How Do You Calculate the Arc Length of \( y = e^x \) from 0 to 1?

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To calculate the arc length of \( y = e^x \) from 0 to 1, the integral setup is \( \int_{0}^{1} \sqrt{1+(e^x)^2} \, dx \). Substituting \( u = e^x \) transforms the integral to \( \int_{1}^{e} \frac{\sqrt{1+u^2}}{u^2} u \, du \), which can be further simplified. The discussion reveals confusion regarding the transition to \( v = \sqrt{1+u^2} \) and the subsequent integration steps, particularly in applying partial fractions. Ultimately, discrepancies arise between the user's calculations and the book's results, leading to uncertainty about the correct approach and the handling of terms in the partial fraction decomposition.
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my problem is to find the arc length of y=e^x between 0 and 1

what I've got is \int_{0}^{1} \sqrt{1+(e^x)^2}dx which i then substitute u=e^x giving \int_{1}^{e} \frac{\sqrt{1+u^2}}{u^2}u du which i then sub in v=\sqrt{1+u^2} giving \int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{1+e^2}} \frac{v^2}{(v^2-1)^2} dv = \int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{1+e^2}} \frac{v}{(v^2-1)} dv = \int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{1+e^2}} \frac{v}{(v-1)(v+1)} dv which then needs to be integrated using partial fractions, and this is where i run into problems

i get \frac{1}{2} \int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{1+e^2}} \frac{1}{v-1}+\frac{1}{v+1}dv which results in my getting an answer of 1.

the book on the other hand gets \int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{1+e^2}}1+ \frac{\frac{1}{2}}{v-1}-\frac{\frac{1}{2}}{v+1}dv but i can't see how they got the 1, or the negative sign on the second fraction
 
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Vadim said:
my problem is to find the arc length of y=e^x between 0 and 1

what I've got is \int_{0}^{1} \sqrt{1+(e^x)^2}dx which i then substitute u=e^x giving \int_{1}^{e} \frac{\sqrt{1+u^2}}{u^2}u du which i then sub in v=\sqrt{1+u^2} giving \int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{1+e^2}} \frac{v^2}{(v^2-1)^2} dv = \int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{1+e^2}} \frac{v}{(v^2-1)} dv= \int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{1+e^2}} \frac{v}{(v-1)(v+1)} dv which then needs to be integrated using partial fractions, and this is where i run into problems

i get \frac{1}{2} \int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{1+e^2}} \frac{1}{v-1}+\frac{1}{v+1}dv which results in my getting an answer of 1.

the book on the other hand gets \int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{1+e^2}}1+ \frac{\frac{1}{2}}{v-1}-\frac{\frac{1}{2}}{v+1}dv but i can't see how they got the 1, or the negative sign on the second fraction


I think you have a problem there.EDIT;It doesn't work.Well,when u got rid of the square in the variable "v".

Daniel.
 
Vadim said:
my problem is to find the arc length of y=e^x between 0 and 1

what I've got is \int_{0}^{1} \sqrt{1+(e^x)^2}dx which i then substitute u=e^x giving \int_{1}^{e} \frac{\sqrt{1+u^2}}{u^2}u du which i then sub in v=\sqrt{1+u^2} giving \int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{1+e^2}} \frac{v^2}{(v^2-1)^2} dv = \int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{1+e^2}} \frac{v}{(v^2-1)} dv = \int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{1+e^2}} \frac{v}{(v-1)(v+1)} dv which then needs to be integrated using partial fractions, and this is where i run into problems

i get \frac{1}{2} \int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{1+e^2}} \frac{1}{v-1}+\frac{1}{v+1}dv which results in my getting an answer of 1.

the book on the other hand gets \int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{1+e^2}}1+ \frac{\frac{1}{2}}{v-1}-\frac{\frac{1}{2}}{v+1}dv but i can't see how they got the 1, or the negative sign on the second fraction

This equality is wrong:
\int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{1+e^2}} \frac{v^2}{(v^2-1)^2} dv = \int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{1+e^2}} \frac{v}{(v^2-1)} dv
 
yeah, i am seeing that...the book jumps from \int_{1}^{e} \frac{\sqrt{1+u^2}}{u^2}u du to \int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{1+e^2}} \frac{v}{(v^2-1)} dv and (without checking) i figured \frac{x^2}{y^2}=\frac{x}{y} my mistake. now I'm really confused, because i see how they get \int_{1}^{e} \frac{\sqrt{1+u^2}}{u^2}u du but don't know where to go from there now.
 
\int_{1}^{e} \sqrt{\frac{1}{u^{2}}+1} \ du

Make the sub.

\frac{1}{u} =\sinh t

Daniel.
 
From here, \int_{1}^{e} \frac{\sqrt{1+u^2}}{u} du[/quote]

try the substitution u=1/t
 
can anyone see what the book did(i would like to get it solved the same way they did it.) up to the point where it subs in v i can see what they did, but when i sub in v i get \int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{1+e^2}} \frac{v^2}{(v^2-1)^2} dv and don't know how they got the roots of it.
and even then i don't see how they got the 1 and the negative in the partial fraction.
 
GCT,you're not being original...:wink:

Daniel.
 
  • #10
Vadim said:
yeah, i am seeing that...the book jumps from \int_{1}^{e} \frac{\sqrt{1+u^2}}{u^2}u du to \int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{1+e^2}} \frac{v}{(v^2-1)} dv and (without checking) i figured \frac{x^2}{y^2}=\frac{x}{y} my mistake. now I'm really confused, because i see how they get \int_{1}^{e} \frac{\sqrt{1+u^2}}{u^2}u du but don't know where to go from there now.

If the book makes that jump, it is a typographical error. It should be

\int_{1}^{e} \frac{\sqrt{1+u^2}}{u^2}u du = \int_{\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{1+e^2}} \frac{v^2}{(v^2-1)} dv

And their result follows. The u in this equation is just the original y, and v is as you defined it. Taking it from the top

y = e^x

dy = e^x dx = ydx \Rightarrow dx = \frac{{dy}}{y}

ds = \sqrt {dx^2 + dy^2 } = \left( {\sqrt {\frac{1}{{y^2 }} + 1} } \right)dy = \frac{{\sqrt {1 + y^2 } }}{y}dy\left( { = \frac{{\sqrt {1 + y^2 } }}{{y^2 }}ydy} \right)

v = \sqrt {1 + y^2 } \Rightarrow dv = \frac{1}{{2v}}2ydy = \frac{{ydy}}{v} \Rightarrow dy = \frac{v}{y}dv

v^2 = 1 + y^2 \Rightarrow y^2 = v^2 - 1

ds = \frac{{\sqrt {1 + y^2 } }}{y}dy = \frac{v}{y} \cdot \frac{v}{y}dv = \frac{{v^2 }}{{y^2 }}dv = \frac{{v^2 }}{{v^2 - 1}}dv

ds = \left( {1 + \frac{1}{{v^2 - 1}}} \right)dv = \left( {1 + \frac{1}{{v - 1}} \cdot \frac{1}{{v + 1}}} \right)dv = \left( {1 + \frac{{\frac{1}{2}}}{{v - 1}} - \frac{{\frac{1}{2}}}{{v + 1}}} \right)dv
 
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