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Find the value of c for which the area enclosed by the curves y = −x^2 + c and y = x^2 − c is equal to 56.

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Answer:

The area enclosed by two curves can be found by subtracting the area between one curve and the x-axis from the area between the other curve and the x-axis.

Let's call the x-value where the two curves intersect as X. At X, both y values are equal to 0. Hence, the equation for X is

-x^2 + c = x^2 - c

Solving for x, we get

2x^2 = 2c

x^2 = c

The area between y = -x^2 + c and the x-axis is equal to the area between y = x^2 - c and the x-axis, so the total area is double that, or 2c.

Setting 2c equal to 56, we have:

2c = 56

c = 28

So the value of c for which the area enclosed by the curves y = −x^2 + c and y = x^2 − c is equal to 56 is 28.

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