Surface Area in Polar Coordinates

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the surface area of the surface defined by z=cosh(sqrt(x^2+y^2)) above a specified region in polar coordinates. The correct formula for surface area is established as SA = ∫∫_R cosh(sqrt(x^2+y^2)) dA, which translates to SA = ∫ from 2 to 4 ∫ from 0 to θ cosh(r) r dr dθ after converting to polar coordinates. The initial miscalculation involved incorrectly simplifying the integral, which should be evaluated using integration by parts to arrive at the correct surface area value.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of polar coordinates and their application in multivariable calculus.
  • Familiarity with hyperbolic functions, specifically cosh and sinh.
  • Knowledge of partial derivatives and their role in surface area calculations.
  • Experience with integration techniques, particularly integration by parts.
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the derivation and application of the surface area formula in polar coordinates.
  • Learn about hyperbolic functions and their properties, focusing on cosh and sinh.
  • Practice integration by parts with various functions to solidify understanding.
  • Explore examples of surface area calculations for different surfaces in multivariable calculus.
USEFUL FOR

Students and professionals in mathematics, particularly those studying multivariable calculus, as well as engineers and physicists who apply these concepts in practical scenarios.

JaysFan31
Find the surface area of the surface z=cosh(sqrt(x^2+y^2)) above the region in the xy plane given in polar coordinates:
r is between 0 and theta
theta is between 2 and 4

Ok. I used the formula:
Surface area equals the square root of the partial derivative of x squared plus the partial derivative of y squared plus 1. After doing it out, the (x^2+y^2) turned into 1, leaving me with the square root of 1 + (sinhsqrt(x^2+y^2))^2.
I took the integral of this from 0 to theta by switching the (x^2+y^2) into just r (polar coordinates). I got that this integral equaled cosh(r)tanh(r) and in turn cosh(theta)tanh(theta). Taking this integral from 2 to 4, I got cosh(4)-cosh(2). I thought I did everything correct, but this is not the answer. What did I do wrong?

Thanks for any help. I hope you can understand my thought process.
 
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[tex]\sqrt{1+\mbox{sinh}^2\left(\sqrt{x^2+y^2}\right) } = \sqrt{\mbox{cosh}^2\left(\sqrt{x^2+y^2}\right) } = \mbox{cosh}\left(\sqrt{x^2+y^2}\right)[/tex]

hence your SA is given by

[tex]SA = \iint_R \mbox{cosh}\left(\sqrt{x^2+y^2}\right) \, dA = \int_{2}^{4}\int_{0}^{\theta} \mbox{cosh}(r) r \, dr \, d\theta[/tex]

where the [tex]r \, dr \, d\theta[/tex] is from the transform to polar. Now integrate by parts...
 

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