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Ch. 8 - Techniques of Integration
Hass - Thomas' Calculus 15th Edition
Hass15th EditionThomas' CalculusISBN: 9780137616077Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 8, Problem 8.2.57b

Finding area
Find the area of the region enclosed by the curve y = x sin(x) and the x-axis (see the accompanying figure) for:
b. π ≤ x ≤ 2π.
Graph of y = x sin(x) from 0 to 3π showing curve crossing x-axis at π and 2π with labeled axes.

Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the region whose area is to be found: the curve is given by \(y = x \sin x\) and the interval is \(\pi \leq x \leq 2\pi\). From the graph, note that the curve lies below the x-axis in this interval, so the function values are negative.
Set up the integral for the area between the curve and the x-axis. Since the curve is below the x-axis, the area is given by the integral of the negative of the function: \(\text{Area} = \int_{\pi}^{2\pi} -x \sin x \, dx\).
Use integration by parts to evaluate the integral \(\int x \sin x \, dx\). Let \(u = x\) and \(dv = \sin x \, dx\), then \(du = dx\) and \(v = -\cos x\). Applying integration by parts formula: \(\int u \, dv = uv - \int v \, du\).
Substitute back into the definite integral and evaluate the resulting expression at the limits \(x = \pi\) and \(x = 2\pi\).
Take the absolute value of the result if necessary to ensure the area is positive, as area cannot be negative.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Definite Integral for Area Calculation

The definite integral of a function over an interval gives the net area between the curve and the x-axis. When the function dips below the x-axis, the integral yields a negative value, so the absolute value or splitting the integral at zeros is necessary to find the total enclosed area.
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Behavior of the Function y = x sin(x)

The function y = x sin(x) oscillates with increasing amplitude as x increases. It crosses the x-axis at multiples of π, creating regions above and below the axis. Understanding where the function is positive or negative helps determine how to set up the integral for area.
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Splitting the Integral at Zeros of the Function

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