Volume of Solids with Known Cross Sections (Calculus AB)

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around finding the volume of a solid formed by revolving the area bounded by the equations y = 6 - 2x - x² and y = x + 6 around the x-axis and the line y = 3. Participants are exploring the setup and integration process involved in calculating these volumes.

Discussion Character

  • Mixed

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to find the volume using the disk method, expressing concerns about the setup and integration limits. Some participants suggest checking the limits of integration and the expressions for the radii used in the integrals. There is a question about when to use different forms of the volume formula involving the top and bottom functions.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging in clarifying the setup and integration process. Some guidance has been provided regarding the limits of integration and the correct expressions for the volume calculations. There is an acknowledgment of confusion in the original poster's approach, but no consensus has been reached on the correct method yet.

Contextual Notes

There are indications of potential misunderstandings regarding the setup of the integrals and the definitions of the top and bottom functions in relation to the axis of rotation. The original poster expresses uncertainty about the notation and how to avoid errors in future posts.

Flaneuse
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Can anyone help me with this calculus problem? I have tried it a couple of different ways, but keep getting various incorrect answers; I think my problem is probably in the setup.

I am trying to find the volume of the solid created by revolving the area bounded by these two equations
y = 6 - 2x - x^{2}
y = x + 6
around the x-axis, and around y = 3.

First, I found the intersection points of the two equations, which are at (-3,3) and (0,6)
For the revolution around the x-axis, I tried doing
\pi \int ^{0}_{-3}((6 - 2x - x[^2})^{2} - (x+6)^{2} )dx,

simplified to \pi \int ^{6}_{0}(-32x -13x^{2} +4x^{3} + x^{4} )dx ,
and got a final answer of -27\pi/5
The correct answer is 243\pi /5

For the revolution around y = 3, I got -3-x^{2} from subtracting the lower function, x + 6, from the top function, 6 - 2x - x^{2}, and then tried
\pi \int^{6}_{0}(6-(-3-x^{2}))^{2} dx, simplified to \pi^{6}_{0}\int (6+3x+x^{2} ) dx, and ended up with 29376\pi/5.<br /> <br /> The answer for this one is supposed to be 108\pi/5<br /> <br /> <br /> Again, I think my real problems are in the setup, probably with the &quot;top minus bottom&quot; part.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Also, I am new to Physics Forum, and can&#039;t seem to get rid of how, in the second integral, my words ended up included in the integral. I would appreciate it if anyone could tell me how to fix/avoid that.<br /> <br /> Thanks!
 
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Note: Fixed up some of your LaTeX by removing a lot of superfluous [ tex] tags.
Flaneuse said:
Can anyone help me with this calculus problem? I have tried it a couple of different ways, but keep getting various incorrect answers; I think my problem is probably in the setup.

I am trying to find the volume of the solid created by revolving the area bounded by these two equations
y = 6 - 2x - x^{2}
y = x + 6
around the x-axis, and around y = 3.

First, I found the intersection points of the two equations, which are at (-3,3) and (0,6)
For the revolution around the x-axis, I tried doing
\pi \int ^{0}_{-3}((6 - 2x - x^2)^2 - (x+6)^2)dx

simplified to \pi \int ^{6}_{0}(-32x -13x^{2} +4x^{3} + x^{4} )dx
The first integral above was fine, but there are some mistakes in the second one. You switched the limits of integration. They should still be -3 and 0. Also, the coefficients of the x^4 and x^3 terms are right, but those for the x^2 and x terms are incorrect.
Flaneuse said:
and got a final answer of -27\pi/5
The correct answer is 243\pi /5

For the revolution around y = 3, I got -3-x^{2} from subtracting the lower function, x + 6, from the top function, 6 - 2x - x^{2}, and then tried
\pi \int^{6}_{0}(6-(-3-x^{2}))^{2} dx
simplified to
\pi^{6}_{0}\int (6+3x+x^{2} ) dx
and ended up with 29376\pi/5.

The answer for this one is supposed to be 108\pi/5


Again, I think my real problems are in the setup, probably with the "top minus bottom" part.



Also, I am new to Physics Forum, and can't seem to get rid of how, in the second integral, my words ended up included in the integral. I would appreciate it if anyone could tell me how to fix/avoid that.

Thanks!
I'll take a look at the 2nd integral in a separate post.
 
For the second integral,
\Delta V = \pi (R^2 - r^2)\Delta x
The limits of integration are the same, namely x = -3 to x = 0. R = the y-value on the parabola - 3, and r = the y-value on the line - 3.
 
Hm, I don't know what I must have been thinking when I decided to start integrating from 0 to 6, especially when I had already started using -3 to 0 as well... I suppose I was particularly jumbled yesterday, or something of that sort.

Thanks so much for the help; goodness knows I needed it. May I ask though, how can I differentiate between [yes, a very bad choice of words; I mean when to use one as opposed to the other, not take the derivative of] when R(x)^2 - r(x)^2 is equal to (top equation minus line)^2 - (bottom equation - line)^2 and when it is equal to (top minus bottom)^2 - (line)^2?
 
Flaneuse said:
Thanks so much for the help; goodness knows I needed it. May I ask though, how can I differentiate between [yes, a very bad choice of words; I mean when to use one as opposed to the other, not take the derivative of] when R(x)^2 - r(x)^2 is equal to (top equation minus line)^2 - (bottom equation - line)^2 and when it is equal to (top minus bottom)^2 - (line)^2?
R is the larger radius and r is the smaller radius. Both radii are as measured from the axis of rotation. If you have drawn a sketch, it should be pretty obvious.
 
Thanks!
 

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