# Calculating the area between two curves

1. Dec 17, 2007

### physstudent1

1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data

Compute the area between the two functions as an integral along the x-axis or the y-axis:

x=abs(y)
x=6-y^2

2. Relevant equations

3. The attempt at a solution

I sketched the graph to determine which was to the right and which was left finding out that 6-y^2 is to the right then I found out where the limits of integration would be and go the to be +sqrt6 , -sqrt6 however I'm not getting the correct answer and I'm unsure of how to integrate the absolute value function, I tried to split it up into two separate integrals but it didn't work

2. Dec 17, 2007

### malty

Last edited: Dec 17, 2007
3. Dec 17, 2007

### physstudent1

Ah, I see no I was not familiar with that function, I got my limits because those are the points where the parabola meets the y axis,

4. Dec 17, 2007

### malty

But where does the curve intersect the line?

5. Dec 17, 2007

### HallsofIvy

Staff Emeritus
There isn't "one function to the right and the other to the left". There is one function above the other!