How to Use Integration in Excel to Find Area Under a Curve

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This article will illustrate how to use integration in Excel to find area under a curve with instructional images and detailed discussion.

Integration in Excel: Calculate Area Under a Curve


Necessary Formulas to Find the First Integral of Polynomial Trendline Equation in Excel

To find the area under curve in Excel, we use the trendline equation generated by Excel. The polynomial trendline type is the best in this case.

The following is a generic equation of a polynomial line.

generic equation of a polynomial line

The generic equation for the first integral is-

generic equation for the first integral

For a 2nd degree polynomial, the formulas will be-

a quadratic equation

and,

integral formula for a quadratic equation

Where I1 is a constant.

For a 3rd degree polynomial, the formulas will be-

and,

Where I2 is a constant.


Steps to Calculate Area Under Curve Using Integration in Excel

The following dataset shows some coordinates of a random curve.

Sample Dataset to create a curve and then calculate area under it using integration in Excel.

Now you will learn how to find the area under the curve these coordinates create step-by-step.


📌 Step 1: Set Data Properly and Create Scatter Chart

  • Set your data in order and select any cell of your data. Then go to the Insert tab and from the Charts group, select a suitable chart type.
  • Here we have selected the Scatter with Smooth Lines and Markers option.

creating a scatter chart

  • As a result, a graph like the following will appear.

a curve


📌 Step 2: Enable Trendline and Its Equation

  • Now, click on the Chart Area.
  • Then click the Chart Elements button.
  • Then form the Trendline dropdown, and select More Options.

creating trendline in Excel

The Format Trendline window will appear at the right.

  • Click on the Polynomial button. Then mark the Display Equation on chart checkbox.

displaying trendline

The trendline equation will appear on the chart area. It is as follows:

Y = 7.331X2 + 19.835X + 82.238

trendline equation to calculate area under curve using integration


📌 Step 3: Find the First Integral and Calculate Area Under Curve

  • Create a table like the following and insert the following formula in cell F24.
=F23-F22

  • Now, copy the trendline equation and paste it into cell E19.
  • Calculate the first integral with this equation using the formulas we have discussed earlier in this article.
  • The generic formula for this 2nd-degree polynomial-first integral will be as follows.

Hence, the first integral of Y is-

Y1 = 7.331X3/3 + 19.835X2/2 + 82.238X+C

  • Now, input the following formula (or match it with your data) in cell F22 and copy it with the fill handle in cell F23.
=7.331*E22^3/3+19.385*E22^2/2+82.238*E22
  • As we see, the area is there in cell E24.

Calculate area under a curve using integration in Excel

💬 Note:

This area under the curve is with respect to the X-axis. If you want to find the area under the curve with respect to the Y axis then just flip the data horizontally, switch the axes, and apply all those steps described already.


How to Calculate Area Under Curve in Excel Using Trapezoidal Rule

Doing integration is not an easy task for those who do not have basic knowledge of calculus. Here we come up with an easier way to find the area under any curve, the Trapezoidal Rule.

📌 Steps:

  • First off, put the following formula in cell D5 and hit the Enter button.
=((C6+C5)/2)*(B6-B5)
  • Now drag the fill handle icon to cell D14. Leave the last as it is.
  • Insert the following formula in cell D16.
=SUM(D5:D15)
  • Press the Enter key.

Calculate area under a curve in Excel using trapezoidal rule.

  • You will see the output!

💬 Note:

More coordinates in the same range with smaller intervals will give a more accurate result.


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Conclusion

So we have discussed how to calculate the area under a curve in Excel using integration. Moreover, we also have shown the use of the trapezoidal rule. Please leave us your feedback in the comment box.


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Masum Mahdy
Masum Mahdy

Abu Talha Masum Mahdy (Assistant Project Manager, ExcelDemy) has been working with the ExcelDemy family for over 2 years. He wrote 30+ articles and reviewed more than 1300 others for ExcelDemy. Currently, he is responsible for reviewing articles from 2 writing teams of ExcelDemy. He ensures correctness and fluency in his team write-ups. Mahdy holds a BSc in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from BUET. His interests are Project Management, Content Writing, SEO, Digital Marketing, Data Analytics and... Read Full Bio

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