Areas and accumulation
Areas and accumulation
When the graph of is above the -axis for , the area between the graph and the axis is the definite integral . The example below calculates the area bounded by the graph of , the -axis and the lines and :
Where the graph is below the -axis the integral is negative, and the area is the integral of . When the function changes sign in the interval, split the interval at its zero and calculate each part separately. The example below calculates the area bounded by the graph of , the -axis and the lines and :
- The zero: , that is and .
- Between 0 and the graph is below the axis: .
- Between and the graph is above the axis: .
- The whole area: .
The area between two graphs, in an interval where :
The example below calculates the area bounded by the graphs of and of and the line :
- The meeting point: gives , that is .
- For : .
- The area:
When the upper edge of the area passes from one graph to another, split the area where they meet. The example below calculates the area bounded by the graphs of and of , the -axis and the lines and :
- The meeting point: gives , that is .
- Between 0 and 1 the area is under the graph of : .
- Between 1 and 2 the area is under the graph of : .
- The whole area: .
When a function describes a rate – an amount per unit of time – its integral between two times is the amount accumulated between them. The example below calculates how much gold was produced in the world:
- The time is measured in years, and is the end of 2000.
- The function is a model of the rate of the world’s gold production, in tonnes a year.
- At the end of 2000 the rate was tonnes a year.
- In 2001 the world produced:
- The rate rose during the year, so the amount is a little more than 2500 tonnes.
- In the ten years 2001–2010 the world produced tonnes.
In grade 11 you learnt that the area accumulation function is an antiderivative of : . The accumulation function of from 1 is the natural logarithm:
On the graph: the area under between 1 and is the height of at that .
- : the area under between 1 and is 1.
- Where the upper limit is less than 1, the integral is negative, and too.
- , so increases throughout its domain.
Calculate the area bounded by the graph of , the -axis and the lines and .
/ – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power
/ – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power
The function is given.
Mark the zero of the function.
Calculate the area bounded by the graph, the -axis and the -axis.
/ – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power
/ – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power
Calculate the area bounded by the graph, the -axis and the line .
/ – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power
/ – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power
Calculate the whole shaded area, between and .
/ – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power
/ – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power
The functions and are given, for .
Find the -coordinates of the points where the two graphs meet.
Calculate the area enclosed between the two graphs.
/ – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power
/ – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power
The functions and are given.
Find the -coordinates of the points where the two graphs meet.
Substitute .
Between the meeting points the graph of is above the graph of .
Calculate the area enclosed between the two graphs.
/ – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power
/ – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power
Water flows into a tank at a rate of litres a minute.
is the time in minutes since the tap was opened, and the tank is empty when it is opened.
How many litres flow into the tank in the first 10 minutes?
Write an exact result, and on another line round it to one decimal place.
/ – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power
/ – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power
After minutes, litres have flowed into the tank.
After how many minutes will the tank hold 100 litres?
The accumulation function is given, for .
Calculate .
/ – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power
/ – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power
.
Find the at which .
/ – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – check and a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power
/ – fraction bar · Tab or the arrows – between numerator and denominator, then a note above or below · Enter – a new line · * – times · ^ – power, ↓ – end of the power