How did Cavalieri get his formula for the area underneath a parabola?

In summary, Cavalieri's formula, named after Italian mathematician Bonaventura Cavalieri, is used to find the area underneath a parabola. He developed this formula using the method of "indivisibles" and it has various applications in real-world situations. It can also be applied to other shapes, but it has limitations such as only being applicable to two-dimensional shapes and requiring knowledge of calculus. Its accuracy may also be affected by irregularly shaped parabolas.
  • #1
erocored
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I know he had this ratio:
1604325468203.png

But how did he get this:
1604325593307.png
?
 
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1604325899893.png
 
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  • #3
erocored said:
I know he had this ratio:
View attachment 272042
But how did he get this:
View attachment 272043 ?
The result uses a formula for the sum of squares.
$$\sum_{k=1}^m k^2 = \frac{m(m + 1)(2m + 1)}6$$
Replace ##1^2 + 2^2 + \dots + m^2## in your first equation by the above, and you will get the result shown in the second equation.
 
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1. What is Cavalieri's formula for finding the area under a parabola?

Cavalieri's formula states that the area under a parabola can be found by taking the integral of the function and multiplying it by 2/3.

2. How did Cavalieri come up with this formula?

Cavalieri derived his formula by using a method called "indivisibles," which involves dividing the area under a curve into an infinite number of infinitely thin rectangles and then adding them together.

3. Is Cavalieri's formula accurate for all parabolas?

Yes, Cavalieri's formula is accurate for all parabolas, as long as the function is continuous and the limits of integration are finite.

4. Can Cavalieri's formula be applied to other shapes besides parabolas?

Yes, Cavalieri's formula can also be applied to other shapes, such as circles, ellipses, and hyperbolas, as long as the function is continuous and the limits of integration are finite.

5. Are there any limitations to using Cavalieri's formula?

The main limitation of Cavalieri's formula is that it can only be applied to functions that are continuous and have finite limits of integration. Additionally, it may be more difficult to apply to more complex shapes or functions with multiple variables.

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