---
title: "Area Under the Curve — AP Calc Definition & Exam Guide"
description: "The area under a curve is the accumulation of change measured by a definite integral. It's the heart of AP Calc Unit 6 and extends to polar regions in BC Unit 9."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/ap-calc/key-terms/area-under-the-curve"
type: "key-term"
subject: "AP Calculus AB/BC"
---

# Area Under the Curve — AP Calc Definition & Exam Guide

## Definition

The area under the curve refers to the total amount of space enclosed between a function and the x-axis on a given interval.

## Related Study Guides

- [9.8 Find the Area of a Polar Region or the Area Bounded by a Single Polar Curve](/ap-calc/unit-9/find-area-polar-region-or-area-bounded-by-single-polar-curve/study-guide/XhdT4ohGZFpzjdRT2l2q)

## Review

### Related Terms

- [Riemann Sum](/ap-calc/key-terms/riemann-sum): A method used to approximate the area under a curve by dividing it into smaller rectangles and summing their areas.
- [Definite Integral](/ap-calc/key-terms/definite-integral): A mathematical operation that calculates the exact value of the area under a curve between two specific points.
- [Trapezoidal Rule](/ap-calc/key-terms/trapezoidal-rule): An approximation technique for finding the area under a curve by dividing it into trapezoids and summing their areas.