Question about finding the area between two curves

[Sinister]

my question might be simple but my professor didn't really explain this..
how do you know what function to subtract from what to find the area between the two graphs..
i know you use integrals of f(b)-g(a)
and f(b) is the function that is above g(a)
but how do you find it out for complex functions?

 

[Eynstone]

The graph of a complex valued map lies in 4 dimensions & hence area is out of place.

 

[Sinister]

what...?

 

[Sinister]

complex as in complicated functions sorry ! not complex numbers :P

 

[Mark44]

my question might be simple but my professor didn't really explain this..
how do you know what function to subtract from what to find the area between the two graphs..
i know you use integrals of f(b)-g(a)
and f(b) is the function that is above g(a)
but how do you find it out for complex functions?

If y = f(x) is above the graph of y = g(x) for all x such that a <= x <= b, then the area between the two graphs is
\int_a^b [f(x) - g(x)]dx