IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches SL

Internal Assessment

Exploration: Approximating the surface area of a wine glass.

 Table of Contents

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………1

Rationale………………………………………………………………………………….1

Aim………………………………………………………………………………………..1

Exploration………………………………………………………………………………………..3

Derivation of the Volume of Revolution Formula…………………………………….. 3

Finding the Function……………………………………………………………………………..7

Bottom Section………………………………………………………………………….. 9

Middle Section………………………………………………………………………….. 10

Top Section……………………………………………………………………………….11

Completing the Function………………………………………………………………………..13

Finding the Surface Area of the Wine Glass………………………………………………….. 14

Bottom Section…………………………………………………………………………...14

Middle Section……………………………………………………………………………15

Top Section………………………………………………………………………………..15

Surface Area Approximation……………………………………………………………………16

Evaluation……………………………………………………………………………………….. 17

Strengths and Weaknesses……………………………………………………………….17

Future Extensions……………………………………………………………………….. 18

Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………………19
 Introduction

Rationale

Growing up in a Portuguese household, my father has always collected wine glasses and

always invites me to learn about wineries. On top of that, he would give me countless talks about

how each specific wine should be tasted with its corresponding type of wine. As a curious

teenager, I usually find a significant interest in applying my knowledge of certain topics into

things I see in my everyday life. I wanted to learn on a deeper level about the things my father

shared with me. Which makes me think if, perhaps, exploring the surface areas of a wine glass

can help me understand the most efficient way to drink and maximize the value of a glass with

its complementary wine.

Aim

As a Math AA SL student, I was not directly exposed to the Volume of Revolution

formulas. However, after doing individual investigation added with previous calculus

knowledge, I could find an equation that can be fit for my exploration:

𝑏
2
𝑉 = ∫ π𝑓(𝑥) 𝑑𝑥
𝑎

1
 This is the formula given to find the volume of a graph by using integration with pi(π) to

revolve around a specific axis or line. However, I am looking for a formula that applies this

concept but with surface area as a target. With some research, I found an equation that can be

used for my exploration with respect to a specific function of the surface of the glass, 𝑓(𝑥).

𝑏
𝑑𝑦 2
𝑆𝐴 = ∫ 2π𝑓(𝑥) 1 + ( 𝑑𝑥 ) 𝑑𝑥
𝑎

With this mathematical model, the aim of this research is to estimate the surface area of a wine

glass. Specifically, a Large Bordeaux wine glass which is fit for heavy, full-bodied red wine such

as Cabernet Sauvignon. (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Large Bordeaux Wine Glass

2
 Exploration

Derivation of the Volume of Revolution Formula

As previously mentioned, the Volume of Revolution Formula can be derived to the

mathematical procedure that will be used in this investigation:

𝑏
𝑑𝑦 2
𝑆𝐴 = ∫ 2π𝑓(𝑥) 1 + ( 𝑑𝑥 ) 𝑑𝑥
𝑎

This formula can be divided into two separate components:

When revolving a single point of a line about the x-axis, a ribbon with infinitely small

width will be created, in other words, a circle around the axis. The radius of the circle to the

x-axis can be defined as:

*
𝑟 = 𝑓(𝑥𝑖 )

Where * refers to any specific point where the ribbon will be created with width 𝑖.

Since we are dealing with a circle and the goal is to find surface area, it is best to use the

circumference to estimate the SA. Hence, the first half of the formula involves the circumference

of a circle, where r is the function.

Now, the second half of the function that translates to the width of the circle as it moves

through the plane deals with the arc length. To derive a function to find arc length, a line has to

be separated in different visible sections of equal distance (Figure 2).

3
 Figure 2. Glass divided into 4 frustums (Not to Scale)

To understand and find the function of the glass itself, the 4 divisions are needed in order

to understand the change in average slope through the frustums.

Figure 3. Change in x and y

4
 To find the slope of that specific section and any other section with the same ∆𝑥, a

specific frustum’s slant height (Figure 3.) can be algebraically represented through the use of the

Pythagorean Theorem as:

2 2
𝑙 = (∆𝑥) + (∆𝑦𝑖)

Where 𝑙 refers to the secant line between the two points.

The Mean Value Theorem in Calculus explains that if a function is continuous between

intervals [𝑎, 𝑏] and it is differentiable, the secant slope of the extremes is equal to the derivative

of at least one point (𝑐) between 𝑎 and 𝑏.1 In terms of 𝑙, the Mean Value Theorem can be applied

to substitute ∆𝑦𝑖.

∆𝑦𝑖
𝑓'(𝑥) = ∆𝑥

Using algebra, that expression can be rewritten as:

𝑓'(𝑥)∆𝑥 = ∆𝑦𝑖

Which means that ⇒

2 2
𝑙 = (∆𝑥) + (𝑓'(𝑥)∆𝑥)

Factor out a common ∆𝑥 from the root ⇒

1
T. M. Flett. The Mathematical Gazette, Vol. 42, No. 339. (Feb., 1958), pp. 38-39.

5
 2
𝑙 = 1 + 𝑓'(𝑥) ∆𝑥

Change notation for symmetry purposes ⇒

𝑑𝑦 2
𝑙 = 1 + ( 𝑑𝑥 ) 𝑑𝑥

To approximate the area under the curve of the function to revolve around the axis which

gives the best mathematical approach of finding the surface area of the wine glass, it is crucial to

visualize rectangles of equal width between the curve and the x-axis.

In the case of our exploration, instead of rectangles, the frustums will be the example. As

the frustums are reduced in width, in other words, as ∆𝑥 gets smaller and smaller, the

approximation of the surface area gets closer to its true value. This creates a Riemann Sum

where the limit of the width approaches infinity, and it can be represented in the following

expression:

𝑛
𝑑𝑦 2
𝑆𝐴 = lim ∑ 2π𝑓(𝑥) 1 + ( 𝑑𝑥 ) 𝑑𝑥
𝑛 → ∞ 𝑖=1

Assuming that the width of the frustums is infinitely small, the Sum becomes a definite

integral which encloses the entire area below the curve of the function. Hence, the formula can

be rewritten as:

𝑏
𝑑𝑦 2
𝑆𝐴 = ∫ 2π𝑓(𝑥) 1 + ( 𝑑𝑥 ) 𝑑𝑥
𝑎

6
 Finding the Function

After proving that the formula can find the surface area of any curve given that we have

the function for, now the function needs to be found to graphically revolve it around the x-axis

and approximate the surface area. To find the function, I will utilize Adobe Photoshop to plot

specific points that could either represent a point of inflection or a critical point in my function.

To translate the mathematical grid to the real world, the circumference of the top of the glass was

measured using a string that was wrapped around the top of the glass and then marked to find the

2
circumference which came to be at roughly (and coincidentally) 2π 𝑐𝑚 . This means that the

radius of the top cross section is 10 cm due to the circumference of a circle equation being:

𝐶𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑚𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 = 2π𝑟

With the radius being equal to 10, I could plot the wine glass superimposed on a grid

knowing that the radius is 10, meaning that the diameter is equal to 20 cm with a scale of 10:1 on

the grid.. (Figure 4)

Figure 4. Superimposed wine glass with plotted points

7
 I chose 7 specific points to create a piecewise function with points dedicated to separate

the function into 3 different sections –one for the base, the second for the middle section, and a

top section that consolidates the part where the liquid goes. To better visualize this, the following

model will showcase how I am dividing up the sections of the function of the glass to accurately

approximate a function used to find the surface area (Figure 5.)

Figure 5. Divided sections of the glass

The blue section represents the bottom part of the glass, the pink section is the middle of

the wine glass while the green part represents the top of the glass. Each and every one of these

sections has 3 specific coordinates that will help to find the functions.

All of these points represent potential maximums/minimums or points of inflection

among all three regions. The method that will be employed in this investigation is the Lagrange

Polynomial Interpolation. A method that can find a function with a dataset of points with no

8
equal interval between them. Interpolation also gives the function as a quadratic polynomial,

which makes it easier to employ for the investigation since it was already assumed that all three

different sections of the glass function are each a different quadratic polynomial. For a set with

three different coordinates, the formula goes as follows:

(𝑥−𝑥2) (𝑥−𝑥3) (𝑥−𝑥1) (𝑥−𝑥3) (𝑥−𝑥1) (𝑥−𝑥2)

𝑃(𝑥) = (𝑥1−𝑥2) (𝑥1−𝑥3)
𝑦1 + (𝑥2−𝑥1) (𝑥2−𝑥3)
𝑦2 + (𝑥3−𝑥1) (𝑥3−𝑥2)
𝑦3

Bottom Section

For the bottom section, the coordinates are the following:

𝑖 X Coordinate Y Coordinate

1 0 1

2 0.17 1.23

3 0.6 0.23

The reason three separate points were selected was to create a polynomial in the form of:

2
𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 because the Lagrange Interpolation formula finds any polynomial of order 𝑛 in a

data set of (𝑛 + 1) points and assures simplicity so this investigation can be easily applied to

other objects.

9
The function for the bottom section, 𝑃1(𝑥) is defined as

(𝑥−0.17) (𝑥−0.6) (𝑥−0) (𝑥−0.6) (𝑥−0) (𝑥−0.17)

𝑃1(𝑥) = (0−0.17) (0−0.6)
1+ (0.17−0) (0.17−0.6)
1. 23 + (0.6−0) (0.6−0.17)
0. 23

To reduce tediousness when calculating this, I utilized an online calculator in

PlanetCalc that gave me accurate results when finding the functions for each specific section

because it showed the procedure step-by-step, while keeping it to 8 decimal places to ensure

accuracy. The calculator ended up giving me the following function with the set of

coordinates given:

https://planetcalc.com/8692/

2
𝑃1(𝑥) = − 6. 13087095𝑥 + 2. 39518923𝑥 + 1

This same procedure will be done with the other two sections.

Middle Section

The coordinates of the middle section containing three points are the following:

𝑖 X Coordinate Y Coordinate

1 0.6 0.23

2 2 0.12

3 3.21 0.3

10
 As mentioned before, all of the sections will contain three coordinates with the goal of

staying consistent and simple with the procedure. The function 𝑃2(𝑥) is defined as:

(𝑥−2) (𝑥−3.21) (𝑥−0.6) (𝑥−3.21) (𝑥−0.6) (𝑥−2)

𝑃2(𝑥) = (0.6−2) (0.6−3.21)
0. 23 + (2−0.6) (2−3.21)
0. 12 + (3.21−0.6) (3.21−2)
0. 3

The online calculator computed the following function:

2
𝑃2(𝑥) = 0. 08710029𝑥 − 0. 30503218𝑥 + 0. 38166320

Top Section

Lastly, the top section will be used to find the third and final function for the glass

with once again the Lagrange Interpolation formula with the following coordinates:

𝑖 X Coordinate Y Coordinate

1 3.21 0.3

2 4.79 1.37

3 7.16 1

Where 𝑃3(𝑥) is defined as:

11
 (𝑥−4.79) (𝑥−7.16) (𝑥−3.21) (𝑥−7.16) (𝑥−3.21) (𝑥−4.79)
𝑃3(𝑥) = (3.21−4.79) (3.21−7.16)
0. 3+ (4.79−3.21) (4.79−7.16)
1. 37+ (7.16−3.21) (7.16−4.79)
1

Which gives the following function that will complete the wine glass:

2
𝑃3(𝑥) = − 0. 21097046𝑥 + 2. 36497890𝑥 − 5. 11772151

Completing the Function

After finding all three functions that will help me find the surface area of the wine glass, I

graphed them together in Desmos, an online graphing calculator (Figure 6.)

https://www.desmos.com/calculator

Figure 6. Graph with all the functions

12
 To express all the functions as one, I will define them as separate parts of a piecewise

function with the following expression:

The intersections were found with the specific x coordinates where the functions intersect

to create the shape of the glass.

As a graph, it will be shown in the following graph (Figure 7.)

Figure 7. Graph resembling the wine glass in a mathematics plane.

13
 This leaves it perfectly for a revolution around the x-axis and ultimately, finding the

surface area of the wine glass with a function that goes on the interval [0, 7. 16].

Finding the Surface Area of the Wine Glass

As shown previously, the formula for the surface area of any function is described as:

𝑏
𝑑𝑦 2
𝑆𝐴 = ∫ 2π𝑓(𝑥) 1 + ( 𝑑𝑥 ) 𝑑𝑥
𝑎

And the formula found was a piecewise function in Figure X.

In order to find the antiderivative of a piecewise function, the distinct sections need to be

dealt with separately with their respective boundaries defined by the x intervals they are part of,

and lastly added together to come up with a precise approximation of the surface area of the wine

glass. This can also be mathematically shown with the following expression:

𝑏 𝑏
' 2 ' 2
𝑆𝐴 = ∫ 2π𝑃1(𝑥) 1 + (𝑃 1(𝑥)) 𝑑𝑥 + ∫ 2π𝑃2(𝑥) 1 + (𝑃 2(𝑥)) 𝑑𝑥 +
𝑎 𝑎

𝑏
' 2
∫ 2π𝑃3(𝑥) 1 + (𝑃 3 (𝑥))
𝑎

Bottom Section

For the bottom section, the derivative of the expression needs to be found to then apply

the formula, which means that:

14
 𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑥
= − 12. 2617419𝑥 + 2. 39518923

Making the area of that section equivalent to:

0.6
2 2
𝑆𝐴𝑏𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚 = ∫ 2π(− 6. 13087095𝑥 + 2. 39518923𝑥 + 1) 1 + (− 12. 2617419𝑥 + 2. 39518923) 𝑑𝑥
0

This computes to ⇒

2
𝑆𝐴𝑏𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚 ≈ 7. 65 𝑐𝑚

Middle Section

The process was done a second time with the function 𝑃2(𝑥), where the derivative of the

function is the following:

𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑥
= 0. 17420058𝑥 − 0. 30503218

Therefore, the equation for the surface area of the middle section is defined by the

following expression:

3.21
2 2
𝑆𝐴𝑚 = ∫ 2π(0. 08710029𝑥 − 0. 30503218𝑥 + 0. 38166320) 1 + (0. 17420058𝑥 − 0. 30503218) 𝑑𝑥
0.6

Which results in ⇒

2
𝑆𝐴𝑚𝑖𝑑𝑑𝑙𝑒 ≈ 2. 75 𝑐𝑚

15
 Top Section

Lastly, this was repeated a second to last time to find the last part of the surface area

approximation that will be added to the two previous results. The derivative of 𝑃3(𝑥) is defined

as:

𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑥
= − 0. 42194092𝑥 + 2. 3649789

Hence, the surface area of the top section of the wine glass is equal to ⇒

7.16
2 2
𝑆𝐴𝑡𝑜𝑝 = ∫ 2π(− 0. 21097046𝑥 + 2. 36497890𝑥 − 5. 11772151) 1 + (− 0. 42194092𝑥 + 2. 3649789) 𝑑𝑥
3.21

Calculating to ⇒

2
𝑆𝐴𝑡𝑜𝑝 ≈ 32. 4𝑐𝑚

Surface Area Approximation

As stated before, the surface area of the entire wine glass will be the summation of the

surface area of the three divided sections that were established previously, which means that the

total surface area of the glass will be:

𝑆𝐴𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑔𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠 ≈ 𝑆𝐴𝑏𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚 + 𝑆𝐴𝑚𝑖𝑑𝑑𝑙𝑒 + 𝑆𝐴𝑡𝑜𝑝

≈ 7. 65 + 2. 75 + 32. 4

2
𝑆𝐴𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑔𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠 ≈ 42. 8𝑐𝑚

16
 Evaluation

Strengths and Weaknesses

This investigation was successful at exploring a mathematical concept in order to apply it

in the real world and fulfill a goal that was set since the beginning: utilizing calculus to

determine the surface area of an object such as a wine glass. Furthermore, this investigation used

many analytical softwares such as Adobe Photoshop, Desmos, and PlanetCalc to ensure

mathematical accuracy within the calculations as well as providing a second source of

visualization and helping understand from a conceptual view. A strong factor of the exploration

was also the consistency of the number of decimal places. I made certain to stay with 8 decimal

places across all the results of the Lagrange Interpolation to better approximate the surface area

of the glass and virtually neglect measured uncertainties. However, like many experiments, it did

have its limitations and weaknesses. One of the main limitations of this experiment was the

existence of human error. The measurement of the radius of the top cross section of the glass

could be flawed due to it being measured by a human. Furthermore, this investigation was

subject to a specific wine glass among the hundreds of different glass types that exist Yet I

believe it did what it had to do and helped to a great extent an approximation of the surface area

of the wine glass. Overall, this exploration accomplished the goal that it was set to do.

17
 Future Extensions

This investigation can also be extended to find many discrepancies among different types

of wine glasses, such as volume, or even taste due to somatosensation.2 Moreover, this can also

help find the most money-efficient wine glass in terms of volume and price of glass. In terms of

other mathematical explorations, regression could have been another approach rather than

Lagrange Interpolation to find the polynomials and overall the relationship between the points of

the glass and ultimately decide which method would have been more efficient to find the

polynomials.

2
Mullen, Tom. n.d. “Why the Shape of a Glass Shapes the Taste of Your Wine.” Forbes. Accessed March 12, 2023.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tmullen/2016/08/25/why-the-shape-of-a-glass-shapes-the-taste-of-your-wine/?sh=56c0d0a96554.

18
 Bibliography

Desmos. 2023. “Desmos Graphing Calculator.” Desmos Graphing Calculator. 2023.

https://www.desmos.com/calculator.

Mullen, Tom. n.d. “Why the Shape of a Glass Shapes the Taste of Your Wine.” Forbes.

Accessed March 12, 2023.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tmullen/2016/08/25/why-the-shape-of-a-glass-shapes-the-taste-of-y

our-wine/?sh=56c0d0a96554.

“Online Calculator: Lagrange Polynomial Calculator.” n.d. Planetcalc.com.

https://planetcalc.com/8692/.

T. M. Flett. The Mathematical Gazette, Vol. 42, No. 339. (Feb., 1958), pp. 38-39.

19