An eighth degree polynomial funtion $ y \equal{} ax^8 \plus{} bx^7 \plus{} cx^6 \plus{} dx^5 \plus{} ex^4 \plus{} fx^3 \plus{} gx^2\plus{}hx\plus{}i\ (a\neq 0)$ touches the line $ y \equal{} px \plus{} q$ at $ x \equal{} \alpha ,\ \beta ,\ \gamma ,\ \delta \  (\alpha < \beta < \gamma <\delta).$ 
Find the area of the region bounded by these graphs in terms of $ a,\ \alpha ,\ \beta ,\gamma ,\ \delta .$
To find the area of the region bounded by the polynomial \( y = ax^8 + bx^7 + cx^6 + dx^5 + ex^4 + fx^3 + gx^2 + hx + i \) and the line \( y = px + q \) at the points \( x = \alpha, \beta, \gamma, \delta \), we need to calculate the definite integral of the difference between the polynomial and the line over the intervals \([ \alpha, \beta ]\) and \([ \gamma, \delta ]\).

1. **Determine the points of intersection:**
   Since the polynomial touches the line at \( x = \alpha, \beta, \gamma, \delta \), we have:
   \[
   ax^8 + bx^7 + cx^6 + dx^5 + ex^4 + fx^3 + gx^2 + hx + i = px + q \quad \text{at} \quad x = \alpha, \beta, \gamma, \delta
   \]

2. **Set up the integral:**
   The area \( A \) between the polynomial and the line from \( x = \alpha \) to \( x = \beta \) and from \( x = \gamma \) to \( x = \delta \) is given by:
   \[
   A = \int_{\alpha}^{\beta} \left( ax^8 + bx^7 + cx^6 + dx^5 + ex^4 + fx^3 + gx^2 + hx + i - (px + q) \right) \, dx + \int_{\gamma}^{\delta} \left( ax^8 + bx^7 + cx^6 + dx^5 + ex^4 + fx^3 + gx^2 + hx + i - (px + q) \right) \, dx
   \]

3. **Simplify the integrand:**
   \[
   A = \int_{\alpha}^{\beta} \left( ax^8 + bx^7 + cx^6 + dx^5 + ex^4 + fx^3 + gx^2 + (h - p)x + (i - q) \right) \, dx + \int_{\gamma}^{\delta} \left( ax^8 + bx^7 + cx^6 + dx^5 + ex^4 + fx^3 + gx^2 + (h - p)x + (i - q) \right) \, dx
   \]

4. **Integrate term by term:**
   \[
   \int \left( ax^8 + bx^7 + cx^6 + dx^5 + ex^4 + fx^3 + gx^2 + (h - p)x + (i - q) \right) \, dx = \frac{a}{9}x^9 + \frac{b}{8}x^8 + \frac{c}{7}x^7 + \frac{d}{6}x^6 + \frac{e}{5}x^5 + \frac{f}{4}x^4 + \frac{g}{3}x^3 + \frac{h - p}{2}x^2 + (i - q)x + C
   \]

5. **Evaluate the definite integrals:**
   \[
   A = \left[ \frac{a}{9}x^9 + \frac{b}{8}x^8 + \frac{c}{7}x^7 + \frac{d}{6}x^6 + \frac{e}{5}x^5 + \frac{f}{4}x^4 + \frac{g}{3}x^3 + \frac{h - p}{2}x^2 + (i - q)x \right]_{\alpha}^{\beta} + \left[ \frac{a}{9}x^9 + \frac{b}{8}x^8 + \frac{c}{7}x^7 + \frac{d}{6}x^6 + \frac{e}{5}x^5 + \frac{f}{4}x^4 + \frac{g}{3}x^3 + \frac{h - p}{2}x^2 + (i - q)x \right]_{\gamma}^{\delta}
   \]

6. **Simplify the result:**
   Since the polynomial touches the line at \( x = \alpha, \beta, \gamma, \delta \), the terms involving \( b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i \) will cancel out, leaving us with:
   \[
   A = \left[ \frac{a}{9}x^9 \right]_{\alpha}^{\beta} + \left[ \frac{a}{9}x^9 \right]_{\gamma}^{\delta}
   \]
   \[
   A = \frac{a}{9} \left( \beta^9 - \alpha^9 \right) + \frac{a}{9} \left( \delta^9 - \gamma^9 \right)
   \]
   \[
   A = \frac{a}{9} \left( (\beta^9 - \alpha^9) + (\delta^9 - \gamma^9) \right)
   \]

The final answer is \(\boxed{\frac{a}{9} \left( (\beta^9 - \alpha^9) + (\delta^9 - \gamma^9) \right)}\).