What is the area bounded by the curves? : 4x + y^2 = 32 and x=y

1 Answer
Sep 23, 2017

We have:

4x + y^2 = 32
x=y

The graphs are as follows:

Steve MSteve M

To find the coordinates of intersection:

4x + x^2 = 32
:. (x-4)(x+8) = 0
=> x=4, -8

So the intersection coordinates are:

(-8,-8) and (4,4)

We can calculate the bounded area (shaded) by integrating either wrt x or wrt y, the latter being easier.

Method 1: Integrating wrt y

if we integrate with infinestimall thin horiozontal striops then we find the strips are bounded by y=x on the left and by 4x + y^2 = 32 on the right, and we integrate from the lower point of intersection (-8,-8) to the upper point of intersection (4,4).

SteveMSteveM

Thus, the area is given by:

A = int_alpha^beta \ f(y) \ dy
\ \ \ = int_(y=-8)^(y=4) \ ( (32-y^2)/4 ) -(y) \ dy
\ \ \ = int_(-8)^(4) \ 8 - y^2/4 -y \ dy
\ \ \ = [ 8y - y^3/12 -y^2/2 ]_(-8)^(4)
\ \ \ = (32-16/3-8) - (-64+128/3-32)
\ \ \ = 56/3 - (-160/3)
\ \ \ = 72

Method 2: Integrating wrt x

if we integrate with infinestimall thin vertical striops then we find the strips are bounded by 4x + y^2 = 32 at the bottom and y=x at the top but only when x is between the lower point of intersection (-8,-8) to the upper point of intersection (4,4)

We also need to include a portion that is bounded by 4x + y^2 = 32 at the top and bottom between the upper point of intersection and the vertex (at x=8).

Steve MSteve M

Thus, the area is split into two seperate integrals:

A = A_1 + A_2

Where:

A_1 = int_(x=-8)^(x=4) (x)-(-sqrt(32-4x)) \ dx
A_2 =int_(x=4)^(x=8) \ (sqrt(32-4x) - (-sqrt(32-4x) ) \ dx

First we calculate A_1:

A_1 = int_(-8)^(4) x+sqrt(32-4x) \ dx
\ \ \ \ = [x^2/2 -(4(8-x)^(3/2))/3 ]_(-8)^(4)
\ \ \ \ = (8-32/3) - (32 - 256/3)
\ \ \ \ = (-8/3) - (-160/3)
\ \ \ \ = 152/3

Then, A_2

A_2 =int_(4)^(8) \ 2sqrt(32-4x) \ dx
\ \ \ \ = 2 int_(4)^(8) \ sqrt(32-4x) \ dx
\ \ \ \ = 2 [-(4(8-x)^(3/2))/3 ]_(4)^(8)
\ \ \ \ = 2 { (0) - (-32/3) }
\ \ \ \ = 64/3

So, the total area is:

A = A_1 + A_2
\ \ \ = 152/3 + 64/3
\ \ \ = 72