Area of Surface of Revolution of Plane Curve - Use 1/2 Interval?

ross1219
Messages
9
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


Find the area of the surface generated by revolving the curve

Homework Equations


x = 5(cos3t), y = 5(sin3t), 0 ≤ t ≤ \pi, about the y axis.

The Attempt at a Solution


x' = -15(cos2t)(sin t)
y' = 15(sin2t)(cos t)

(I think this forms the top part of an astroid)

[x'(t)]2 = 225(cos4t)(sin2t)
[y'(t)]2 = 225(sin4t)(cos2t)

S = 2\pi\int(from 0 to \pi/2) 5(cos3t) sqrt[225(cos4t)(sin2t) + 225(sin4t)(cos2t)] dt

S = 2\pi\int(from 0 to \pi/2) 5(cos3t) sqrt[225(cos2t)(sin2t)*(cos2t + sin2t)] dt

S = 2\pi\int(from 0 to \pi/2) 5(cos3t) sqrt[225(cos2t)(sin2t)(1)] dt

S = 2\pi\int(from 0 to \pi/2) 5(cos3t)*15(cos t)(sin t) dt

S = 150\pi\int(from 0 to \pi/2) (cos4t)(sin t) dt

S = -150\pi\int(from 0 to \pi/2) (cos4t)(-sin t) dt

S = -150\pi [(cos5t) / 5] from 0 to \pi/2

S = -150\pi (0 - 1/5)

S = 30\pi units2

Please excuse my formatting. My basic question is, was I correct to take the integral only from 0 to \pi/2, even though the interval given for the plane curve is from 0 to \pi?

My secondary question is, do you see anything else I messed up?

Thank you much.
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
Follow-up: The instructor admitted that this question was not valid, because the curve does not lie entirely on one side of the axis of revolution.
 
There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...
Back
Top