CalculusAdditional / Further Maths

Area on both sides of the axis

Split a region at each axis crossing and add its areas.

  • Find every root inside the interval and split the integral there.
  • Work out the signed integral on each subinterval.
  • Add their magnitudes for total area. Taking the magnitude of the combined integral can lose area.

Example 1

Find the total shaded area.

The shaded region between the labelled curves and the stated limits.
The graph crosses the axis at .An antiderivative of the function.Integrate from -2 to 0, below the axis.Integrate from 0 to 2, above the axis.Add the two positive areas.

Example 2

Find the total shaded area.

The shaded region between the labelled curves and the stated limits.
The graph crosses the axis at .An antiderivative of the function.Integrate from -2 to -1, below the axis.Integrate from -1 to 3, above the axis.Add the two positive areas.

Your turn

Question 1

Find the total shaded area.

The shaded region between the labelled curves and the stated limits.
Check answer
The graph crosses the axis at .An antiderivative of the function.Integrate from -2 to -1, below the axis.Integrate from -1 to 0, above the axis.Add the two positive areas.

Area is measured in square units.

Question 2

Find the total shaded area.

The shaded region between the labelled curves and the stated limits.
Check answer
The graph crosses the axis at .An antiderivative of the function.Integrate from -2 to 1, below the axis.Integrate from 1 to 4, above the axis.Add the two positive areas.

Area is measured in square units.

Question 3

Find the total shaded area.

The shaded region between the labelled curves and the stated limits.
Check answer
The graph crosses the axis at .An antiderivative of the function.Integrate from -2 to 0, below the axis.Integrate from 0 to 5, above the axis.Add the two positive areas.

Area is measured in square units.

Question 4

Find the total shaded area.

The shaded region between the labelled curves and the stated limits.
Check answer
The graph crosses the axis at .An antiderivative of the function.Integrate from -1 to 2, below the axis.Integrate from 2 to 3, above the axis.Add the two positive areas.

Area is measured in square units.

Question 5

Find the total shaded area.

The shaded region between the labelled curves and the stated limits.
Check answer
The graph crosses the axis at .An antiderivative of the function.Integrate from -1 to 0, below the axis.Integrate from 0 to 2, above the axis.Add the two positive areas.

Area is measured in square units.