Finding length of an arc produced by projectile

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around deriving a formula for the arc length of a projectile's path, with the user expressing difficulty in calculus. They attempted to find y as a function of x and apply the arc length formula but ended up with a complicated result. Participants suggest that the arc length question is best framed as a math problem rather than a physics one. It is noted that while the arc length of a parabola can be complex, it is still solvable using the appropriate formula. The user is encouraged to share their work for more targeted assistance.
sk0071
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So I decided to try deriving a general formula for fun. Being a high school student, the calculus got scary very fast. At this point, I'm just curious as to what the best approach to this might be. The approach I used was finding y as a function of x and then inputting it into the arc length formula. I eventually derived a very complicated formula that I think is wrong. I don't know very much about calculus as everything I've learned about it I've learned through the internet. Would this approach work? Is there a better way? If so what is the correct formula?
 
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You should post what you've done as homework. It's not possible to help without seeing what you've done.
 
Arc length question is best posed as a math question - not physics.
 

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