- #1
student92
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Homework Statement
How do you determine what formula to use in a given volume question? I always confused about it. Like, when to apply shell, when should use washer, etc.
For example:
Find the volume of the solid generated by revolving the area between the curve y=(cos x)/x and the x-axis for π/6≤x≤π/2 about the y-axis.
Homework Equations
Should I use this one
[itex]V = \int\limits_{a}^{b}2\pi xf(x)dx[/itex]
Or this one
[itex]V=π\int\limits_{a}^{b}y^2dx[/itex]
The Attempt at a Solution
Using first equation, I will get
[itex]V = \int\limits_{\pi/6}^{\pi/2} 2\pi x \frac{cosx}{x}dx = 2\pi \int\limits_{\pi/6}^{\pi/2}cosxdx = 2\pi [sinx]_{\pi/6}^{\pi/2} = 2 \pi (1 - 1/2)= \pi[/itex]
I don't know how to calculate the second one but someone write the answer as follow
[itex]\pi \int\limits_{\pi/6}^{\pi/2}(\cos x/x)^2dx= \pi (-x) \frac{(-x Si(2x)+\cos^2(x))}{(x)}|_\frac{\pi}{6}^\frac{\pi}{2}=Si(\frac{\pi}{3})-Si(\pi)+\frac{9}{2\pi}[/itex]
Those answers are not equal. I have checked with wolframalpha.