Question

Find the number a such that the line x = a divides the region bounded by the curves x = (y^2) − 1 and the y-axis into 2 regions with equal area. Give your answer correct to 3 decimal places.

Answer 1

The graph of x= y^2 - 1 is a sideways parabola with its vertex at (-1, 0) and 
y-intercepts at (0,1) and (0,1).

This means that the line x= 0, meaning a=0, splits the graph in half, with equal area above and below the x-axis.

The answer is a=0