a)Find the number a such that the line x = a bisects the area under the curve y= 1/x^2, 1<x<3.

a=3/2

b)Find the number b such that the line y = b bisects the area in part (a)

b=?

To find the number b such that the line y = b bisects the area under the curve y = 1/x^2, 1 < x < 3, we need to divide the total area under the curve into two equal parts.

First, let's find the total area under the curve. The area, A, under the curve y = 1/x^2 from x = 1 to x = 3 can be calculated using definite integration:

A = ∫[1 to 3] (1/x^2) dx

Simplifying the integral:

A = ∫[1 to 3] x^(-2) dx

Using the power rule of integration, we have:

A = [-x^(-1)] [from 1 to 3]

Substituting the limits of integration:

A = [-(1/(3^1)) - (1/(1^1))]

A = [-(1/3) + 1]

A = [2/3]

So, the total area under the curve is 2/3.

To find the number b such that the line y = b bisects the area, we need to find the point where the line intersects with the curve. The line y = b intersects the curve y = 1/x^2 when 1/x^2 = b.

Solving for x, we have:

1/x^2 = b

x^2 = 1/b

x = sqrt(1/b)

To bisect the area, we need to find two points on the curve that have an equal area between the line y = b and the curve y = 1/x^2.

Let's integrate the region between x = sqrt(1/b) and x = 3:

Area between y = 1/x^2 and y = b = ∫[sqrt(1/b) to 3] (1/x^2 - b) dx

= ∫[sqrt(1/b) to 3] (1/x^2) - (b) dx

= [-x^(-1)] - (bx) [sqrt(1/b) to 3]

= [-(1/(3^1)) - 3b] - [-(1/(sqrt(1/b))^1) - sqrt(1/b)b]

= [-1/3 - 3b] + [sqrt(b) - sqrt(1/b)b]

To bisect the area, this expression should be equal to half of the total area, which is 2/3 divided by 2:

[-1/3 - 3b] + [sqrt(b) - sqrt(1/b)b] = (2/3)/2

Simplifying the equation:

[-1/3 - 3b] + [sqrt(b) - sqrt(1/b)b] = 1/3

Now, we can solve this equation for b.

To find the number b such that the line y = b bisects the area under the curve y= 1/x^2, 1<x<3, we can begin by finding the total area under the curve and then dividing it by 2.

The total area under the curve y= 1/x^2, 1<x<3, can be found by evaluating the definite integral:

A = ∫[1,3] (1/x^2) dx

To evaluate this integral, we can use the power rule for integration. Assuming you are familiar with the power rule, we have:

A = [-1/x] evaluated from 1 to 3
= (-1/3) - (-1/1)
= -1/3 + 1
= 2/3

So, the total area under the curve is 2/3.

To find the number b such that the line y = b bisects this area, we need to find the value of y = b such that the area under the curve y = 1/x^2, 1<x<3, from the x-axis up to the line is equal to half of the total area.

Therefore, we need to solve the following equation:

∫[1,a] (1/x^2) dx + ∫[a,3] (1/b) dx = (1/2) * (2/3)

Let's evaluate each integral separately:

∫[1,a] (1/x^2) dx = [-1/x] evaluated from 1 to a
= (-1/a) - (-1/1)
= -1/a + 1

∫[a,3] (1/b) dx = [x/b] evaluated from a to 3
= (3/b) - (a/b)

Substituting these values back into the equation:

(-1/a + 1) + ((3/b) - (a/b)) = 1/3

Combining like terms:

-1/a + 1 + 3/b - a/b = 1/3

Multiplying through by ab:

-b + a + 3a - ab = ab/3

Rearranging terms:

4a - b - ab = ab/3

Now, we can solve for b:

4a - b - ab = ab/3

Bringing all terms with b to one side:

4a - ab = b + ab/3

Combining like-terms:

4a - ab = (3b + ab)/3

Multiplying through by 3:

12a - 3ab = 3b + ab

Rearranging terms:

12a - 3b - 4ab = 0

Factoring out b:

b(12 - 4a) - 3b = 0

Factorizing the equation further:

b(12 - 4a - 3) = 0

Setting each part equal to zero:

b = 0 or 12 - 4a - 3 = 0

Simplifying the second equation:

12 - 4a - 3 = 0
-4a - 3 = -12
-4a = -12 + 3
-4a = -9
a = -9/-4
a = 9/4

Therefore, the value of b such that the line y = b bisects the area in part (a) is 0 or when a = 9/4.

int dx/x^2 = -1/x + c

from 1 to 3 = -1/3 - (-1/1) = 2/3
half of that is 1/3

from 1 to a = -1/a - (-1/1) = -1/a + 1
so
-1/a + 3/3 = 1/3
-1/a = -2/3
2 a = 3
a = 3/2