Finding the inertia with a thin rectangular sheet

[kgianqu2]

A) A thin, rectangular sheet of metal has mass M and sides of length a and b. Find the moment of inertia of this sheet about an axis that lies in the plane of the plate, passes through the center of the plate, and is parallel to the side with length b.
Express your answer in terms of given quantities.

attempt at answer: M(a^2+b^2)/12 (mastering physics said the correct answer does not depend on the variable b)

B) Find the moment of inertia of the plate for an axis that lies in the plane of the plate, passes through the center of the plate, and is perpendicular to the axis in part A.
Express your answer in terms of given quantities.

I did not attempt an answer on this part because of the confusion in part A.

Please help, I am very confused about how to input this into mastering physics.

 

[SammyS]

A) A thin, rectangular sheet of metal has mass M and sides of length a and b. Find the moment of inertia of this sheet about an axis that lies in the plane of the plate, passes through the center of the plate, and is parallel to the side with length b.
Express your answer in terms of given quantities.

attempt at answer: M(a^2+b^2)/12 (mastering physics said the correct answer does not depend on the variable b)

That's the moment of inertia about the axis through the center of mass and perpendicular to the sheet.

B) Find the moment of inertia of the plate for an axis that lies in the plane of the plate, passes through the center of the plate, and is perpendicular to the axis in part A.
Express your answer in terms of given quantities.

I did not attempt an answer on this part because of the confusion in part A.

Please help, I am very confused about how to input this into mastering physics.

For part A), think of the sheet as being broken up into thin strips of length a and width Δx .

By the way, you really didn't show your work. You just gave an answer without giving the reasoning behind it.

 

[kgianqu2]

You honestly didn't help at all. I figured it out on my own, thanks a lot. The worst help ever. The answer that I had was basically right, I just had to take out the variable b for the first part, and a for the second part. But thanks for asking where I got the equation from.

 

[SammyS]

You honestly didn't help at all. I figured it out on my own, thanks a lot. The worst help ever. The answer that I had was basically right, I just had to take out the variable b for the first part, and a for the second part. But thanks for asking where I got the equation from.

I glad to have helped.