units 2
2
3 0 3

(iii) Area bounded by two curves

Let A be the area enclosed by the curves y = f(x), y = g(x) , and the lines
x  a and x  b .

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 Chapter 5: Integration and Its Applications

If f  x   g  x  for all x in [a, b] , then A is the area of the shaded region

shown on the right.
y
y  f ( x)
Area bounded by y = f(x), y = g(x), x =
a, and x = b
b b
  f ( x) dx   g( x) dx
a a

=   f ( x)  g( x)  dx
b

a y  g( x)
x
a b

Similarly, if A is the area enclosed by the curves x = f(y)

and x = g(y), and the lines y  p and y  q , then
y
Area bounded by x = f(y), x = g(y), y = q
p, and y = q x  g( y )
q q
  f ( y ) dy   g( y ) dy
p p x  f ( y)
   f ( y )  g( y )  dy
q

p
p

۞ Example 23

Find an expression in terms of integrals for the area of the shaded regions
bounded by the two curves y  f ( x) and y  g( x) shown below.

A1 y  g( x)

A2

a b c

y  f ( x)

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 Chapter 5: Integration and Its Applications

Solution
Let A1 and A2 denote the areas of the shaded regions.

A1   f  x   g  x   dx
b

A2   g  x   f  x   dx
c

A1  A2   f  x   g  x   dx   g  x   f  x   dx
b c

a b

۞ Example 24

Find the exact area of the region bounded by the two curves y  6 x  x 2 and
y  x 2  2x .

Solution

From G.C., the two curves y  6 x  x 2 and y  x 2  2 x intersect when

x  0 or 4 .
Alternatively,
6 x  x 2  x 2  2 x  2 x  x  4   0  x  0 or 4
Area of the region bounded by the two curves
4
 1  64
     
4 4
=   6 x  x 2  x 2  2 x  dx  2  4 x  x 2 dx  2  2 x 2  x 3   units 2
0 0
 3 0 3

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 Chapter 5: Integration and Its Applications

(iv) Area under a curve given by parametric equations

We know that the area under a curve can be given by

A   y dx or A   x dy .

If the equation of the curve is expressed in parametric form, say x  f (t ) ,

y  g(t ) , then
dx
A   y dx   g  t  dt   g  t  f '  t  d t
dt
dy
or A   x dy   f  t 
dt   f  t  g '  t  d t .
dt
This is similar to the method of integration by substitution. For definite
integrals, we will also need to find the values of t that correspond to the
given values of x and/or y.

۞ Example 25

An arc of the curve is called a cycloid if its parametric equations are given by
x  a (t  sin t ) , y  a(1  cos t ) for 0  t  2π . Prove that the area of the
region enclosed by the curve and the x-axis is 3πa 2 , where a is a given
positive constant.

Solution
Use G.C. to obtain the shape of the curve (by letting a = 1 or any positive
constant).

dx
x  a  t  sin t    a 1  cos t   dx  a 1  cos t  dt
dt
When y = 0, a(1  cos t )  0  cos t  1  t  0 or 2π
t  0  x  0, y  0 ; t  2π  x  2πa, y  0

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 Chapter 5: Integration and Its Applications

2πa
The required area =  y dx
0
2π
 a 1  cos t   a 1  cos t  dt 
0

1  2 cos t  cos t  dt
2π
 a2  2
0

2π  1 
 a2  1  2 cos t  2  cos 2t  1  dt
0
 
2π
1 3 
 a  sin 2t  2sin t  t 
2

4 2 0
 3πa 2  shown 

(b) Volumes of Revolution

(1) Rotation about the x-axis

When the region R bounded by the curve y  f ( x) , the x-axis and the lines
x  a and x  b is rotated through 360 about the x-axis, the solid as shown
below is obtained. Our aim is to find a formula for the volume V of the solid.

y  f ( x)
Solid
R a b
a b

We divide the region R into n strips, each of width δx , as shown in the

diagram below. Each strip is regarded as a rectangle. When each rectangle is
rotated through 360 about the x-axis, we get a circular disc. There are n
such circular discs in the solid and we use the total volume of these n discs to
help us find the volume V of the solid.

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 Chapter 5: Integration and Its Applications

a b
y  f ( x)
f ( xk )  yk
 
kth
a  x1 x2 x3 xk xk 1 xn x n  1  b
di
δx
kth rectangle

Let δ Vk denote the volume of the kth disc (see diagram above). Then
δ Vk  π yk 2 δx and the total volume of the n discs is
δ V1  δ V2    δ Vn  π y δx  π y2 δx    π yn δx .
1
2 2 2

When we use an infinite number of discs and find the total volume of these
discs, we will obtain the volume V of the solid. We write this as

V  lim  δ V1  δ V2    δ Vn 
n 

 lim  π y12 δx  π y2 2 δx    π yn 2 δx 
n 

 lim  π y12  π y2 2    π yn 2  δx   π y 2 dx
b

n  a

Thus,
b
volume of revolution about the x-axis = π  y 2 dx .
a

(2) Rotation about the y-axis

When the region R bounded by the curve x  g( y ) , the y-axis and the lines
y  p and y  q is rotated through 360 about the y-axis, we get the solid
as shown below.

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 Chapter 5: Integration and Its Applications

q
q

R x  g( y )
x
p
y
p
disc
Using the circular disc above with a method similar to that used in the
previous part, we have
q
volume of revolution about the y-axis = π  x 2 dy .
p

۞ Example 26

The curve C is given by y  x . Find the exact value of the volume of the
solid formed by rotating
(i) the region S enclosed by C , the x-axis and the line x = 4, through 4
right angles about the x-axis;
(ii) the region T enclosed by C , the y-axis and the line y  2 , through 4
right angles about the y-axis, correct to 3 decimal places.

Solution

(i) When the region S is rotated about the x-axis, the volume generated
4
4 4 1 
Vx  π  y 2 dx  π  x dx  π  x 2   8π units3
0 0
2 0

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 Chapter 5: Integration and Its Applications

(ii) When the region T is rotated about the y-axis, the volume generated
2 2
Vy  π  x 2 dy  π  y 4 dy  20.106 units3
0 0

(3) Rotation of region bounded by f(x) and g(x) about the x-axis

Let f and g be two functions defined on the interval [a, b] with

f ( x)  g( x)  0 for each x in [a, b]. Let R be the region bounded by
y  f ( x) , y  g( x) and the lines x  a and x  b . The volume of revolution
obtained by rotating the region R through 360 about the x-axis is given by

V  π   f ( x)  dx  π   g( x)  dx
b 2 b 2
a a

y y
y  f ( x) y  f ( x)

y  g( x) y  g( x)
a b x a b x

۞ Example 27

The diagram shows the region R , which is bounded by the y-axis, the line
1
y  3 and part of the curve y  x 2  1 lying in the first quadrant.
2
y

3
R
1
2 x
0
Find the volume of the solid formed when R is rotated through 2π radians
about the x-axis. Give your answer in terms of π .

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 Chapter 5: Integration and Its Applications

Solution
1 2 1
When y = 3, 3  x  1  x 2  2  x 2  4  x  2 or  2(reject).
2 2
2
2 1  2
Volume generated  π  3 dx  π   x 2  1 d x
2
0 2
0
 
2 1 
 π  32   2   π   x 4  x 2  1 dx
0 4
 
2
1 1 
 18π  π  x5  x3  x 
 20 3 0
176
 π units3
15

۞ Example 28
a
Using the substitution x  a sin  , find  0
a 2  x 2 dx in terms of a . Hence
find the area enclosed by the curves x 2  y 2  4 and 4 x 2  y 2  16 for
which y  0 . If this area is rotated through π radians about the y-axis, find
the volume of the solid formed in terms of π .

Solution
dx
x  a sin    a cos   dx  a cos  d
d
π
x  0    0; x  a    [always choose  within the principal range]
2
π
a 2   a sin   a cos  d
a
 a 2  x 2 dx  
2
2
0 0
π
 a 2  2 cos 2  d
0
π
1
 a2  2
 cos 2  1 d
0 2
π
a2 1 2 πa 2
  2 sin 2    
2 0 4

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 Chapter 5: Integration and Its Applications

4  x 2  16  4 x 2
4  x 2  16  4 x 2
3x 2  12
x  2
Area required
 2  16  4 x 2  4  x 2  dx
2

0  
 2  2 4  x 2  4  x 2  dx
2

0  
2
 2 4  x 2 dx  2π units 2
0

Volume required
4 2
 π  x22 dy  π  x12 dy
0 0

16  y 2
dy  π   4  y 2  dy
4 2
 π
0 4 0

4 2
π y3   y3 
 16 y    π  4 y  
4 3 0  3 0
16
 π units3
3

۞ Example 29 (J91/I/18 modified)

The equation x 2  y 2  1 represents the circle with centre at the origin and
radius 1 unit. By considering an appropriate region of this circle, or
1 π
otherwise, show that  1  x 2 dx  .
0 4
The diagram shows the circle with equation x 2  ( y  1) 2  1 , and the region
R which is bounded by the circle, the x-axis, and the line x  1 .

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 Chapter 5: Integration and Its Applications

R
O 1

(i) Show that the volume of the solid formed when R is rotated through
2π radians about the x-axis may be expressed as
1
π   2  x 2  2 1  x 2  dx .
0 
(ii) Hence find the volume, giving your answer in terms of π .
(iii) Find the volume of the solid formed when R is rotated through 2π
radians about the y-axis. Give your answer in terms of π .

Solution

x2  y 2  1  y   1  x2
1 1 
 0 1  x dx  4  Area of unit circle   4 (shown)
2

(i) x 2   y  1  1  y  1  1  x 2
2

Volume generated about x -axis

 
1 2
 π  1  1  x 2 dx
0

 π  1  2 1  x 2  1  x 2   dx  π   2  x 2  2 1  x 2  dx (shown)
1 1

0  0 

(ii) Volume generated  π   2  x 2  dx  2π 

1 1
1  x 2 dx
0 0
1
 1  π π
 π  2 x  x 3   2π    10  3π  units3
 3 0 4 6

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 Chapter 5: Integration and Its Applications

(iii) Volume generated about y -axis

1
 Volume of cylinder  π  1   y  1 dy
0
 2

 π(1) 2 (1)  π    y 2  2 y dy
1

0
1
 y3  2 1
 π  π    y 2   π  π    π units3
 3 0 3 3

۞ Example 30

An arc of the curve is called a cycloid if its parametric equations are given by
x  a (t  sin t ) , y  a (1  cos t ) for 0  t  2π . Find the volume of revolution
when the region enclosed by the curve and the x-axis is rotated through 2π
radians about the x-axis.

Solution

Use G.C. to obtain the shape of the curve (by letting a = 1 or any positive
constant).

dx
x  a  t  sin t    a 1  cos t   dx  a 1  cos t  dt
dt
When y = 0, a(1  cos t )  0  cos t  1  t  0 or 2π
t  0  x  0, y  0 ; t  2π  x  2πa, y  0

2 a
required volume    y 2 dx
0
2
 a 2 (1  cos t ) 2 a (1  cos t )dt
0
2
 a 3  (1  cos t )3 dt
0

 49.3a 3 unit 3

52
 Chapter 5: Integration and Its Applications

   Tutorial 5C 
1
1. The diagram shows part of the graph y  between x  0 and x  1 .
1 x
The 4 rectangles drawn under the curve are of equal width, and their total
area is an approximation to the area under the curve from x = 0 to x  1 .
Calculate this approximation, giving 2 significant figures in your answer.
y

1
y
1 x

0 1 x

When there are n rectangles of equal width under the curve between
x  0 to x = 1, find an expression for their total area. Deduce that
 1 1 1 
lim      ln 2 .
n  n  1
 n2 n  n 

2. (N96/I/18) y

O n–1 n x

1
The diagram shows a sketch of the graph of y  . By considering
x
the shaded rectangle and the area of the region between the graph and x-
axis for n  1  x  n , where n  1 , show that
1
n

 2 n  n 1 .
1 1 1
Deduce that 1    2 n.
2 3 n

53
 Chapter 5: Integration and Its Applications

Show also that

1
n

 2 n 1  n . 
1 1 1
Deduce that 1     2 n 1  2 .
2 3 n
1 1 1
Hence find a value of N for which 1      1000 .
2 3 N

Areas and volumes involving parametric equations

3. (PJC/07/1/Q8) A curve has parametric equations x  1  2sin  ,

π π
y  cos  , where     .
2 2
(i) Sketch the curve, labeling clearly the intercepts with the x-axis.
(ii) Find the exact area of the region bounded by the curve, the x-axis,
the y-axis and the line x = 2.

1
4. A curve has parametric equations x  , y  2t , where t is a non-zero
t2
parameter.
(i) Sketch the curve.

The region R is bounded by the curve and the lines x = 4 and x = 16.

(ii) Find the area of R.

1 1


4
(iii) Find the exact value of dt . Hence find the volume of the solid
1
2 t

generated when the region R is rotated through π radians about

the x-axis.

Areas and volumes

6x
5. (N04/I/10) The function f is defined for x  0 by f : x  .
x3
(i) Find f '(x).
(ii) State the range of f.
(iii) Sketch the curve y = f(x) and state the equation of its asymptote.
(iv) Find the area of the finite region bounded by the curve y = f(x), the x-
axis and the line x = 6. Giving your answer in an exact form.

54
 Chapter 5: Integration and Its Applications

6. (RJC06/H2 Promo/7)
(i) Sketch, on the same diagram, the graphs of
1 x2
x 2  y 2  9 and y  e . 4

(ii) The finite region in the first quadrant bounded by the curves
1 x2
x 2  y 2  9, y  e 4 , the xaxis and the yaxis is denoted by R.
(a) Shade the region R.
(b) Find the volume of the solid of revolution formed when R is
rotated through 2π radians about the x-axis.

7. (J84/I/7) Given that R is the finite region enclosed by the two graphs of
y  x 2 and y  2  x 2 . Calculate
(i) the area of the region R,
(ii) the volume of the solid generated when the region R is rotated
through π radians about the y-axis.

1

8. A curve C has equation y  (4  x ) for  1  x  1 . The region R is
2 2

enclosed by C, the x-axis and the lines x  1 and x  1.

(i) Find the exact value of the area of R.
(ii) Find the exact value of the volume generated when R is rotated
through four right angles about the x-axis.
(iii) Show that the volume generated when R is rotated through two
right angles about the y-axis is π(4  2 3) .

9. (N02/I/14OR) O is the origin and A is the point on the curve

1
y  tan x where x   .
3
(i) Calculate the area of region R enclosed by the arc OA, the x-axis
1
and the line x   , giving your answer in an exact form.
3
(ii) The region S is enclosed by the arc OA, the y-axis and the line
y  3 . Find the volume of the solid of revolution formed when S
is rotated through 360o about the x-axis, giving your answer in an
exact form.
3
(iii) Find 
0
tan 1 ydy

55
 Chapter 5: Integration and Its Applications

10. N08/II/2

The diagram shows the curve C with equation y 2  x 1  x . The region

enclosed by C is denoted by R.

(i) Write down an integral that gives the area of R, and evaluate this
integral numerically.
(ii) The part of R above the x-axis is rotated through 2  radians about
the x-axis. by using the substitution u = 1 – x, or otherwise, find
the exact value of the volume obtained.
(iii) Find the exact coordinate of the maximum point of C.

11. N08/I/1

The diagram shows the curve with equation y  x 2 . The area of the region
bounded by the curve, the lines x=1, x=2 and the x-axis is equal to the area of
the region bounded by the curve, the lines y=a, y=4 and the y-axis, where a<4.
Find the value of a.

56