MATHEMATICS

FORM 5
CHAPTER 6

GRADIENT AND AREA UNDER

A GRAPH
6.2 AREA UNDER
A GRAPH
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Find the area under a graph.
2. determine the distance by finding the area
under the following types of speed-time graph;
a) v = k
b) v = kt
c) v = kt + h
d) a combination of the above
 6.2 (B) Finding the Area
Under a Graph
 Steps to find the area under a graph:
i) Draw one or more dashed lines
which are perpendicular to the x-axis.
ii) Recognize the shape for the
different region.
iii) Use suitable formulae to find the
areas.
 Example 1
 Find the area under the graphs:

y y

8 8

0 6 x 0 6 x
 6.2 (C) Determining the
Distance from the Speed-
Time Graph
a) When the particle travels at a
uniform speed:
v=k
Speed (m/s)

30

Time (s)
0 30
b) When the speed starts from 0 and
changes at a fixed rate:
v = kt
Speed (m/s)

24

Time (s)
0 40
c) When the speed starts from a
certain value and changes at a fixed
rate;
v = kt + h
Speed (m/s)

40

20

0 Time (s)
20
d) A combination of the above.
When the speed is not consistent,
divide the area into several polygons.
Find the area of each polygons and
sum them up.
Speed (m/s)

40

A B C

Time (s)
10 20 35
 Summary
 Quantity represented by the area
under a graph is the product of the
quantity represented by the
horizontal axis and the quantity
represented by the vertical axis.

 Area under a speed-time graph

represents the distance traveled