CHAPTER

10 Application of Integrals

1. The area bounded by the curve y = f (x), the x-axis and the b b b
ordinates x = a and x = b is given by,
y
A= ∫ a
f ( x) dx − ∫ g ( x)dx = ∫ [ f ( x) − g ( x)] dx
a a

5. Average value of a function y = f (x) w.r.t. x over an interval

(x) a ≤ x ≤ b is defined as:
f
y= 1
b

b − a ∫a
yav = f ( x)dx.

6. Curve Tracing:
The following outline procedure is to be applied in Sketching
x the graph of a function y = f (x) which in turn will be extremely
O x=a x=b useful to quickly and correctly evaluate the area under the
curves.
b b
(a) Symmetry: The symmetry of the curve is judged as
A= ∫ f ( x)dx = ∫ y dx
a a follows:
2. 
If the area is below the x-axis, then A is negative. The (i) If all the powers of y in the equation are even then
b the curve is symmetrical about the axis of x.
convention is to consider the magnitude only i.e. A = ∫ y dx (ii)  If all the powers of x are even, the curve is
in this case. a symmetrical about the axis of y.
3. The area bounded by the curve x = f (y), y-axis and abscissa y = c, (iii) If powers of x and y both are even, the curve is
y = d is given by, symmetrical about the axis of x as well as y.
y
(iv) If the equation of the curve remains unchanged on
y=d interchanging x and y, then the curve is symmetrical
x about y = x.
x = f(y)
dy (v) If on interchanging the signs of x and y both the
y=c equation of the curve is unaltered then there is
symmetry in opposite quadrants.
x
d d
(b) Find dy/dx and equate it to zero to find the points on the
curve where you have horizontal tangents.
Area = ∫ xdy = ∫ f ( y)dy
c c (c) Find the points where the curve crosses the x-axis and
4. Area between the curves y = f (x) and y = g(x) between the also the y-axis.
ordinates x = a and x = b is given by, (d) Examine if possible the intervals when f (x) is increasing
y
or decreasing. Examine what happens to ‘y’ when x → ∞
or – ∞.
7. Useful Results:
(a) Whole area of the ellipse, x2/a2 + y2/b2 = 1 is p ab.
y = f(x) (b) Area enclosed between the parabolas y2 = 4ax and
y = g(x) x2 = 4by is 16ab/3.
(c) Area included between the parabola y2 = 4 ax and the
8 a2
O x=a x=b
x line y = mx is
3 m3