MHB Adwt's question at Yahoo Answers regarding surfaces of revolution

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on calculating the surface area of the curve defined by y=4+3x^2, revolving around the y-axis between x=1 and x=2. The appropriate formula for surface area is provided, which involves integrating a specific function derived from the curve's derivative. A u-substitution is applied to simplify the integral, leading to the computation of the surface area. The final result of the surface area calculation is approximately 88.49. This method demonstrates the application of calculus techniques to solve real-world geometric problems.
MarkFL
Gold Member
MHB
Messages
13,284
Reaction score
12
Here is the question:

Calculus - Surface Area of y=4+3x^2?


What is the surface area of y=4+3x^2 from where x = [1,2] about the y-axis?

Please include work/explanation.

Thanks.

I have posted a link there to this topic so the OP can see my work.
 
Mathematics news on Phys.org
Hello adwt,

The formula we want to use is:

$$S=2\pi\int_a^b x\sqrt{1+\left(f'(x) \right)^2}\,dx$$

We are given:

$$a=1,\,b=2,\,f(x)=4+3x^2\,\therefore\,f'(x)=6x$$

Hence, we have:

$$S=2\pi\int_1^2 x\sqrt{1+36x^2}\,dx$$

Let's use a $u$-subsitution:

$$u=1+36x^2\,\therefore\,du=72x\,dx$$

And we may now write:

$$S=\frac{\pi}{36}\int_{37}^{145}u^{\frac{1}{2}}\,du$$

Applying the FTOC, along with the power rule for integration we find:

$$S=\frac{\pi}{54}\left[u^{\frac{3}{2}} \right]_{37}^{145}=\frac{\pi}{54}\left(145\sqrt{145}-37\sqrt{37} \right)\approx88.4863895868960$$
 
Seemingly by some mathematical coincidence, a hexagon of sides 2,2,7,7, 11, and 11 can be inscribed in a circle of radius 7. The other day I saw a math problem on line, which they said came from a Polish Olympiad, where you compute the length x of the 3rd side which is the same as the radius, so that the sides of length 2,x, and 11 are inscribed on the arc of a semi-circle. The law of cosines applied twice gives the answer for x of exactly 7, but the arithmetic is so complex that the...
Is it possible to arrange six pencils such that each one touches the other five? If so, how? This is an adaption of a Martin Gardner puzzle only I changed it from cigarettes to pencils and left out the clues because PF folks don’t need clues. From the book “My Best Mathematical and Logic Puzzles”. Dover, 1994.
Thread 'Imaginary Pythagoras'
I posted this in the Lame Math thread, but it's got me thinking. Is there any validity to this? Or is it really just a mathematical trick? Naively, I see that i2 + plus 12 does equal zero2. But does this have a meaning? I know one can treat the imaginary number line as just another axis like the reals, but does that mean this does represent a triangle in the complex plane with a hypotenuse of length zero? Ibix offered a rendering of the diagram using what I assume is matrix* notation...
Back
Top