Solving a Complex Math Problem: Help Appreciated

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around solving a complex math problem involving the expansion of an expression related to hyperbolic functions, finding the arc length of a curve, and calculating the volume of a solid of revolution. Participants seek clarification on various steps and methods used in these calculations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses confusion about expanding the square in the expression involving hyperbolic functions and seeks guidance on how to proceed with the problem.
  • Another participant suggests recalling the binomial expansion formula to correctly expand the square, leading to further simplification.
  • There is a discussion about the correct arrangement of terms after simplification, with participants attempting to combine like terms and clarify the expression.
  • Participants explore the use of the arc length formula and derive the expression for the derivative of the function involved.
  • One participant proposes a method for calculating the volume of the solid of revolution using integration, while another participant checks the result using the shell method.
  • There are multiple iterations of simplification and re-arrangement of terms, with participants expressing uncertainty about their approaches and seeking confirmation on their calculations.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the methods to approach the problem, but there are multiple competing views on specific steps and simplifications. The discussion remains unresolved in terms of definitive conclusions for some parts of the problem.

Contextual Notes

Some steps in the mathematical reasoning are not fully resolved, and there are dependencies on the correct application of formulas and simplifications that may not be universally agreed upon. Participants express uncertainty about when to use certain mathematical techniques.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for students or individuals interested in advanced calculus, particularly those working on problems involving hyperbolic functions, integration techniques, and volume calculations in mathematical contexts.

Nemo1
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Hi Community,

I have the following problem and I would like some help in understanding part a.
View attachment 5624

So far I far I have been able to show that:

$$1+\frac{(e^x-e^{-x})^2}{4}$$ = $$\frac{(e^x)^2-2(e^x-e^{-x})+(e^{-x})2}{4}+1$$

But I am unsure of how to proceed.

Also any pointers on how to look at the other two parts would be appreciated.

Finding the length of the curve I am thinking I need to use an arc length formula, but unsure of which?

For finding the volume I am thinking I can use $$\pi\int_{a}^{b}r^2 \,dx$$ but need to understand how to find $f(x)$ from $x=0$ & $x=1$ from the formula as I am thinking that the $y$ value should be my radius.

Many thanks for your time in advance.

Cheers Nemo.
 

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For part a), you are not expanding the given square correctly...recall:

$$(a+b)^2=a^2+2ab+b^2$$

Let's write:

$$\left(\frac{e^x-e^{-x}}{2}\right)^2=\frac{1}{4}\left(e^x-e^{-x}\right)^2$$

What do you get now when expanding the remaining square?
 
MarkFL said:
For part a), you are not expanding the given square correctly...recall:

$$(a+b)^2=a^2+2ab+b^2$$

Let's write:

$$\left(\frac{e^x-e^{-x}}{2}\right)^2=\frac{1}{4}\left(e^x-e^{-x}\right)^2$$

What do you get now when expanding the remaining square?

Would it be?

$$\frac{1}{4}(e^x)^2+2(e^x)(-e^{-x})+(-e^{-x})^2$$
 
Nemo said:
Would it be?

$$\frac{1}{4}(e^x)^2+2(e^x)(-e^{-x})+(-e^{-x})^2$$

Yes...can you simplify further?
 
MarkFL said:
Yes...can you simplify further?

So I have been working on this and must admit I am overwhelmed!

I have found that we are missing a $1+$ to the front of our formula to be equal to the original $$1+({\frac{e^{x}-e^{-x}}{2}})^2$$

By using the exponent rule $$a^b\cdot a^c=a^{b+c}$$

I can simplify the centre to:

$$1+\frac{(e^{x})^2-2+(-e^{-x})^2}{4}$$

Rearranging:

$$1+\frac{(e^{x})^2+(-e^{-x})^2-2}{4}$$

From here I am totally stumped, Sorry Mark, I really am trying to understand this!

Cheers Nemo(Sweating)
 
Yes, I wanted you to focus on the expansion of the square first, and then we would add the $1$. You simplified correctly, and so what we have now is:

$$1+\frac{(e^{x})^2+(-e^{-x})^2-2}{4}$$

Get a common denominator and add those two terms, and simplify by combining like terms in the numerator...what do you have?
 
MarkFL said:
Yes, I wanted you to focus on the expansion of the square first, and then we would add the $1$. You simplified correctly, and so what we have now is:

$$1+\frac{(e^{x})^2+(-e^{-x})^2-2}{4}$$

Get a common denominator and add those two terms, and simplify by combining like terms in the numerator...what do you have?

Slight light bulb moment:

$$1+\frac{(e^{x})^2+(-e^{-x})^2-2}{4}$$

Can become:

$$\frac{4}{4}+\frac{(e^{x})^2+(-e^{-x})^2-2}{4}$$

Then can become:

$$\frac{4+(e^{x})^2+(-e^{-x})^2-2}{4}$$

Then:

$$\frac{(e^{x})^2+(-e^{-x})^2+2}{4}$$

Then:

$$\frac{(e^{x})(e^{x})+(-e^{-x})(-e^{-x})+2}{4}$$

Then:

$$\frac{(e^{x})(e^{x})-e^{-x}(-e^{-x})+2}{4}$$

Then:

$$\frac{e^{2x}--e^{-2x}+2}{4}$$

Then:

$$\frac{e^{2x}+e^{-2x}+2}{4}$$

What do you recommend from here?
Or should I have gone a different route on a prior step?

Cheers Nemo
 
You have correctly found:

$$\frac{e^{2x}+e^{-2x}+2}{4}$$

Let's arrange this as:

$$\frac{e^{2x}+2+e^{-2x}}{4}$$

Now, recalling that $$1=e^xe^{-x}$$

Can we rewrite that middle term so that we can then apply the formula for the square of a binomial? (Thinking)
 
MarkFL said:
You have correctly found:

$$\frac{e^{2x}+e^{-2x}+2}{4}$$

Let's arrange this as:

$$\frac{e^{2x}+2+e^{-2x}}{4}$$

Now, recalling that $$1=e^xe^{-x}$$

Can we rewrite that middle term so that we can then apply the formula for the square of a binomial? (Thinking)

$$\frac{e^{2x}+2+e^{-2x}}{4}$$

Can become:

$$\frac{e^{2x}+2(e^xe^{-x})+e^{-2x}}{4}$$

Which is in the format of:

$$(a+b)^2=A^2+2ab+b^2$$

Which then gives us:

$$\frac{(e^{x}+e^{-x})^2}{4}$$

Which is finally equal to:

$$(\frac{e^{x}+e^{-x}}{2})^2$$

which is the function we are trying to get.

Wow! I would not have ever realized that $$1=e^xe^{-x}$$

Thanks Mark, now onto attempting the next bit.
 
  • #10
Hi Mark, to find the length,

I think its the following,

Using the formula:

$$Length=\int_{a}^{b}\sqrt{1+f'(x)^2} \,dx$$

Knowing that the derivative of $$\frac{e^{x}+e^{-x}}{2}$$ = $$\frac{1}{2}(e^{-x}+e^{x})$$

We can plug this into get:

$$Length=\int_{a}^{b}\sqrt{1+(\frac{1}{2}(e^{-x}+e^{x}))^2} \,dx$$

Which without showing the working out is equal to $$\frac{e^2-1}{2e}=\approx 1.1752$$

Do you concur?

Cheers Nemo
 
  • #11
Okay for part b), I would write:

$$f(x)=\frac{e^x+e^{-x}}{2}$$

$$f'(x)=\frac{e^x-e^{-x}}{2}$$

So the arc-length $s$ is given by

$$s=\int_0^1 \sqrt{1+[f'(x)]^2}\,dx$$

We found in part a) that:

$$1+[f'(x)]^2=\left(\frac{e^x+e^{-x}}{2}\right)^2$$

And so we have:

$$s=\frac{1}{2}\int_0^1 e^x+e^{-x}\,dx=\frac{1}{2}\left[e^x-e^{-x}\right]_0^1=\frac{1}{2}\left(\left(e-\frac{1}{e}\right)-(1-1)\right)=\frac{e^2-1}{2e}$$

So yes, I concur. :D
 
  • #12
For Part C:

Using the formula for volume around an axis:

$$\pi\int_{a}^{b}r^2 \,dx$$

I can set up my integral as:

$$\pi\int_{0}^{1}(\frac{e^{x}+e^{-x}}{2})^2 \,dx$$

Simplifying and taking the indefinite integral (Take too long to type in my working out):

$$\pi \int \frac{1}{4}(e^{x}+e^{-x})^2 \,dx$$ = $$\frac{1}{2}\pi(x+sinh(2x))+c$$

Then I can calculate the boundaries using the (F.T.O.C)

$$\frac{1}{2}\pi(1+sinh(2\cdot1))-\frac{1}{2}\pi(0+sinh(2\cdot0))$$

Which is equal to:

$$\frac{1}{4}\pi(2+sinh(2)) = \approx 4.41932583$$

I think I am getting a handle on calculating integrals, but I must admit, that I find it difficult to know when to use substitution or when there is a suitable trig id available and or how to manipulate the functions so I can use one.

Practice, practice, practice I suppose.

Many thanks for your teaching Mark!

Cheers Nemo
 
  • #13
I will check your result with the shell method. We have:

$$y=\frac{e^x+e^{-x}}{2}$$

$$2y=e^x+e^{-x}$$

$$2ye^x=e^{2x}+1$$

Arranging as a quadratic in $e^x$, we get:

$$\left(e^{x}\right)^2-2ye^x+1=0$$

And so, by the quadratic formula, we get:

$$e^x=\frac{-(-2y)\pm\sqrt{(-2y)^2-4(1)(1)}}{2(1)}=y\pm\sqrt{y^2-1}$$

Now, observing that:

$$y(1)=\frac{e^2+1}{2e}$$

we find:

$$e^1=\frac{e^2+1}{2e}\pm\sqrt{\left(\frac{e^2+1}{2e}\right)^2-1}$$

$$2e^2=\left(e^2+1\right)\pm\sqrt{\left(e^2+1\right)^2-4e^2}$$

$$2e^2=\left(e^2+1\right)\pm\left(e^2-1\right)$$

From this, we can see we want the larger of the two quadratic roots:

$$e^x=y+\sqrt{y^2-1}$$

Hence:

$$x=\ln\left(y+\sqrt{y^2-1}\right)$$

And so we may state:

$$V=\pi+2\pi\int_{y(0)}^{y(1)} u\left(1-\ln\left(u+\sqrt{u^2-1}\right)\right)\,du=\pi\left(1+\frac{1}{4}(\sinh(2)-2)\right)=\frac{\pi}{4}\left(\sinh(2)+2\right)\checkmark$$

It appears the two methods agree. (Yes)
 

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