Simple Definite Integral: Find the Area Bounded by a Curve

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around finding the area bounded by the curve y=x^2-2, the y-axis, y=0, and y=1. Participants are exploring the integration process and the implications of the setup in the context of definite integrals.

Discussion Character

  • Mixed

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the integration of the function and the interpretation of the area under the curve. There are attempts to clarify the correct bounds and the function to integrate, with some questioning the use of the positive and negative square roots. Others express confusion over the results obtained from graphing software and the logical consistency of their answers.

Discussion Status

There is an ongoing exploration of different methods to approach the problem, with some participants offering corrections and alternative perspectives on the integration process. While some guidance has been provided regarding the setup and assumptions, there remains a lack of consensus on the correct interpretation of the area to be calculated.

Contextual Notes

Participants note potential misunderstandings regarding the function's behavior and the implications of integrating with respect to y versus x. There are also discussions about the constraints imposed by the problem statement and the necessity of considering the area bounded by the y-axis.

Mentallic
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Homework Statement


Find the area bounded by the curve [tex]y=x^2-2[/tex], the y-axis, y=0 and y=1

I got an answer, but when I checked it using graphmatica, it was wrong (also the result is logically too large). I cannot see where I went wrong though, so could someone please help me spot the mistake.

Homework Equations



[tex]\int_{a}^{b}f(y)dy = \left [ F(y) \right ]_{a}^{b}[/tex]

[tex]\int_{a}^{b}(ax+b)^ndx=\left [ \frac{(ax+b)^{n+1}}{a(n+1)}\right ]_a^b[/tex]


The Attempt at a Solution


[tex]A=\int_{0}^{1}xdy[/tex]

where [tex]x=\pm \sqrt{y+2}[/tex]

thus,
[tex]A=\int_{0}^{1}\pm \sqrt{y+2}.dy[/tex]

[tex]A=2\int_{0}^{1}\sqrt{y+2}.dy[/tex]

[tex]=2 \left[ \frac{(y+2)^{3/2}}{3/2} \right]_0^1[/tex]

[tex]=2\left( \frac{3^{3/2}}{3/2} \right)[/tex]

[tex]=4\sqrt{3}.u^2[/tex]
 
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hmm... i think it could be the factor of 2, the question says from y axis, so try only taking +sqrt
 
Uh no actually, there is something else going on here.

This is why:

Using graphmatica, I found [tex]\int_0^1 \sqrt{x+2}.dx \approx 1.5785[/tex]

I changed the function to integrate because the program seems to only be able to integrate with respect to the x-axis. The function is still equivalent to the original question though (for positive values of y).

So if I take the area of [tex]\int_0^1 \sqrt{y+2}.dy[/tex] in the positive quadrant only, then I get [tex]2\sqrt{3} \approx 3.464[/tex] which is far off the value given from graphmatica (and this answer doesn't seem correct either, from an elementary view of the approx area).

The problem is somewhere else, and I can't seem to spot it...
 
Ahh I found where I went wrong:

[tex]\left[ \frac{(y+2)^{3/2}}{3/2} \right]^1_0 \neq 2\sqrt{3}[/tex]

I assumed substituting 0 into the primitive returned 0. I'll be sure not to make that mistake again..
 
Mentallic said:

Homework Statement


Find the area bounded by the curve [tex]y=x^2-2[/tex], the y-axis, y=0 and y=1

I got an answer, but when I checked it using graphmatica, it was wrong (also the result is logically too large). I cannot see where I went wrong though, so could someone please help me spot the mistake.

Homework Equations



[tex]\int_{a}^{b}f(y)dy = \left [ F(y) \right ]_{a}^{b}[/tex]

[tex]\int_{a}^{b}(ax+b)^ndx=\left [ \frac{(ax+b)^{n+1}}{a(n+1)}\right ]_a^b[/tex]


The Attempt at a Solution


[tex]A=\int_{0}^{1}xdy[/tex]

where [tex]x=\pm \sqrt{y+2}[/tex]
That's makes no sense. You must integrate a function and "[itex]\pm\sqrt{y+2}[/itex]" is not a function. The x distance from one side of the graph to the other is [itex]2\sqrt{y+2}[/itex]. Further, [tex]\int_0^1 xdx[/itex] is NOT the same as [tex]\int_0^1\sqrt{y+ 2}dy[/tex]. If you let [tex]x= \sqrt{y+2}= (y+ 2)^{1/2}[/tex], then [tex]dx= (1/2)(y+2)^{-1/2}dy= 1/(2x)dy[/tex] so [tex]dy= 2xdx[/tex]. Also when y= 0, [itex]x= \sqrt{2}[/itex] and when y= 1, [itex]x= \sqrt{3}[/itex].<br /> [tex]\int_0^1 \sqrt{y+2}dy= 2\int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{3}} x^2dx= \frac{2}{3}\left(\sqrt{27}- \sqrt{8}\right)[/tex] so your area is [itex](4/3)\left(\sqrt{8}- \sqrt{2}\right)[/itex].<br /> <br /> <blockquote data-attributes="" data-quote="" data-source="" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> thus, <br /> [tex]A=\int_{0}^{1}\pm \sqrt{y+2}.dy[/tex]<br /> <br /> [tex]A=2\int_{0}^{1}\sqrt{y+2}.dy[/tex]<br /> <br /> [tex]=2 \left[ \frac{(y+2)^{3/2}}{3/2} \right]_0^1[/tex]<br /> <br /> [tex]=2\left( \frac{3^{3/2}}{3/2} \right)[/tex]<br /> <br /> [tex]=4\sqrt{3}.u^2[/tex] </div> </div> </blockquote>[/tex]
 
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HallsofIvy said:
That's makes no sense. You must integrate a function and "[itex]\pm\sqrt{y+2}[/itex]" is not a function.

How so? if [itex]y=x^2-2[/itex] is a function, then if x is made the subject, why isn't it a function anymore?

HallsofIvy said:
The x distance from one side of the graph to the other is [itex]2\sqrt{y+2}[/itex]. Further, [tex]\int_0^1 xdx[/itex] is NOT the same as [tex]\int_0^1\sqrt{y+ 2}dy[/tex]. If you let [tex]x= \sqrt{y+2}= (y+ 2)^{1/2}[/tex], then [tex]dx= (1/2)(y+2)^{-1/2}dy= 1/(2x)dy[/tex] so [tex]dy= 2xdx[/tex]. Also when y= 0, [itex]x= \sqrt{2}[/itex] and when y= 1, [itex]x= \sqrt{3}[/itex].[/tex]
[tex] <br /> Yes I did this, but you could argue I made it in a less conventional (cheating) way <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":wink:" title="Wink :wink:" data-smilie="2"data-shortname=":wink:" /><br /> <br /> <blockquote data-attributes="" data-quote="HallsofIvy" data-source="post: 2093184" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> HallsofIvy said: </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> [tex]\int_0^1 \sqrt{y+2}dy= 2\int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{3}} x^2dx= \frac{2}{3}\left(\sqrt{27}- \sqrt{8}\right)[/tex] so your area is [itex](4/3)\left(\sqrt{8}- \sqrt{2}\right)[/itex]. </div> </div> </blockquote>The area you found was correct but you simplified it incorrectly.<br /> <br /> [tex]\frac{2}{3}\left(\sqrt{27}- \sqrt{8}\right) \neq (4/3)\left(\sqrt{8}- \sqrt{2}\right)[/tex]<br /> <br /> The answer [itex]A=\frac{4}{3}(3\sqrt{3}-2\sqrt{2}) \approx 3.157[/itex] is also what Graphmatica gave me. Now the question as to whether the area is actually half of this or not. The question says it is also bounded by the y-axis, but [itex]y=x^2-2[/itex] has x values of both negative and positive between [itex]0<y<1[/itex] to the y-axis...[/tex]
 
Last edited:

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