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Q.Find the area enclosed by two parabolas y2=4axy^2=4ax and x2=4ayx^2=4ay.

Odisha ChseOdisha CHSE +2 Science Board Exam 2026Subjective· 3mImportance★★★★★
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The parabolas y2=4axy^2=4ax and x2=4ayx^2=4ay meet at (0,0)(0,0) and (4a,4a)(4a,4a); integrating the difference of the curves gives area 16a23\dfrac{16a^2}{3}.

Step 1 — Find points of intersection. From x2=4ayx^2=4ay: y=x24ay=\dfrac{x^2}{4a}. Substitute into y2=4axy^2=4ax:

(x24a)2=4ax ⇒ x416a2=4ax ⇒ x4=64a3x ⇒ x(x3−64a3)=0\left(\frac{x^2}{4a}\right)^2=4ax\ \Rightarrow\ \frac{x^4}{16a^2}=4ax\ \Rightarrow\ x^4=64a^3x\ \Rightarrow\ x(x^3-64a^3)=0

So x=0x=0 or x=4ax=4a. The corresponding points are (0,0)(0,0) and (4a,4a)(4a,4a).

Step 2 — Identify the upper/lower curve on [0,4a][0,4a]. For y2=4axy^2=4ax (upper branch y=2axy=2\sqrt{ax}) versus x2=4ayx^2=4ay (y=x24ay=\frac{x^2}{4a}): at x=ax=a, first curve gives y=2ay=2a, second gives y=a4y=\frac a4 — so y=2axy=2\sqrt{ax} lies above y=x24ay=\frac{x^2}{4a} on (0,4a)(0,4a).

Step 3 — Set up and evaluate the area integral:

A=∫04a[2ax−x24a]dx=2a∫04ax dx−14a∫04ax2 dxA=\int_0^{4a}\left[2\sqrt{ax}-\frac{x^2}{4a}\right]dx=2\sqrt a\int_0^{4a}\sqrt x\,dx-\frac{1}{4a}\int_0^{4a}x^2\,dx

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