Double integral to find area

So in this context the 1 is representing the height of the solid, but if I was doing this problem to find a volume, I would put the height of the solid in for h(x) in the integral?In summary, using double integrals, we can find the area of a region bounded by two curves. By switching the integrals and adjusting the limits of integration, we can also find the volume of a solid with the same base as the region and a height of 1. The 1 in the integrand represents the height of the solid and can be replaced with any other height if we wanted to find the volume of a solid with a different height.
  • #1
fishturtle1
394
82

Homework Statement


Use double integrals to find the areas of the region bounded by ##x = 2 - y^2## and ##x = y^2##

Homework Equations


Volume = ##\int_a^b \int_{f(x)}^{g(x)} h(x) dx dy##.. and this is equivalent if I switched the integrals and redid the limits of integration

The Attempt at a Solution


[/B]
I am pretty sure I did this wrong, so I'm asking for any help to do it right.

Area = ##\int_0^2 \int_{y^2}^{2-y^2} dx dy##
=##\int_0^2 x |_{y^2}^{2-y^2}dy##
=##\int_0^2 2-2y^2 dy##
=##(2y - \frac {2y^3}{3}) |_0^2##
=##4 - \frac {16}{3} = 4 - 5\frac 13 = -\frac 43##

I think this answer is wrong because it is negative, and from the graph I drew, the area should be greater than 2. I'm not sure what to do about the h(x) in the relevant equations. If I set it to 0, then Area = 0, but if I set it to any constant then I am solving for a volume.

edit: looking at this more, I'm pretty sure ##\int_{y^2}^{2-y^2} dx## is not right..
 
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  • #2
fishturtle1 said:

Homework Statement


Use double integrals to find the areas of the region bounded by ##x = 2 - y^2## and ##x = y^2##

Homework Equations


Volume = ##\int_a^b \int_{f(x)}^{g(x)} h(x) dx dy##.. and this is equivalent if I switched the integrals and redid the limits of integration

The Attempt at a Solution


[/B]
I am pretty sure I did this wrong, so I'm asking for any help to do it right.
You said you drew a sketch of the region, but your integral doesn't take into account that half of the region is below the x-axis. Both graphs are parabolas: one opens to the left and one opens to the right.
You have two mistakes in the first integral below:
  1. Part of the region is below the x-axis.
  2. The y-coordinate at the intersection point isn't 2.
fishturtle1 said:
Area = ##\int_0^2 \int_{y^2}^{2-y^2} dx dy##
=##\int_0^2 x |_{y^2}^{2-y^2}dy##
=##\int_0^2 2-2y^2 dy##
=##(2y - \frac {2y^3}{3}) |_0^2##
=##4 - \frac {16}{3} = 4 - 5\frac 13 = -\frac 43##

I think this answer is wrong because it is negative, and from the graph I drew, the area should be greater than 2. I'm not sure what to do about the h(x) in the relevant equations. If I set it to 0, then Area = 0, but if I set it to any constant then I am solving for a volume.
h(x) = 1 when you're find the area of the region of integration.
 
  • #3
For the limits on your ## y ## integral, you need to first determine where these two curves intersect. ## y=0 ## and ## y=2 ## is incorrect.
 
  • #4
Mark44 said:
You said you drew a sketch of the region, but your integral doesn't take into account that half of the region is below the x-axis. Both graphs are parabolas: one opens to the left and one opens to the right.
You have two mistakes in the first integral below:
  1. Part of the region is below the x-axis.
  2. The y-coordinate at the intersection point isn't 2.

Charles Link said:
For the limits on your yy y integral, you need to first determine where these two curves intersect. y=0y=0 y=0 and y=2y=2 y=2 is incorrect.

I drew ##y = x^2## and ##y = 2 - x^2## which I see is wrong.
This time I drew ##x = y^2## and ##x = 2 - y^2##.

I see the two intersections of the curves are at (1,1) and (1,-1). So my limits of integration for the y integral are -1 to 1. So,

Area = ##\int_{-1}^{1} \int_{y^2}^{2-y^2} 1 dx dy##..I put the 1 in there just to remember its there,
= ##\int_{-1}^{1} 2-2y^2 dy ##
= ##(2y - \frac{2y^3}{3}) |_{-1}^{1}##
=##(2 - \frac 23) - (-2 + \frac 23)##
=##(\frac {12}{3} - \frac 43)##
=##\frac 83##

Thank you for the help.
 
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Likes Charles Link
  • #5
Regarding the 1 in the integrand, one application of double integrals is finding the volume of a three-d region in space. For your problem, you can think of it as a solid whose base is that region between the two parabolas, and whose height is 1. The area of the region and the volume of the solid are numerically equal, but of course, one is an area and the other is a volume, so the units would be different.
 
  • #6
Mark44 said:
Regarding the 1 in the integrand, one application of double integrals is finding the volume of a three-d region in space. For your problem, you can think of it as a solid whose base is that region between the two parabolas, and whose height is 1. The area of the region and the volume of the solid are numerically equal, but of course, one is an area and the other is a volume, so the units would be different.
Thanks that makes sense
 

What is a double integral?

A double integral is a type of mathematical integration that extends one-dimensional integration to two-dimensional space. It is used to calculate the area under a surface in a two-dimensional coordinate system.

When is a double integral used?

A double integral is typically used when the region of integration is not a simple shape, such as a rectangle or triangle. It is also commonly used when calculating the volume of a three-dimensional shape.

How is a double integral calculated?

To calculate a double integral, the region of integration is divided into small rectangles, and the function is evaluated at each point within these rectangles. These values are then summed to approximate the total area under the surface.

What is the difference between a single and double integral?

A single integral calculates the area under a curve in one dimension, while a double integral calculates the area under a surface in two dimensions. In other words, a single integral calculates the length of a line, while a double integral calculates the area of a shape.

What are some real-world applications of double integrals?

Double integrals have a wide range of applications in fields such as physics, engineering, economics, and more. They can be used to calculate the moments of inertia of an object, the center of mass of a system, the surface area of a curved surface, and many other mathematical and scientific problems.

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