Calculating the Surface of Revolution: Solving a Challenging Integral

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the surface area of revolution for a given function through integration. The original poster presents a complex integral involving a square root function and seeks assistance in evaluating it.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the setup of the integral and the challenges faced in simplifying and calculating it. Questions arise regarding the correctness of the derivative used in the formula and the original function's expression. Some participants express frustration with the complexity of the integral and the reliance on numerical methods for solutions.

Discussion Status

There is an ongoing exploration of the integral's simplification, with one participant suggesting a reduction that leads to a simpler form. However, there is no explicit consensus on the correctness of the simplification or the method to approach the integral. Participants are sharing insights and questioning each other's reasoning without reaching a definitive conclusion.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note the difficulty of the integral and the potential need for advanced calculus techniques. There is also mention of reliance on calculators or computational tools for approximating the integral's value, indicating a possible limitation in analytical methods.

gimpycpu
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Greeting everyone I am trying in integrate this function, to obtain the surface of revolution of a function.

1. Relevant equations

[itex]\int_{-1}^{1} 2\pi\sqrt\frac{x^2 (1 - x^2)}{8}\sqrt{1+(\left| x\right | \frac{-2x^2+1}{2(-x^2+1)^{1/2}*2^{1/2}x}})^2[/itex]

2. The attempt at a solution

I tried to calculate the limit when x = 1 but I can't seems to get the result

If someone would just have a hint on how to calculate the limit of this integral I would appreciate.

Thank you

Jonathan
 
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heh, I've been having troubles with integrating these as well.
The textbook just punts, so I've kinda given up trying to compute exact areas of these (even the solutions manual is setting the integrals up and then using a calculator/CAS to approximate a numerical value).

that's a crazy f(x) though. Are you sure that's what was given in the original problem?
Pull the [itex]2\pi[/itex] out to the front before trying to calculate it, though.
 
Hehe I know right the original function is

[itex]\sqrt{ \frac{x^2 (1 - x^2)}{8}}[/itex]

so I have to do the surface of revolution formula on this

which is defined

[itex]S = \int_a^b2\pi f(x)\sqrt{1+(\frac{dy}{dx})^2}dx[/itex]
 
Right... I assume that the derivative there is correct (although, it looks strange for some reason. Product/quotient rule derivatives often do though), and that it's been squared correctly (which is probably another reason why it looks weird).

Anyway, here's what MS Math does with it:
ScreenHunter_03 Sep. 30 15.00.jpg


I'm not even going to try to punch all of that into my TI-84 (zOMG), especially since it would proably just choke on it anyway. I think that's as far as you can take that problem (without some additional calculus that I have no idea how to perform).
 
I think that I found it,

you can reduce the big squareroot of death to a mere
[itex]\sqrt{1+\frac{-1}{-∞}} = 1[/itex] so the final equation is equal to

[itex]\int_{-1}^{1} 2\pi\sqrt\frac{x^2 (1 - x^2)}{8} * 1 dx[/itex]
[itex]= 2\pi\int_{-1}^{1} \sqrt\frac{x^2 (1 - x^2)}{8}dx[/itex]

which is a lot simplier to integrate
 
Last edited:
huh... cool. How'd you do that simplification, though? It looks vaguely familiar for some reason (the -1/-infinity), but I can't place it.
 

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