Calculus II, Section 8.

1, #28
Arc Length

Use Simpson’s Rule with n = 10 to estimate the arc length of the curve. Compare your answer with the value
of the integral produced by a calculator.1
2
y = e−x , 0≤x≤2

Since y is given as a function of x, we will use the arc length formula

s
Z x=b  2
dy
L= 1+ dx
x=a dx

We have
2
y = e−x

so

dy 2
= e−x · −2x
dx
2
= −2xe−x

and
 2
dy 2 2
 
1+ = 1 + −2xe−x
dx
2
= 1 + 4x2 e−2x

Substituting into our arc length formula,

Z x=2 p
L= 1 + 4x2 e−2x2 dx
x=0

For Simpson’s Rule, we use

Z b
∆x
f (x) dx ≈ Sn = [f (x0 ) + 4f (x1 ) + 2f (x2 ) + 4f (x3 ) + · · · + 2f (xn−2 ) + 4f (xn−1 ) + f (xn )]
a 3

R x=2 √ √ 2−0
For our integral, x=0
1 + 4x2 e−2x2 dx, we have f (x) = 1 + 4x2 e−2x2 and ∆x = 10 = 51 , so
Z x=2 p
1 + 4x2 e−2x2 dx ≈ S10
x=0
1/5
= [f (0) + 4f (0.2) + 2f (0.4) + 4f (0.6) + 2f (0.8)
3
+ 4f (1.0) + 2f (1.2) + 4f (1.4) + 2f (1.6) + 4f (1.8) + f (2.0)]
q
1
q q
1 + 4 (0)2 e−2(0) + 4 1 + 4 (0.2)2 e−2(0.2) + 2 1 + 4 (0.4)2 e−2(0.4)
2 2 2
=
15
q q q
+ 4 1 + 4 (0.6)2 e−2(0.6) + 2 1 + 4 (0.8)2 e−2(0.8) + 4 1 + 4 (1.0)2 e−2(1.0)
2 2 2

1 Stewart, Calculus, Early Transcendentals, p. 549, #28.

Calculus II
Arc Length

q q q
2 −2(1.2)2 2 −2(1.4)2 2 2
+ 2 1 + 4 (1.2) e + 4 1 + 4 (1.4) e + 2 1 + 4 (1.6) e−2(1.6)
q q 
2 2 2 2
+ 4 1 + (1.8) e−2(1.8) + 1 + (2.0) e−2(2.0)

≈ 2.280559

Using fnInt() on our TI-84, we get

Z x=2 p
1 + 4x2 e−2x2 dx ≈ 2.280526
x=0