2
Remark If the position of the curve under consideration is below the x-axis, then since
f (x) < 0 from x = a to x = b, as shown in Fig 8 3, the area bounded by the curve, x-axis
and the ordinates x = a, x = b come out to be negative But, it is only the numerical
value of the area which is taken into consideration Thus, if the area is negative, we
take its absolute value, i