436 CHAPTER 6 Applications of Integration

6.1 Areas Between Curves

In Chapter 5 we defined and calculated areas of regions that lie under the graphs of func-
tions. Here we use integrals to find areas of regions that lie between the graphs of two
functions.

y ■ Area Between Curves: Integrating With Respect to x

y=ƒ
Consider the region S shown in Figure 1 that lies between two curves y − f sxd and
y − tsxd and between the vertical lines x − a and x − b, where f and t are continuous
functions and f sxd > tsxd for all x in fa, bg.
S Just as we did for areas under curves in Section 5.1, we divide S into n strips of equal
width and then we approximate the ith strip by a rectangle with base Dx and height
0 a b x f sx*i d 2 tsx*i d. (See Figure 2. If we like, we could take all of the sample points to be
y=©
right endpoints, in which case x*i − x i.) The Riemann sum
n

o f f sx*i d 2 tsx*i dg Dx
FIGURE 1 i−1

|
S − hsx, yd a < x < b, is therefore an approximation to what we intuitively think of as the area of S.
tsxd < y < f sxdj
y y

f( x *i )
f( x *i ) -g( x *i )

0 a x 0 a x
b b
_ g( x *i )
x *i
Îx

FIGURE 2 (a) Typical rectangle (b) Approximating rectangles

This approximation appears to become better and better as n l `. Therefore we

define the area A of the region S as the limiting value of the sum of the areas of these
approximating rectangles.

n
1 A − lim o f f sx*i d 2 tsx*i dg Dx
n l ` i−1

We recognize the limit in (1) as the definite integral of f 2 t. Therefore we have the
following formula for area.

2 The area A of the region bounded by the curves y − f sxd, y − tsxd, and the lines
x − a, x − b, where f and t are continuous and f sxd > tsxd for all x in fa, bg, is

A − y f f sxd 2 tsxdg dx
b

Notice that in the special case where tsxd − 0, S is the region under the graph of f and
our general definition of area (1) reduces to our previous definition (Definition 5.1.2).

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 SECTION 6.1 Areas Between Curves 437

y In the case where both f and t are positive, you can see from Figure 3 why (2) is true:
y=ƒ A − farea under y − f sxdg 2 farea under y − tsxdg
S
− y f sxd dx 2 y tsxd dx − y f f sxd 2 tsxdg dx
b b b
y=© a a a

0 a b x
EXAMPLE 1 Find the area of the region bounded above by y − e x, bounded below by
y − x, and bounded on the sides by x − 0 and x − 1.
FIGURE 3
A − y f sxddx 2 y tsxddx SOLUTION The region is shown in Figure 4. The upper boundary curve is y − e x and
b b

a a
the lower boundary curve is y − x. So we use the area formula (2) with f sxd − e x,
tsxd − x, a − 0, and b − 1:
y
A − y se x 2 xd dx − e x 2 12 x 2 g
1 1

0 0

y=´ x=1 − e 2 12 2 1 − e 2 1.5 n

1 In Figure 4 we drew a typical approximating rectangle with width Dx as a reminder of

y=x Îx the procedure by which the area is defined in (1). In general, when we set up an integral
0 x for an area, it’s helpful to sketch the region to identify the top curve y T , the bottom curve
1
yB, and a typical approximating rectangle as in Figure 5. Then the area of a typical rect-
angle is syT 2 yBd Dx and the equation
FIGURE 4
n

o sy T 2 yBd Dx − ya sy T 2 yBd dx
b
y
A − lim
n l ` i−1
yT
summarizes the procedure of adding (in a limiting sense) the areas of all the typical
yT-yB rectangles.

yB Notice that in Figure 5 the left-hand boundary reduces to a point, whereas in Figure 3
Îx the right-hand boundary reduces to a point. In the next example both of the side boundar-
0 x
ies reduce to a point, so the first step is to find a and b.
a b

EXAMPLE 2 Find the area of the region enclosed by the parabolas y − x 2 and
FIGURE 5
y − 2x 2 x 2.
SOLUTION We first find the points of intersection of the parabolas by solving their
equations simultaneously. This gives x 2 − 2x 2 x 2, or 2x 2 2 2x − 0. Thus
2xsx 2 1d − 0, so x − 0 or 1. The points of intersection are s0, 0d and s1, 1d.
yT=2x-≈ We see from Figure 6 that the top and bottom boundaries are
y
(1, 1) y T − 2x 2 x 2 and yB − x 2

The area of a typical rectangle is

yB=≈
sy T 2 yBd Dx − s2x 2 x 2 2 x 2 d Dx − s2x 2 2x 2 d Dx
Îx
(0, 0) x
and the region lies between x − 0 and x − 1. So the total area is

A − y s2x 2 2x 2 d dx − 2 y sx 2 x 2 d dx
1 1
FIGURE 6
0 0

−2 F x2
2
2
x3
3
G S D
1

0
−2
1
2
2
1
3
−
1
3
n

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438 CHAPTER 6 Applications of Integration

Sometimes it’s difficult, or even impossible, to find the points of intersection of two
curves exactly. As shown in the following example, we can use a graphing calculator or
computer to find approximate values for the intersection points and then proceed as
before.

EXAMPLE 3 Find the approximate area of the region bounded by the curves
y − xysx 2 1 1 and y − x 4 2 x.
SOLUTION If we were to try to find the exact intersection points, we would have to
solve the equation
x
− x4 2 x
sx 2 1 1

1.5 This looks like a very difficult equation to solve exactly (in fact, it’s impossible), so
x
y= instead we graph the two curves using a computer (see Figure 7). One intersection
œ„„„„„
≈+1
point is the origin, and we find that the other occurs when x < 1.18. So an approxima-
tion to the area between the curves is

F G
_1 2

y
1.18 x
y=x $-x A< 2 sx 4 2 xd dx
0 sx 1 1
2

_1
To integrate the first term we use the substitution u − x 2 1 1. Then du − 2x dx, and
FIGURE 7 when x − 1.18, we have u < 2.39; when x − 0, u − 1. So

du
A < 12 y 2y
2.39 1.18
sx 4 2 xd dx
1 su 0

− su g
1
2.39
2 F x5
5
2
x2
2
G 1.18

s1.18d5 s1.18d2
− s2.39 2 1 2 1
5 2

< 0.785 n

y If we are asked to find the area between the curves y − f sxd and y − tsxd where
y=© f sxd > tsxd for some values of x but tsxd > f sxd for other values of x, then we split the
S¡ S£ given region S into several regions S1, S 2, . . . with areas A1, A 2, . . . as shown in Figure 8.
S™
We then define the area of the region S to be the sum of the areas of the smaller regions
y=ƒ S1, S2, . . . , that is, A − A1 1 A2 1 ∙ ∙ ∙. Since

H
0 a b x
f sxd 2 tsxd when f sxd > tsxd
FIGURE 8
| f sxd 2 tsxd | − tsxd 2 f sxd when tsxd > f sxd

we have the following expression for A.

3 The area between the curves y − f sxd and y − tsxd and between x − a and
x − b is
A−y | f sxd 2 tsxd | dx
b

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 SECTION 6.1 Areas Between Curves 439

When evaluating the integral in (3), however, we must still split it into integrals cor-
responding to A1, A2, . . . .

EXAMPLE 4 Find the area of the region bounded by the curves y − sin x, y − cos x,
x − 0, and x − !y2.
y SOLUTION The points of intersection occur when sin x − cos x, that is, when x − !y4
y =cos x y=sin x (since 0 < x < !y2). The region is sketched in Figure 9.
Observe that cos x > sin x when 0 < x < !y4 but sin x > cos x when
A¡ A™ !y4 < x < !y2. Therefore the required area is
π
x=0 x=
2
A−y | cos x 2 sin x | dx − A
!y2
1 1 A2
0
0 π π x
4 2
−y scos x 2 sin xd dx 1 y
!y4 !y2
ssin x 2 cos xd dx
FIGURE 9 0 !y4

f g f g
!y4 !y2
− sin x 1 cos x 0
1 2cos x 2 sin x !y4

− S 1
s2
1
s2
1
2 0 2 1 1 20 2 1 1 D S 1
s2
1
s2
1
D
− 2s2 2 2

In this particular example we could have saved some work by noticing that the
region is symmetric about x − !y4 and so
y
A − 2A1 − 2 y
!y4
y=d
scos x 2 sin xd dx n
0
d

Îy
■ Area Between Curves: Integrating With Respect to y
x=g(y) x=f(y)
Some regions are best treated by regarding x as a function of y. If a region is bounded by
c
y=c curves with equations x − f syd, x − ts yd, y − c, and y − d, where f and t are continu-
ous and f syd > ts yd for c < y < d (see Figure 10), then its area is
0 x
A − y f f s yd 2 tsydg dy
d

FIGURE 10 c

y
If we write x R for the right boundary and x L for the left boundary, then, as Figure 11
illustrates, we have
d
A − y sx R 2 x L d dy
d
xL xR c

Îy Here a typical approximating rectangle has dimensions x R 2 x L and Dy.

xR -x L
c EXAMPLE 5 Find the area enclosed by the line y − x 2 1 and the parabola
y 2 − 2x 1 6.
0 x
SOLUTION By solving the two equations simultaneously we find that the points of
FIGURE 11 intersection are s21, 22d and s5, 4d. We solve the equation of the parabola for x and

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440 CHAPTER 6 Applications of Integration

y
(5, 4)
notice from Figure 12 that the left and right boundary curves are
4
x L − 12 y 2 2 3 and xR − y 1 1
1
x L=2 ¥-3
We must integrate between the appropriate y-values, y − 22 and y − 4. Thus
xR=y+1

0 x
A − y sx R 2 x L d dy − y
4

22
4

22
fsy 1 1d 2 ( 12 y 2
2 3) dy g
_2 −y (212 y 2 1 y 1 4) dy
4
(_1, _2)
22

FIGURE 12
−2
1
2
S D y3
3
1
y2
2
1 4y G 4

22
y
− 216 s64d 1 8 1 16 2 ( 43 1 2 2 8) − 18 n
y= œ„„„„„
2x+6
(5, 4)
NOTE We could have found the area in Example 5 by integrating with respect to x
A™ instead of y, but the calculation is much more involved. Because the bottom boundary
y=x-1
consists of two different curves, it would have meant splitting the region in two and
!3 A¡ 0 x computing the areas labeled A1 and A2 in Figure 13. The method we used in Example 5
(_1, _2)
is much easier.

y=_ œ„„„„„
2x+6 EXAMPLE 6 Find the area of the region enclosed by the curves y − 1yx, y − x, and
y − 14 x, using (a) x as the variable of integration and (b) y as the variable of integration.
FIGURE 13
SOLUTION The region is graphed in Figure 14.
(a) If we integrate with respect to x, we must split the region into two parts because the
y
top boundary consists of two separate curves, as shown in Figure 15(a). We compute the
area as

S D
1 1
y=x 1 1
A − A1 1 A 2 − y ( x 2 14 x) dx 1 y
1 2
y=x 2 x dx
0 1 x 4
y= 41 x
f 38 x g f g
1 2
− 2
1 ln x 2 18 x 2 − ln 2
0 1 2 x 0 1

(b) If we integrate with respect to y, we also need to divide the region into two parts
FIGURE 14 because the right boundary consists of two separate curves, as shown in Figure 15(b).
We compute the area as

A − A1 1 A 2 − y
1y2

0
(4y 2 y) dy 1 y1y2
1
S D
1
y
2 y dy

f 32 y g f g
1y2 1
− 2
0
1 ln y 2 12 y 2 1y2
− ln 2

y y
(1, 1) (1, 1)

1 1 1 1
y=x x=y
1 x=y 1
y=x ”2, 2 ’ A™ ”2, 2 ’
A¡ A™ 1
2
A¡
y= 41 x x=4y
0 1 2 x 0 1 2 x

FIGURE 15 (a) (b) n

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 SECTION 6.1 Areas Between Curves 441

■ Applications
√ (mi/h) EXAMPLE 7 Figure 16 shows velocity curves for two cars, A and B, that start side by
60 side and move along the same road. What does the area between the curves represent?
50 A Use the Midpoint Rule to estimate it.
40
SOLUTION We know from Section 5.4 that the area under the velocity curve A repre-
30 B sents the distance traveled by car A during the first 16 seconds. Similarly, the area
20 under curve B is the distance traveled by car B during that time period. So the area
10 between these curves, which is the difference of the areas under the curves, is the
distance between the cars after 16 seconds. We read the velocities from the graph and
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 t
convert them to feet per second s1 miyh − 5280
3600 ftysd.
(seconds)

FIGURE 16 t 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
vA 0 34 54 67 76 84 89 92 95
vB 0 21 34 44 51 56 60 63 65

vA 2 vB 0 13 20 23 25 28 29 29 30

We use the Midpoint Rule with n − 4 intervals, so that Dt − 4. The midpoints of

the intervals are t1 − 2, t2 − 6, t3 − 10, and t4 − 14. We estimate the distance between
the cars after 16 seconds as follows:

y
16
svA 2 vB d dt < Dt f13 1 23 1 28 1 29g
0

− 4s93d − 372 ft n

EXAMPLE 8 Figure 17 is an example of a pathogenesis curve for a measles infection.

It shows how the disease develops in an individual with no immunity after the measles
virus spreads to the bloodstream from the respiratory tract.
N
1500

1000
Number of
infected cells
per mL of
blood plasma
500

Symptoms Pathogen
appear is cleared
FIGURE 17
Measles pathogenesis curve
0 10 –11 12 17–18 21 t (days)
Source: J. M. Heffernan et al., “An
In-Host Model of Acute Infection:
Measles as a Case Study,” Theoretical Pathogen Infectiousness Infectiousness
Population Biology 73 (2008): 134 – 47. enters plasma begins ends

The patient becomes infectious to others once the concentration of infected cells
becomes great enough and remains infectious until the immune system manages to
prevent further transmission. However, symptoms don’t develop until the “amount of

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442 CHAPTER 6 Applications of Integration

infection” reaches a particular threshold. The amount of infection needed to develop

symptoms depends on both the concentration of infected cells and time, and corresponds
to the area under the pathogenesis curve until symptoms appear. (See Exercise 5.1.15.)
(a) The pathogenesis curve in Figure 17 has been modeled by f std − 2tst 2 21dst 1 1d.
If infectiousness begins on day t1 − 10 and ends on day t 2 − 18, what are the corre-
sponding concentration levels of infected cells?
N (b) The level of infectiousness for an infected person is the area between N − f std and
the line through the points P1 st1, f st1dd and P2 st 2 , f st 2dd, measured in (cellsymL) ! days.
P¡
(See Figure 18.) Compute the level of infectiousness for this particular patient.
P™
f SOLUTION
(a) Infectiousness begins when the concentration reaches f s10d − 1210 cellsymL and
ends when the concentration reduces to f s18d − 1026 cellsymL.
(b) The line through P1 and P2 has slope 1026 2 1210 184
18 2 10 − 2 8 − 223 and equation
N 2 1210 − 223st 2 10d &? N − 223t 1 1440. The area between f and this
line is
0 10 18 t
y y
18 18
(days) f f std 2 s223t 1 1440dg dt − s2t 3 1 20t 2 1 21t 1 23t 2 1440d dt
10 10
FIGURE 18
− y s2t 3 1 20t 2 1 44t 2 1440d dt
18

10

F G
18
t4 t3 t2
− 2 1 20 1 44 2 1440t
4 3 2 10

− 26156 2 ( 28033 13 ) < 1877

Thus the level of infectiousness for this patient is about 1877 (cellsymL) ! days. n

6.1 Exercises
1–4 5–6 Find the area of the shaded region.
(a) Set up an integral for the area of the shaded region.
5. y y=x
(b) Evaluate the integral to find the area. y=˛-3x
1. yy 2. yy (2, 2)

y=3x-≈
y=3x-≈ (1,
(1, e)
e)
y=´
y=´
(2,
(2, 2)
2) x
0
y=x
y=x 11 (1,
(1, 1)
1)
(_2, 2)
00 xx y=≈
y=≈
00 xx

6. y=≈ y
3. y y 4. y y 3y=2x+16
x=¥-4y
x=¥-4y (1, 6)
x=¥-2
x=¥-2 y=1
y=1
(_3, 3) 3)
(_3,
(2, 4)
y x
x=e y x
x=e
y=_2x+8
(_2, 4)
y=_1
y=_1 x x
x=2y-¥
x=2y-¥ 0 x

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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.