Topic: Applications of the Integral

in Geometry
Part 3: Arc length and surface
area
Big question
In this section, we’re going to answer two questions:
1) How can we find the length of a given curve?

so we can find
How long is the border of Vietnam?
2) How can we find the surface area of a solid?

so we can find

How large is a label? How much paint is

needed paint a house?

How much paper is

needed to wrap a box?
Goals

At the end of this section, you’ll be able to

 Use integral to find the length of a curve
 Use integral to find the surface area of a solid of
revolution
Contents

 Length of a curve
 Surface area of a solid of revolution
Idea

Elementary geometry doesn’t help to find the length of a curve

that wiggles like this.
So, let’s break it into pieces and approximate them by LINES.
 The length of a curve
To find the length of the curve y  f ( x) that lies between x  a
and x  b we do as follows
1) Divide the curve into smaller pieces
by the points P0 , P1 ,..., Pn .
2) Approximate the pieces by the
segments P0 P1 , PP
1 2, , Pn1Pn .

3) Take the limit of the sum

P0 P1  PP
1 2   Pn1Pn as n tends to
infinity to obtain an integral.
 Let’s derive the formula
Pk
sk yk
Pk 1  xk
We take a segment Pk 1Pk and find its length sk .
2
  yk  2
sk  x  y
2 2
 1   xk  1   f '( x )  xk (MVT)
*


k k k
 kx
n
The total length is the limit lim  1   f '( x ) 
2
*
k xk ,
n 
k 1
b
which equals the integral  1   f '( x) dx.
2

a
Example: Find the length (rounded to four decimal places)
of the curve f ( x)  x3/2 on the interval [0,4].
 Example: Find the length (rounded to four decimal places)
of the curve f ( x)  x3/2 on the interval [0,4].
Solution
The length s of the given curve is calculated
4
by the integral  1   f '( x) dx.
2

0
3 1/2
where f '( x)  x . Therefore,
2
3/2 4
4 2
 3 1/2 
4
9 4 2  9  
s   1   x  dx   1  x dx    1  x  
0 2  0 4  9 3  4   0
8
 103/2  1  9.0734
27
So, the length of the given curve is 9.0734 units.
Example : Use numerical integration to find the length
of f ( x)  sin x, 0  x  2
Example : Use numerical integration to find the length
of f ( x)  sin x, 0  x  2
Solution
We have f '( x)  cos x.
So, the length s of the given curve is
2
s  1   cos x  dx.
2

0
Using trapezoid method with n=4, we get
2  0     3 
s   f (0)  f (2 )  2* f    2* f    2* f  2 
42  2  
 7.584476

So, the length of the given curve is 7.584476.

What if the function is given in y?
1 3 1 1
Example: Find the arc length of the curve x= y  y
3 4
from y=1 to y=3.
What if the function is given in y?
1 3 1 1
Example: Find the arc length of the curve x= y  y
3 4
from y=1 to y=3.
Solution
The function is given in y, so we integrate in y.
1 2
We have x '  y  y . So the length of the curve is
2

4
2 3
 2 1 2 
3
1 4 1
s   1   y  y  dy   y  y  dy
4

1  4  1 16 2
1 3
3
 2 1 2   1 3 1 y  53
   y  y  dy   y   
1 4  3 4 1 1 6
53
So, the length of the given curve is 6 units.
DIY : Will you write the function in x or in y?
Set up, but do not evaluate, an integral for the length
x2
of the ellipse  9 y 2  1.
16
 The area of a surface of revolution
f
Find the area of a solid obtained by revolving the a b x
curve y=f(x) where f(x)  0 on [a,b] about the x-axis.
We do as follows.
1) Divide the curve into smaller pieces
by the points P0 , P1 ,..., Pn .
2) Approximate the pieces by the Pk 1
sk
Pk
segments P0 P1 , PP
1 2, , Pn1Pn . x

Revolving each segment gives a frustum of a cone.

We shall find the surface area of the frustum.
3) Take the limit of the sum
Area frustum  P0 P1    PP
1 2   Pn1Pn 
as n tends to infinity to obtain an integral.
Let’s derive the formula
sk One can prove (using elementary geometry) that
the surface area of the frustum with SLANT HEIGHT sk ,
a b BASE RADII r1 and r2 is
r r 
S  2  1 2  sk  2 f  xk*  sk
f ( x)

 2 

In the previous part we have seen that the length sk  1   f '  xk*  xk
2

So the area of the frustums is S=2 f ( x ) 1   f '  x  xk .

2
* *
k k

The total area is the limit lim  2 f ( x ) 1   f '  x  xk .

n 2
* *
k k
n 
k 1

b
which equals the integral 2  f ( x) 1   f '  x   dx.
2

a
Example: Find the surface area when the graph of y=x 3
on [0,1] is rotated about the x-axis.
Example: Find the surface area when the graph of y=x 3
on [0,1] is rotated about the x-axis.
Solution
We find the surface area S by using the formula
b
2  f ( x) 1   f '  x   dx.
2

Since f ( x)  x3 , f '( x)  3x 2 . Therefore,

1 1
S  2  x 1   3x
3
 dx  2  x
2 2 3
1  9 x 4 dx
0 0

We use the substitution u  1  9 x 4 , which gives du  36 x3dx.

du  3/2 2   
 
1
4 3/2 
S  2  u  u    1  9 x    10 10  1
36 18 3  27 0 27

This is a surface area of about 3.563 square units.

Example: Determine the surface area of the solid obtained by
rotating the semicircle y  9  x 2 ,  3  x  3 about the x-axis.
The result is the surface area of a sphere.
Example: Determine the surface area of the solid obtained by
rotating the semicircle y  9  x 2 ,  3  x  3 about the x-axis.
The result is the surface area of a sphere.
Solution
2 x x
Since f ( x)  9  x 2 , f '( x)   .
2 9 x 2
9 x 2

The surface area is found by

2
b 3
 x 
S  2  f ( x) 1   f '  x   dx  2  9  x 2 1  
2
 dx
 9 x 
2
a 3

3 3
x2
 2  9  x 2
1 dx  2  3dx  6 3  (3)  36
3 9 x 2
3

So, the surface area of the resulting solid is 36 square units.

DIY : From this example, can you find the formula for the surface
area of a sphere of radius r?
 What if the curve is rotated
about another axis?
R( x)
Again, we divide the curve into smaller pieces.
Revolving a segment Pk 1Pk gives a frustum with
SLANT HEIGHT sk , BASE RADII r1 and r2 .
The surface area of the frustum is given by
r r 
S  2  1 2  sk  2 R  xk*  sk
 2 
where R(x) is the distance from the curve
to the axis of revolution.

b
So, the total area is S= 2  R( x) 1   f '  x   dx.
2

DIY : What has been changed compared with the previous formula (revolve about x - axis)?
DIY : Set up (but not evaluate) the integral for the
surface area when the graph of y=x 3 on [0,1] is rotated about
a) the line y=15.
b) the y-axis.
Hint: All you need to do is determining R(x).

a) b)
DIY : Set up (but not evaluate) the integral for the
surface area when the graph of y=x 3 on [0,1] is rotated about
a) the line y=15.
b) the y-axis.
Hint: All you need to do is determining R(x).

a) R( x)  15  f ( x)  15  x3 b) R( x)  x
1 1
S  2  15  x  1   3x 
2 2
S  2  x 1   3x 2  dx.
3 2
dx.
0 0
Summary

Now you’re able to:

 Use integral to find the length of a curve.
 Use integral to find the surface area of a solid of
revolution.
 Derive formulas for the surface area of some familiar
solids such as a sphere.
Questions?