Arc Length for Hyperbolic Sin

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SUMMARY

The arc length of the hyperbolic sine function involves evaluating the integral \( L = \int_0^X \sqrt{1 + \cosh^2(x)} \, dx \). This integral does not have a simple elementary closed-form solution. Computational tools like Wolfram Alpha may provide incorrect or misleading antiderivatives if the input is not precise. The correct evaluation involves elliptic integrals of the second kind, confirming that numerical methods or special functions are required for exact results.

PREREQUISITES

  • Hyperbolic functions and their derivatives (sinh, cosh)
  • Arc length integral formulation for parametric curves
  • Elliptic integrals of the second kind
  • Use of symbolic computation tools such as Wolfram Alpha or Mathematica

NEXT STEPS

  • Study elliptic integrals, specifically the elliptic integral of the second kind
  • Learn numerical integration techniques for non-elementary integrals
  • Explore symbolic integration limitations in Wolfram Alpha and Mathematica
  • Review hyperbolic function properties and their applications in calculus

USEFUL FOR

Mathematicians, engineers, and students working with hyperbolic functions, arc length calculations, and special functions. Anyone needing precise evaluation of integrals involving hyperbolic functions or elliptic integrals will benefit from this discussion.

JCMateri
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I am having trouble with the arc length for hyperbolic sine. Can anyone help?

$$L=\int_{0}^{X}\sqrt{1+[\frac{dsinh(x)}{dx}]^2}dx=\int_{0}^{X}\sqrt{1+cosh^2(x)}dx$$

I'm having trouble evaluating the final integral.
 
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Wolfram Alpha reports that ##\int \sqrt{1 + \cosh^2(x)}dx = \sqrt{\cosh^2(x)}\tanh(x) + C##

I suspect that it might be using a (hyperbolic) trig substitution to arrive at that result.
 
I don't see how that can be right. Isn't the RHS = [tex]sinh(x)+C[/tex] and its derivative does nor equal [tex]\sqrt{1+cosh^2(x)}[/tex]
 
Sorry,but my tex material keeps disappearing when I save.
 
JCMateri said:
I am having trouble with the arc length for hyperbolic sine. Can anyone help?

$$L=\int_{0}^{X}\sqrt{1+[\frac{dsinh(x)}{dx}]^2}dx=\int_{0}^{X}\sqrt{1+cosh^2(x)}dx$$

I'm having trouble evaluating the final integral.
According to AI Overview
  • Evaluation:The resulting integral
    1771280134370.gif

    ##\int\sqrt{1+cosh^2(x)}dx##
    does not have a simple elementary closed-form solution and often requires numerical methods for precise calculation.
 
Thanks. I suspected that.
 
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I'm getting a result that's different from the one I posted earlier. I was pretty sure I asked it to integrate ##\sqrt{1 + \cosh^2(x)}dx##, but it's possible that what I entered wasn't that.

Here's what it shows now:

integral sqrt(1 + cosh^2(x))dx = -i sqrt(2) E(i x|1/2) + constant

The part on the right in parentheses is the elliptic integral of the second kind with parameter ##m = k^2##.
 

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