Integral Calculus

Grinshpan

The Arc Length of a Parabola

Let us calculate the length of the parabolic arc y = x2 , 0 ≤ x ≤ a.
According to the arc length formula,
Z ap Z a p
L(a) = 0 2
1 + y (x) dx = 1 + (2x)2 dx.
0 0

1
Z 2a √
Replacing 2x by x, we may write L(a) = 1 + x2 dx.
2 0
√
Thus the task is to find the antiderivative of 1 + x2 .
This is often done by setting x = sinh t or x = tan t.
We will obtain the answer by manipulating square roots.

Two observations are needed:

 √ 0 √ x2
x x + 1 = x2 + 1 + √
2
x2 + 1
√ √ 1
= x2 + 1 + x2 + 1 − √
2
x +1
√ 1
= 2 x2 + 1 − √ .
x2 + 1
  √ 0 1 + x/√1 + x2
ln x + 1 + x2 = √
x + 1 + x2
1
=√ .
1 + x2

√  √ 0   √ 0
2 2
Hence 2 1 + x = x x + 1 + ln x + 1 + x 2 .
Z √
1 √ 1  √ 
Hence 1 + x2 dx = x 1 + x2 + ln x + 1 + x2 + C.
2 2

1 √ 1  √ 
It follows that L(a) = a 1 + 4a2 + ln 2a + 1 + 4a2 .
2 4
1 √ 1 √
In particular, L(1) = 5 + ln(2 + 5) ≈ 1.48.
2 4