Using integration,find the area of the smaller region bounded by the eclipse x^2/9+y^2/4=1 and the straight line x/3+y/2=1 ?

1 Answer
Jun 26, 2018

Please see below.

Explanation:

.

#x^2/9+y^2/4=1#

#x/3+y/2=1#

Let's find the intersection points between the ellipse and the line;

From the equation of the line:

#y/2=1-x/3#

#y^2/4=(1-x/3)^2=1-(2x)/3+x^2/9#

Let's substitute this into the equation of the ellipse:

#x^2/9+x^2/9-(2x)/3+1=1#

#(2x^2)/9-(2x)/3=0#

#x^2/9-x/3=0#

#x^2-3x=0#

#x(x-3)=0#

#x=0,3#

Let's graph the functions:

enter image source here

The area of the smaller region bounded by the ellipse and the line can be calculated by taking the integral of a function that is the result of subtracting the lower curve (straight line) from the upper curve (ellipse); and evaluating it between the two values of #x# we just found to be the the intersection points between the curves.

Because we want to integrate along the #x#-axis, we need to find the equations of both curves in the form of #y# as a function of #x#.

#x^2/9+y^2/4=1#

#4x^2+9y^2=36#

#9y^2=36-4x^2#

#y^2=(36-4x^2)/9=(4(9-x^2))/9#

#y=2/3sqrt(9-x^2#

#x/3+y/2=1#

#2x+3y=6#

#3y=6-2x#

#y=(6-2x)/3=(2(3-x))/3#

#A=int_0^3(2/3sqrt(9-x^2)-(2(3-x))/3)dx#

#A=2/3int_0^3(sqrt(9-x^2)-3+x)dx=2/3int_0^3sqrt(9-x^2)dx-2int_0^3dx+2/3int_0^3xdx=2/3I-2x+2/3*1/2x^2)_0^3#

#A=2/3I-2x+1/3x^2)_0^3#

#I=int_0^3sqrt(9-x^2)dx#

Let's figure out #I#. We need to use trigonometric substitution to solve this integral. Let's first construct our right triangle and determine the measures of its sides such that one of them will be #sqrt(9-x^2)#:

enter image source here

We pick our angle #alpha# and assign #x# as the measure of the opposite side and #3# as the measure of the hypotenuse. Using Pythagoras' formula, we can calculate the measure of the adjacent side:

#3^2=x^2+("Adjacent")^2#

#("Adjacent")^2=9-x^2#

#"Adjacent"=sqrt(9-x^2)#

Now, let's write the three basic trigonometric functions for the angle #alpha#:

#sinalpha=x/3, :. alpha=arcsin(x/3)#

#cosalpha=sqrt(9-x^2)/3#

#tanalpha=x/sqrt(9-x^2)#

From the cosine function, we have:

#sqrt(9-x^2)=3cosalpha#

Taking the derivative of the sine functions, we get:

#cosalphadalpha=dx/3#

#dx=3cosalphadalpha#

Let's substitute these two pieces into our integral argument to turn it into a trigonometric integral:

#I=int(3cosalpha)(3cosalphadalpha)=int9cos^2alphadalpha=9intcos^2alphadalpha#

Let's use a Half-Angle formula to reduce the power of the function:

#I=9int1/2(1+cos2alpha)dalpha=9/2int(1+cos2alpha)dalpha=9/2intdalpha+9/2intcos2alphadalpha=9/2alpha+9/2intcos2alphadalpha=9/2alpha+9/2II#

We will use #u#-substitution to solve the remaining integral:

#u=2alpha#

#du=2dalpha#

#dalpha=(du)/2#

#II=intcosu(du)/2=1/2intcosudu=1/2sinu=1/2sin2alpha#

#I=9/2alpha+9/4sin2alpha#

Now, we can substitute back to turn our function back into algebraic form:

#sin2alpha=2sinalphacosalpha=2(x/3)(sqrt(9-x^2)/3)=2/9xsqrt(9-x^2)#

#I=9/2arcsin(x/3)+1/2xsqrt(9-x^2)#

#A=2/3I-2x+1/3x^2)_0^3#

#A=3arcsin(x/3)+1/3xsqrt(9-x^2)-2x+1/3x^2)_0^3#

#A=3arcsin(1)+0-6+3-(3arcsin(0)+0-0+0)#

#A=3(pi/2)-3-(0)=(3pi)/2-3~~1.7124#