I need help getting started with this algebra2 assignment

[sebastianno90]

Equipment:
15 rectangular paper strips 1/2 inch by 8 1/2 inches.

a. Using your paper strips, cut them to fit outside the curved area. They should all be 1/2 inch in width, and you cut the length to fit. Line them up touching sides, with one end on the horizontal line at the bottom, and you cut the top end to fit just outside the curve. These paper strips must be rectangles. Don't make any sloped cuts. Calculate the area of each rectangle and add them to find the estimated area of the parabolic figure. This area will be larger than the actual area

i just need help getting started and i'd appreciate it if somebody could explain it to me

this is the image

 

[galactus]

What parabolic area?.

 

[sebastianno90]

What parabolic area?.

it says that i have to find the area of the parabolic figure by calculating the area of each rectangle and adding them, that's where i'm confused

 

[stapel]

a. Using your paper strips, cut them to fit outside the curved area.

What "curved area"? Where does this come from? Is there a preamble to these instructions, perhaps an explanation of the exercise, which has been omitted...?

Line them up touching sides, with one end on the horizontal line at the bottom, and you cut the top end to fit just outside the curve.

"Line" the strips up with "one end on" what horizontal line? Is the "top" a part of the strips? How does the "top" relate to the "one end" and the "sides"?

it says that i have to find the area of the parabolic figure

What is "it"? To what "figure" (not included or explained within your posts) is "it" making reference?

Please reply with clarification. Thank you!

Eliz.

 

[galactus]

Yes, it's difficult for us to know what your doing without knowing what the parabola is.

It may be \(\displaystyle y=x^{2}\) or one of another infinite number of parabolas.

I can see that it appears you're doing some sort of 'rule', such as midpoint, right, left endpoints, trapezoidal rule for finding the area under a curve.

Perhaps they just gave you a picture of an arbitrary parabola without an equation to describe it?. Just cut the strips as mentioned and line them up in your parabola. When you add up all their areas, then you have a approximation to the area. That is when you're learning what calculus is about. Suppose you cut a strip that is 1/2 inch wide and 3 inches long. Then it has area (3)(1/2)=3/2
Do that with all the other strips, figure the area of each, then sum them all up.

 

[sebastianno90]

Yes, it's difficult for us to know what your doing without knowing what the parabola is.

It may be \(\displaystyle y=x^{2}\) or one of another infinite number of parabolas.

I can see that it appears you're doing some sort of 'rule', such as midpoint, right, left endpoints, trapezoidal rule for finding the area under a curve.

Perhaps they just gave you a picture of an arbitrary parabola without an equation to describe it?. Just cut the strips as mentioned and line them up in your parabola. When you add up all their areas, then you have a approximation to the area. That is when you're learning what calculus is about. Suppose you cut a strip that is 1/2 inch wide and 3 inches long. Then it has area (3)(1/2)=3/2
Do that with all the other strips, figure the area of each, then sum them all up.

thanks for the help i understand what to do a little better and i should be able to get started now