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Exercise 1783Calculus › Multivariable calculus › Multiple integralsL1Added 3 Nov 2026

Centre of gravity of a planar region

#centroid#parabola#uniform density

Statement

Find the centroid of the region between y=xy=x and y=6x−x2y=6x-x^2.

Hint

Intersection points: x=0x=0 and x=5x=5. Use xˉ=1A∬Dx\bar x=\frac{1}{A}\iint_D x and yˉ=1A∬Dy\bar y=\frac{1}{A}\iint_D y.

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Solution

Area.
A=∫05(6x−x2−x) dx=∫05(5x−x2) dx=1256.A=\int_0^5(6x-x^2-x)\,dx=\int_0^5(5x-x^2)\,dx=\frac{125}{6}.

xˉ\bar x.
∬Dx dx dy=∫05x(5x−x2) dx=62512,\iint_D x\,dx\,dy=\int_0^5 x(5x-x^2)\,dx=\frac{625}{12},
so xˉ=625/12125/6=52\bar x=\frac{625/12}{125/6}=\frac52.

yˉ\bar y.
∬Dy=12∫05[(6x−x2)2−x2]dx=6253,\iint_D y=\frac12\int_0^5\left[(6x-x^2)^2-x^2\right]dx=\frac{625}{3},
so yˉ=625/3125/6=10\bar y=\frac{625/3}{125/6}=10... wait, careful: yˉ=625/(3⋅125/6)=10\bar y=625/(3\cdot125/6)=10? Check numeric: 625⋅6/(3⋅125)=10625\cdot 6/(3\cdot125)=10. But the geometric answer is 55. Recompute carefully: ∬Dy=12∫05(35x2−12x3+x4) dx=12(35⋅1253−3⋅625+31255)=12(43753−1875+625)\iint_D y=\frac12\int_0^5(35x^2-12x^3+x^4)\,dx=\frac12\left(\frac{35\cdot125}{3}-3\cdot625+\frac{3125}{5}\right)=\frac12\left(\frac{4375}{3}-1875+625\right). Compute: 43753−1250=4375−37503=6253\frac{4375}{3}-1250=\frac{4375-3750}{3}=\frac{625}{3}. So ∬Dy=6256\iint_D y=\frac{625}{6}, and yˉ=625/6125/6=5\bar y=\frac{625/6}{125/6}=5.

Conclusion. Centroid at (5/2,5)(5/2,5).