More Challenging Problems: Area of surfaces of revolution

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Introductory Problems

 

1. Show that the surface obtained by revolving x = g(y), c ≤ y ≤ d, about the y-axis has area ∫cd 2π g(y) √(1 + (g ‘(y)2) dy

Solution

1. Rotating x= g(y) around the y-axis gives a circle of radius g(y), so the circumference 2πf(x) in the formula for revolving about the x-axis is replaced by the circumference 2π g(y). Similarly, the arclength factor √(1 + (f ‘(x)2) is replaced by the arclength factor √(1 + (g ‘(y)2). The result follows by combining these factors.

 

2. Find the area of the surface obtained by revolving x= y3, 0 ≤ y ≤ 1, about the y-axis.

Answer

1. The area is (π/27)(10√10 – 1)

Solution

1. Because g(y)= y3, g ‘(y) = 3y2 and the area is: ∫012π y3 √(1 + (3y2)2) dy = 2π∫01y3√(1 + 9y4) dy = 2π(1/36)(2/3)u3/2|110 by substituting u= 1 + 9y4 = (π/27)(10√10 – 1)

 

3. For the surface obtained by revolving x = y3, 0 ≤ y ≤ 2, about the y-axis, show the area is greater than 64π/5.

Solution

1. Because g(y) = y4, g ‘(y) = 4y3 and the area is ∫022π y4 √(1 + (4y3)2) dy = 2π∫02 y4 √(1 + 16y6) dy No obvious – or non-obvious, as far as we can tell – trick works to evaluate this integral. But notice that the terms inside the square root are always ≥ 1, so area ≥ 2π∫02 y4 dy = 64π/5.

 

4. For the surface obtained by revolving x= 1/y, 1 ≤ y ≤ 2, about the y-axis, show the area is greater than 2πln(2).

Solution

1. Because g(y) = 1/y, g'(y)= -1/y2 and the area is: ∫122π 1/y √(1 + (-1/y2)2) dy = 2π∫12 1/y √(1 + 1/y4) dy No obvious – or non-obvious, as far as we can tell – trick works to evaluate this integral. But notice that the terms inside the square root are always ≥ 1, so area ≥ 2π∫121/y dy = 2π ln(y)|12 = 2π ln(2).

 

5. Find the value of a for which the surface obtained by revolving y= x3, 0 ≤ x ≤ a, about the x-axis has area 2π.

Answer

1. The value of a= ((552/3 – 1)/9)1/4 ≈ 1.106.

Solution

1. Because f(x)= x3, f'(x)= 3x2 and the area is: ∫0a2π x3 √(1 + 9x4) dx = 2π((1 + 9a4)3/2 – 1)/54 Setting area = 2π and solving for a gives a = ((552/3 – 1)/9)1/4.