Moment of Inertia about the line x=y

1. Nov 28, 2009

Jadehaan

1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data
Let $$\Omega$$ represent a two dimensional material region who density is given by $$\rho$$(x,y). Establish an integral formula for the moment of inertia of the material region about the line y=x.

2. Relevant equations
The moment of inertia about the x axis: $$\int$$$$\int$$x2$$\rho$$(x,y)dA

3. The attempt at a solution
I am attempting to transform the moment of inertia about the x axis to the line x=y, how would I go about doing this?

Thanks for any help, Jim.

2. Nov 28, 2009

Dick

The moment of inertia is the integral of r^2 rho(x,y) dA where r is the distance from the point (x,y) to the axis. That means the expression you gave is the moment of inertia about the y axis, not the x axis. Now you have to replace r in the integral with the distance from a point (x,y) to the line x=y. How many ways do you know to find the distance from a point to a line?

3. Nov 28, 2009

Jadehaan

Thanks for your help. You were right, I mistyped the formula for the moment about the x axis. Using points (x,y) and (y,x) I calculated r2=2x2-4xy+2y2 So the formula would be the integral of this multiplied by rho dA.

Last edited: Nov 28, 2009
4. Nov 29, 2009

Dick

That seems close, but aren't you off by a factor of four there? The distance from (1,0) to the line x=y is sqrt(2)/2. Isn't it? So that makes r^2 for (1,0) r^2=1/2.

5. Nov 29, 2009

Jadehaan

I see. I was using the wrong distance formula. So using the formula for the distance between a point (m,n) and a line Ax+By+c=0 the distance is r= |Am+Bn+C|/ sqrt(A2+B2)
Using the point (x,y) and the line x-y=0 I calculated the distance r=|x-y|/sqrt(2)
Does this sound correct?

6. Nov 29, 2009

Dick

Yes, that sounds correct. So r^2=(x-y)^2/2.

7. Nov 29, 2009

Jadehaan

Yep, thanks so much Dick.

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