What is the area enclosed by the curves y=√x, y=1/2x, and x=25?

In summary: BTW, when you write y = 1/2x, that is technically correct, but to be clearer, it could be written as y = (1/2)x. Many members here would interpret what you wrote as 1/(2x), which is not what you meant, and also...In any case, your first step should be to graph the region so that you can get the correct limits of integration and the correct integrand.That's how I did it, I just explained it the longer way. However, my answer, 297/4, is not right according to the online homework program.
  • #1
Gundown64
9
0
I hope you guys can help. I feel like I know how to do this, but I keep getting the same answer no matter what I do, which is wrong.

Sketch the regions enclosed by the given curves.
y=√x, y=1/2x, x=25
Find its area.


The attempt at a solution
∫4,25 ((1/2x)-(√x))dx
[(1/4x2)-(2/3x3/2)] integrated at 4 and 25

Basically I solve for 25, solve for 4, and subtract them. I end up with 297/4 as my answer everytime. What am I doing wrong?
 
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  • #2
Gundown64 said:
I hope you guys can help. I feel like I know how to do this, but I keep getting the same answer no matter what I do, which is wrong.

Sketch the regions enclosed by the given curves.
y=√x, y=1/2x, x=25


The attempt at a solution
∫4,25 ((1/2x)-(√x))dx
[(1/4x2)-(2/3x3/2)] integrated at 4 and 25

Basically I solve for 25, solve for 4, and subtract them. I end up with 297/4 as my answer everytime. What am I doing wrong?

Why are you integrating from 4 to 25? I get the 25 part, but the curves do not intersect at 4.
 
  • #3
Gundown64 said:
I hope you guys can help. I feel like I know how to do this, but I keep getting the same answer no matter what I do, which is wrong.

Sketch the regions enclosed by the given curves.
y=√x, y=1/2x, x=25


The attempt at a solution
∫4,25 ((1/2x)-(√x))dx
[(1/4x2)-(2/3x3/2)] integrated at 4 and 25

Basically I solve for 25, solve for 4, and subtract them. I end up with 297/4 as my answer everytime. What am I doing wrong?

The problem is asking for a sketch of the region, not its area. In your problem description, you didn't say anything about finding the area of this region. Did you forget to add that bit of information?

In any case, your first step should be to graph the region so that you can get the correct limits of integration and the correct integrand.
 
  • #4
Well, it looks like part of this may be my own fault for believing this graph? The homework claims this (attached document) is the correct graphing of the two curves, which intersect at (4,2). Which would mean integrating from 4 to 25, correct? Sorry, and it goes on to say (at the bottom) to find the area.
 

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  • #5
Gundown64 said:
Well, it looks like part of this may be my own fault for believing this graph? The homework claims this (attached document) is the correct graphing of the two curves, which intersect at (4,2). Which would mean integrating from 4 to 25, correct? Sorry, and it goes on to say (at the bottom) to find the area.
So, the task at hand is to sketch the region above [itex]y=\sqrt{x}\,,[/itex] below [itex]\displaystyle y=\frac{1}{2}x\,,[/itex] and to the left of [itex]x=25\,.[/itex]

The sketch is done in your thumbnail (shown below).

attachment.php?attachmentid=42796&d=1326854126.jpg


Now, it seems you are trying to find the area of the shaded region.
 
  • #6
SammyS said:
So, the task at hand is to sketch the region above [itex]y=\sqrt{x}\,,[/itex] below [itex]\displaystyle y=\frac{1}{2}x\,,[/itex] and to the left of [itex]x=25\,.[/itex]

The sketch is done in your thumbnail (shown below).

image

Now, it seems you are trying to find the area of the shaded region.

Correct. So, basically I found the area below 1/2x by finding the anti derivative and integrating from 4 to 25. Then I did the same for sqrt(x) and subtracted. Is that not correct?
 
  • #7
Gundown64 said:
Correct. So, basically I found the area below 1/2x by finding the anti derivative and integrating from 4 to 25. Then I did the same for sqrt(x) and subtracted. Is that not correct?
That's OK.

You can do it all at once, but for these functions it doesn't really save any work.
[itex]\displaystyle \int_4^{25}\left( \frac{1}{2}x-\sqrt{x}\right)dx[/itex]​
 
  • #8
SammyS said:
That's OK.

You can do it all at once, but for these functions it doesn't really save any work.
[itex]\displaystyle \int_4^{25}\left( \frac{1}{2}x-\sqrt{x}\right)dx[/itex]​

That's how I did it, I just explained it the longer way. However, my answer, 297/4, is not right according to the online homework program.
 
  • #9
Gundown64 said:
Well, it looks like part of this may be my own fault for believing this graph? The homework claims this (attached document) is the correct graphing of the two curves, which intersect at (4,2). Which would mean integrating from 4 to 25, correct? Sorry, and it goes on to say (at the bottom) to find the area.

Why isn't the piece between 0 and 4 included?
Gundown64 said:
Sketch the regions enclosed by the given curves.
y=√x, y=1/2x, x=25
Find its area.

Sketch the regions ...

The last part is grammatically incorrect. The first part asks for regions, so the last part should say, "find their area."

BTW, when you write y = 1/2x, that is technically correct, but to be clearer, it could be written as y = (1/2)x. Many members here would interpret what you wrote as 1/(2x), which is not what you meant, and also incorrect.
 

Related to What is the area enclosed by the curves y=√x, y=1/2x, and x=25?

1. What is the concept of "area between two curves"?

The area between two curves is the region enclosed by two curves on a graph. This area can be calculated by finding the definite integral of the difference between the two curves.

2. How do I find the area between two curves?

To find the area between two curves, you first need to graph the two curves on the same coordinate plane. Then, you can use the definite integral to calculate the area by integrating the difference between the two curves over the given interval.

3. What is the formula for finding the area between two curves?

The formula for finding the area between two curves is A = ∫(f(x) - g(x)) dx, where f(x) and g(x) are the two functions and the integral is taken over the given interval.

4. Can the area between two curves be negative?

Yes, the area between two curves can be negative if the top curve is below the bottom curve in certain parts of the given interval. This indicates that the bottom curve is actually higher than the top curve in those regions.

5. How can finding the area between two curves be useful?

Finding the area between two curves can be useful in many applications, such as calculating the work done by a variable force or finding the volume of a solid of revolution. It is also a fundamental concept in calculus and can help in understanding the relationship between two functions.

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