Lecture 5

Sec 5.4

Application: Area Between two Curves and Average Value

The Area Between two curves

If f(x) and g(x) are continuous with

f ( x ) g ( x ) on a x b

then the area A

between y = f(x) and y = g(x) on the interval is given by

b

A= [ f ( x ) g ( x ) ] dx
a

Steps:
Find the intervals. Sketch can be useful.
See which function lies above the other.

Find the area of the region R enclosed by the curves

Solution:
To find the points of intersection,

x 3=x 2 So x3 x2 =0 x2 ( x1 )=0 So x=0,1

SO Area =

x3 x4
(
)
x x dx= 3 4
0
2

)| = 13 14 = 121
0

y=x 3 y =x2 .

Important: Area can never be negative .

We can also take the absolute value of the integral we set up to get the area. This
will ensure a nonnegative area even if we do not check which curves lies above the
otherin an interval

A= [ f ( x )g ( x ) ] dx

So by

Example:

y=4 x y=x 3 +3 x 2

Find the area of the region bounded by

Solution:
Points of intersection:
3

4 x =x +3 x

so x3 +3 x 24 x=0
x ( x 2 +3 x4 )=0
x ( x1 ) ( x+ 4 )=0
so x=0,1,4

| [
1

Hence area of R =

||

4 x( x + 3 x ) ] dx + [ 4 x( x +3 x ) ] dx
3

(4 )4
2 (4 )
( 4 )3
4
3
( 0 )= +32=32.75
4
2

4 x2 x4 3 x3

2
4
3

)| (

4 x2 x4 3 x3
+

2
4
3
0

)| =|(2 14 1)0|+
4

Net Excess Profit

N

P2 ( t ) p1 ( t ) = (P'2 ( t ) P '1 ( t ))dt

E(t) =

Suppose that t years from now one investment will be generating profit at the rate
of

P'1 ( t )=50+t 2

hundred dollars per year and the second investment will be

'

P2 ( t )=200+5 t

generating profit at the rate of

hundred dollars per year.

a. For how many years does the rate of profitability of the first investment
exceed that of the second.
b. Compute the net excess profit for the time period in a. Interpret your answer.
Solution:
'

'

We solve P1 ( t )=P2 ( t )

50+t 2=200+5 t
t 2 5 t150=0
t 2 15 t+10 t150=0t ( t15 ) +10 ( t15 )=0
S o t = 15 and t = -10 (ignore)

b. net excess profit =

5t2 t3
150 t+

2 3

15

)|

15

15

[ P'2 ( t ) P1 ' ( t ) ] dt =

[(200+5 t)(50+t 2)]dt

5
153
$ 3375
=( 150 ( 15 )+ ( 15 2 )
)0=
2
3
2

Area beretween the curves

'

P2 ( t ) and

'

P1 ( t )

Between t = 0 and t = 15 is 3375/2

Lorentz Curves
Used to measure the percentage of a society\ wealth
possessed by a certain number of people.

L(x) is an increasing function on

i)
ii)

L(0) = 0
L(1) = 1

iii)

0 L( x ) 1

iv)

L(x)

0 x 1 .

as L(x) is a percentage.

Gini Index:
If y = L(x) is a Lorentx curve then the inequality in the current distribution
of wealth is measured by the Gini Index and
1

Gini Index=2 [xL ( x ) ]dx

0

The smaller the index the more equitable the distribution of income and
the more the index the more the wealth is concentrated in a few hands
only.

If the Lorentz curves for the distribution of income between dentists and
contractors is

L1 ( x )=x 1.7L2 ( x )=0.8 x 2+ 0.2 x respectively .

For which profession is the distribution of income more fairly distributed?

Sol:
We find the Gini Index for each curve.
1

( )|

x2 2.7
1
x
2
G1 ( x )=2 ( xx 1.7 ) dx=2
.7 =0.2593
2
0
0

G2 ( x )=2 [ x( 0.8 x 2 +0.2 x ) ] dx=2 0.8

0

x
8x 1
+ 0.
| = 0.2667
3
2 0

Since the Gini Index of dentists is smaller it follows that the income of
dentists is more evenly distributed than contractors.
The Average Value of a Function.0
Let f(x) be a continuous function on

ax b.

Then the average value V of

f(x) over this interval is

V=

1
f ( x ) dx
ba a

A manufacturer determines that t months after introducing a new product the

companys sales will be S(t) thousand dollars where

S ( t )=

750 t
.
4 t2 +25

What are the average monthy sales of the company over the first 6 months after
the introduction of the new product?
Solution:
6

1
750 t
V=
. dt

60 0 4 t 2+ 25

169

169

1
2

( )|
1
2

1
1
750 u
750/ u du =750 u du=

6 25
8
48 25
48 1
2

( )

169

= 250

25

So fir the six month time period the companys sales average $250000