Having Trouble With an Intergration Problem

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves finding the volume of a solid of revolution generated by rotating a region bounded by the curve y = 9 / (2 - x), the coordinate axes, and the line x = 1 about the x-axis. The subject area pertains to calculus, specifically integration and volume calculations.

Discussion Character

  • Mixed

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the formulation of the integral for volume using the method of disks, with attempts to integrate the squared function. There is mention of potential errors in algebraic manipulation and integration techniques. Some participants suggest using substitution to simplify the integration process.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants providing feedback on the original poster's approach. There is acknowledgment of errors in the integration process, and alternative methods are being suggested. No consensus has been reached regarding the correct approach yet.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the original poster is struggling with the integration step and may be missing fundamental aspects of the integration process. There is a reference to the Second Theorem of Pappus, indicating that additional concepts may be relevant to the problem.

Mikry
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I am given that the equation of a curve is y = 9 / (2 - x). They then ask me to find the volume obtained by the region bounded by the curve, the coordinate axes and the line x = 1 when the region is rotated through 360° about the x-axis.

My attempt:

To calculate this I must use the format of V = ∏ ∫ y2 dx. Thus I square the equation, giving me 81 / (2 - x)2.

Now I need to integrate the expression. Here is where I think I'm going wrong...expand the bottom term to get x2 - 4x + 4.
I then try to integrate this expansion, getting 81 / (2x - 4) ln |x2 - 4x + 4|.

This gives me the final equation of V = ∏ [81 / (2x - 4) ln |x2 - 4x + 4|] from x = 0 to x = 1

Long story short I don't come to the right answer after all of that. I'm pretty sure I'm missing something easy and obvious. :frown: Please help!
 
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Mikry said:
I am given that the equation of a curve is y = 9 / (2 - x). They then ask me to find the volume obtained by the region bounded by the curve, the coordinate axes and the line x = 1 when the region is rotated through 360° about the x-axis.

My attempt:

To calculate this I must use the format of V = ∏ ∫ y2 dx. Thus I square the equation, giving me 81 / (2 - x)2.

Now I need to integrate the expression. Here is where I think I'm going wrong...expand the bottom term to get x2 - 4x + 4.
I then try to integrate this expansion, getting 81 / (2x - 4) ln |x2 - 4x + 4|.

This gives me the final equation of V = ∏ [81 / (2x - 4) ln |x2 - 4x + 4|] from x = 0 to x = 1

Long story short I don't come to the right answer after all of that. I'm pretty sure I'm missing something easy and obvious. :frown: Please help!

You didn't integrate that correctly at all. Use the substitution u=(2-x). What's the integral of 1/u^2=u^(-2)?
 
Mikry said:
I am given that the equation of a curve is y = 9 / (2 - x). They then ask me to find the volume obtained by the region bounded by the curve, the coordinate axes and the line x = 1 when the region is rotated through 360° about the x-axis.

My attempt:

To calculate this I must use the format of V = ∏ ∫ y2 dx. Thus I square the equation, giving me 81 / (2 - x)2.

Now I need to integrate the expression. Here is where I think I'm going wrong...expand the bottom term to get x2 - 4x + 4.
I then try to integrate this expansion, getting 81 / (2x - 4) ln |x2 - 4x + 4|.

This gives me the final equation of V = ∏ [81 / (2x - 4) ln |x2 - 4x + 4|] from x = 0 to x = 1

Long story short I don't come to the right answer after all of that. I'm pretty sure I'm missing something easy and obvious. :frown: Please help!

Your method of obtaining the volume is incorrect.

Review the Second Theorem of Pappus:
http://mathworld.wolfram.com/PappussCentroidTheorem.html
 
SteamKing said:
Your method of obtaining the volume is incorrect.
I see no problem with the formulation of the integral, but as Dick notes, the algebra went awry from there.
 

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