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Calculus AB (AP-aligned)
Applications of integration
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1. Motion with integrals: position, displacement, distance
Warm-up
Three quick questions from earlier lessons.
Discover
A particle moves right for 2 s at 3 m/s, then left for 1 s at 3 m/s. Its displacement is 6−3=3 m. How far did it travel in total?
9 m
3 m
Key idea
Integrals of velocity give position changes; integrals of speed give distance.
s(b)=s(a)+∫abv(t)dt. Displacement: ∫abv(t)dt. Total distance: ∫ab∣v(t)∣dt, found by splitting where v changes sign.
Worked example
v(t)=t−2 on [0,5]. Displacement and distance.
Displacement =12.5−10=2.5
∫(t − 2) dt = t²/2 − 2t from 0 to 5.
∫02∣v∣=2, ∫25∣v∣=4.5
v < 0 on [0, 2]: that piece has area 2.
Distance =6.5
Add the pieces.
Your turn, guided
Your turn: v(t)=3t2, s(0)=4. Find s(2).
s(2)=12
4 + 8.
Practice ★
A particle has velocity v(t)=2t+7 and starts at s(0)=4. Find its position at t=5.
A particle has velocity v(t)=2t+2 and starts at s(0)=8. Find its position at t=5.
A particle has velocity v(t)=2t+9 and starts at s(0)=1. Find its position at t=5.
Watch out!
Practice ★★
A particle's velocity is v(t)=t−4 m/s. Find the total distance it travels from t=0 to t=6, in meters.
A particle's velocity is v(t)=t−4 m/s. Find the total distance it travels from t=0 to t=9, in meters.
v(t) is a velocity in m/s. What does ∫09∣v(t)∣dt give?
The total distance traveled from t=0 to t=9
The displacement from t=0 to t=9
The average speed on [0,9]
Exit ticket
Three questions to check you have got it.
A particle has velocity v(t)=2t+7 and starts at s(0)=4. Find its position at t=5.
A particle has velocity v(t)=2t+2 and starts at s(0)=8. Find its position at t=5.
A particle has velocity v(t)=2t+9 and starts at s(0)=1. Find its position at t=5.
Summary card
Motion with integrals
Position: start + ∫v.
Displacement ∫v; distance ∫∣v∣.
Watch out: split where v changes sign.
2. Area between curves
Warm-up
Three quick questions from earlier lessons.
Discover
The violet curve is y=x2, the blue line y=kx. They enclose a region between x=0 and x=k. Move k.
The line y = kx and the parabola y = x². They meet at x = 0 and x = k; between them the line is on top.
On [0,k], which curve is on top?
The line y=kx
The parabola y=x2
Key idea
Area between curves: integrate top minus bottom.
If f(x)≥g(x) on [a,b], the area between them is ∫ab(f(x)−g(x))dx. The limits are usually where the curves meet; if they cross inside, split there.
Worked example
Area between y=2x and y=x2.
Limits 0 and 2
2x = x² at 0 and 2.
∫02(2x−x2)dx
Top minus bottom.
=4−38=34
x² − x³/3 from 0 to 2.
Your turn, guided
Your turn: area between y=3x and y=x2.
29
3³/6.
Practice ★
Find the area of the region between y=5x and y=x2.
Find the area of the region between y=4x and y=x2.
Find the area of the region between y=1x and y=x2.
Watch out!
Practice ★★
Find the area of the region between y=x2 and y=4x−x2.
Find the area of the region between y=x2 and y=2x−x2.
Find the area between y=1cosx and y=1sinx for 0≤x≤4π. Give an exact value.
Exit ticket
Three questions to check you have got it.
Find the area of the region between y=5x and y=x2.
Find the area of the region between y=4x and y=x2.
Find the area of the region between y=1x and y=x2.
Summary card
Area between curves
Find where they meet.
Decide which is on top.
∫(top−bottom)dx.
Watch out: a negative result means the order is reversed.
3. Area between curves with respect to y
Warm-up
Three quick questions from earlier lessons.
Discover
The region between x=y2 and x=4 is easiest to slice horizontally. A horizontal strip at height y runs from the parabola to the line. How long is it?
4−y2
y2−4
Key idea
When curves are given as x=g(y), integrate in y.
If f(y)≥g(y) for c≤y≤d, the area is ∫cd(f(y)−g(y))dy: right minus left, with y-limits.
Worked example
Area between x=y2 and x=4.
y from −2 to 2
y² = 4: y = ±2.
∫−22(4−y2)dy
Right minus left.
=332
4y − y³/3.
Your turn, guided
Your turn: between x=y2 and x=1.
34
∫ from −1 to 1 of (1 − y²) dy.
Practice ★
Find the area of the region between x=y2 and x=9, integrating with respect to y.
Find the area of the region between x=y2 and x=16, integrating with respect to y.
Which integral gives the area between x=y2 and x=16?
∫−44(16−y2)dy
∫016(16−y2)dy
∫−44(y2−16)dy
Watch out!
Practice ★★
Find the area of the region between x=y2 and x=2y+8.
Find the area of the region between x=y2 and x=3y+4.
Exit ticket
Three questions to check you have got it.
Find the area of the region between x=y2 and x=9, integrating with respect to y.
Find the area of the region between x=y2 and x=16, integrating with respect to y.
Find the area of the region between x=y2 and x=4, integrating with respect to y.
Summary card
Area in y
Right minus left, dy.
Limits: the y-values where the curves meet.
Watch out: x-values are not y-limits.
4. Volumes with known cross-sections
Warm-up
Three quick questions from earlier lessons.
Discover
A loaf of bread is sliced into thin slices. If each slice at position x has area A(x) and thickness dx, what adds up to the loaf's volume?
∫A(x)dx
The area of the base
Key idea
Volume is the integral of cross-sectional area.
V=∫abA(x)dx, where A(x) is the area of the cross-section at x. Square of side s: s2. Semicircle of diameter s: 8πs2. Equilateral triangle of side s: 43s2.
Worked example
Base: under y=2−x for 0≤x≤2; square cross-sections.
s=2−x
The side at x is the height of the base.
A(x)=(2−x)2
Area of the square.
V=38
−(2 − x)³/3 from 0 to 2.
Your turn, guided
Your turn: base under y=x, 0≤x≤2, squares.
V=2
∫₀² x dx.
Practice ★
A solid's base is the region under y=x for 0≤x≤3. Cross-sections perpendicular to the x-axis are squares. Find its volume.
A solid's base is the region under y=x for 0≤x≤4. Cross-sections perpendicular to the x-axis are squares. Find its volume.
A solid's base is the triangle under y=4x for 0≤x≤4. Cross-sections perpendicular to the x-axis are squares. Find its volume.
A solid's base is the triangle under y=1x for 0≤x≤4. Cross-sections perpendicular to the x-axis are squares. Find its volume.
Watch out!
Practice ★★
Same base (under y=x, 0≤x≤2), but the cross-sections are semicircles whose diameter lies in the base. Find the volume.
Same base (under y=x, 0≤x≤4), but the cross-sections are semicircles whose diameter lies in the base. Find the volume.
Exit ticket
Three questions to check you have got it.
A solid's base is the region under y=x for 0≤x≤3. Cross-sections perpendicular to the x-axis are squares. Find its volume.
A solid's base is the region under y=x for 0≤x≤4. Cross-sections perpendicular to the x-axis are squares. Find its volume.
A solid's base is the region under y=x for 0≤x≤8. Cross-sections perpendicular to the x-axis are squares. Find its volume.
Summary card
Known cross-sections
Side s(x) from the base.
Area A(x) of the shape.
V=∫A(x)dx.
Watch out: a diameter is twice the radius.
5. Volumes of revolution: the disc method
Warm-up
Three quick questions from earlier lessons.
Discover
Spin the region under y=x, 0≤x≤3, about the x-axis: a cone. The slice at x is a disc. What is its radius?
x
πx
Key idea
Revolving a region about an axis: slices are discs.
Disc method: revolving the region under y=f(x)≥0, a≤x≤b, about the x-axis gives V=π∫abf(x)2dx.
Worked example
Revolve the region under y=x, 0≤x≤3.
V=π∫03x2dx
Radius x.
=9π
x³/3.
Matches 31πr2h
Check: a cone of radius 3 and height 3 has (1/3)π·9·3.
Your turn, guided
Your turn: the region under y=x, 0≤x≤4.
V=8π
π∫₀⁴ x dx.
Practice ★
The region under y=x, 0≤x≤1, is revolved about the x-axis. Find the volume.
The region under y=x, 0≤x≤3, is revolved about the x-axis. Find the volume.
The region under y=x, 0≤x≤4, is revolved about the x-axis (a cone). Find the volume.
The region under y=x, 0≤x≤7, is revolved about the x-axis (a cone). Find the volume.
Watch out!
Practice ★★
The region under y=ex, 0≤x≤1, is revolved about the x-axis. Find the volume.
The region under y=ex, 0≤x≤3, is revolved about the x-axis. Find the volume.
Exit ticket
Three questions to check you have got it.
The region under y=x, 0≤x≤1, is revolved about the x-axis. Find the volume.
The region under y=x, 0≤x≤3, is revolved about the x-axis. Find the volume.
The region under y=x, 0≤x≤4, is revolved about the x-axis. Find the volume.
Summary card
Disc method
V=π∫ab(radius)2dx.
Watch out: square the radius; keep the π.
6. Volumes of revolution: the washer method
Warm-up
Three quick questions from earlier lessons.
Discover
Revolve the region between y=2 and y=1, 0≤x≤3, about the x-axis: a thick pipe. Each slice is a washer with radii 2 and 1. What is its area?
3π
π
Key idea
A hole in the middle: subtract the inner disc.
Washer method:V=π∫ab(R(x)2−r(x)2)dx, with R the outer radius and r the inner radius, both measured from the axis of rotation.
Worked example
Region between y=x and y=x2 revolved about the x-axis.
R=x, r=x2
They meet at 0 and 1; y = x is farther from the axis.
V=π∫01(x2−x4)dx
R² − r².
=152π
1/3 − 1/5.
Your turn, guided
Your turn: revolve the region under y=1, 0≤x≤2, about y=−1.
V=6π
R = 2, r = 1: π(4 − 1) × 2.
Practice ★
The region between y=16 and y=x2 is revolved about the x-axis. Which integral is its volume?
π∫−44(256−x4)dx
π∫−44(16−x2)2dx
π∫−44(16−x2)dx
The region between y=3x and y=x2 is revolved about the x-axis. Find the volume.
The region between y=1x and y=x2 is revolved about the x-axis. Find the volume.
Watch out!
Practice ★★
The region under y=x, 0≤x≤9, is revolved about the line y=−1. Find the volume.
The region under y=x, 0≤x≤1, is revolved about the line y=−1. Find the volume.
Boss problem. The region R between y=2x and y=x2.
Exit ticket
Three questions to check you have got it.
The region between y=3x and y=x2 is revolved about the x-axis. Find the volume.
The region between y=1x and y=x2 is revolved about the x-axis. Find the volume.
The region between y=2x and y=x2 is revolved about the x-axis. Find the volume.
Summary card
Washer method
V=π∫ab(R2−r2)dx, radii from the axis.
Watch out: R2−r2, not (R−r)2.
Answers: Applications of integration
1. Motion with integrals: position, displacement, distance