134 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

2.2 | Determining Volumes by Slicing

Learning Objectives
2.2.1 Determine the volume of a solid by integrating a cross-section (the slicing method).
2.2.2 Find the volume of a solid of revolution using the disk method.
2.2.3 Find the volume of a solid of revolution with a cavity using the washer method.

In the preceding section, we used definite integrals to find the area between two curves. In this section, we use definite
integrals to find volumes of three-dimensional solids. We consider three approaches—slicing, disks, and washers—for
finding these volumes, depending on the characteristics of the solid.

Volume and the Slicing Method

Just as area is the numerical measure of a two-dimensional region, volume is the numerical measure of a three-dimensional
solid. Most of us have computed volumes of solids by using basic geometric formulas. The volume of a rectangular solid,
for example, can be computed by multiplying length, width, and height: The formulas for the volume of a sphere
a cone and a pyramid have also been introduced. Although some of these

formulas were derived using geometry alone, all these formulas can be obtained by using integration.
We can also calculate the volume of a cylinder. Although most of us think of a cylinder as having a circular base, such as
a soup can or a metal rod, in mathematics the word cylinder has a more general meaning. To discuss cylinders in this more
general context, we first need to define some vocabulary.
We define the cross-section of a solid to be the intersection of a plane with the solid. A cylinder is defined as any solid
that can be generated by translating a plane region along a line perpendicular to the region, called the axis of the cylinder.
Thus, all cross-sections perpendicular to the axis of a cylinder are identical. The solid shown in Figure 2.11 is an example
of a cylinder with a noncircular base. To calculate the volume of a cylinder, then, we simply multiply the area of the cross-
section by the height of the cylinder: In the case of a right circular cylinder (soup can), this becomes

Figure 2.11 Each cross-section of a particular cylinder is identical to the others.

If a solid does not have a constant cross-section (and it is not one of the other basic solids), we may not have a formula for
its volume. In this case, we can use a definite integral to calculate the volume of the solid. We do this by slicing the solid
into pieces, estimating the volume of each slice, and then adding those estimated volumes together. The slices should all be
parallel to one another, and when we put all the slices together, we should get the whole solid. Consider, for example, the
solid S shown in Figure 2.12, extending along the

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 135

Figure 2.12 A solid with a varying cross-section.

We want to divide into slices perpendicular to the As we see later in the chapter, there may be times when we
want to slice the solid in some other direction—say, with slices perpendicular to the y-axis. The decision of which way to
slice the solid is very important. If we make the wrong choice, the computations can get quite messy. Later in the chapter,
we examine some of these situations in detail and look at how to decide which way to slice the solid. For the purposes of
this section, however, we use slices perpendicular to the
Because the cross-sectional area is not constant, we let represent the area of the cross-section at point Now let
be a regular partition of and for let represent the slice of stretching from
The following figure shows the sliced solid with

Figure 2.13 The solid has been divided into three slices
perpendicular to the

Finally, for let be an arbitrary point in Then the volume of slice can be estimated by

Adding these approximations together, we see the volume of the entire solid can be approximated by

By now, we can recognize this as a Riemann sum, and our next step is to take the limit as Then we have
136 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

The technique we have just described is called the slicing method. To apply it, we use the following strategy.

Problem-Solving Strategy: Finding Volumes by the Slicing Method

1. Examine the solid and determine the shape of a cross-section of the solid. It is often helpful to draw a picture
if one is not provided.
2. Determine a formula for the area of the cross-section.
3. Integrate the area formula over the appropriate interval to get the volume.

Recall that in this section, we assume the slices are perpendicular to the Therefore, the area formula is in terms of
x and the limits of integration lie on the However, the problem-solving strategy shown here is valid regardless of
how we choose to slice the solid.

Example 2.6

Deriving the Formula for the Volume of a Pyramid

We know from geometry that the formula for the volume of a pyramid is If the pyramid has a square

base, this becomes where denotes the length of one side of the base. We are going to use the

slicing method to derive this formula.

Solution
We want to apply the slicing method to a pyramid with a square base. To set up the integral, consider the pyramid
shown in Figure 2.14, oriented along the

Figure 2.14 (a) A pyramid with a square base is oriented along the x-axis. (b) A two-dimensional view of the
pyramid is seen from the side.

We first want to determine the shape of a cross-section of the pyramid. We are know the base is a square, so the
cross-sections are squares as well (step 1). Now we want to determine a formula for the area of one of these cross-
sectional squares. Looking at Figure 2.14(b), and using a proportion, since these are similar triangles, we have

Therefore, the area of one of the cross-sectional squares is

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 137

Then we find the volume of the pyramid by integrating from (step

This is the formula we were looking for.

2.6 Use the slicing method to derive the formula for the volume of a circular cone.

Solids of Revolution
If a region in a plane is revolved around a line in that plane, the resulting solid is called a solid of revolution, as shown in
the following figure.
138 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

Figure 2.15 (a) This is the region that is revolved around the x-axis.
(b) As the region begins to revolve around the axis, it sweeps out a
solid of revolution. (c) This is the solid that results when the
revolution is complete.

Solids of revolution are common in mechanical applications, such as machine parts produced by a lathe. We spend the rest
of this section looking at solids of this type. The next example uses the slicing method to calculate the volume of a solid of
revolution.
Use an online integral calculator ([Link] to learn more.

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 139

Example 2.7

Using the Slicing Method to find the Volume of a Solid of Revolution

Use the slicing method to find the volume of the solid of revolution bounded by the graphs of
and rotated about the

Solution
Using the problem-solving strategy, we first sketch the graph of the quadratic function over the interval as
shown in the following figure.

Figure 2.16 A region used to produce a solid of revolution.

Next, revolve the region around the x-axis, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 2.17 Two views, (a) and (b), of the solid of revolution produced by revolving the region
in Figure 2.16 about the
140 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

Since the solid was formed by revolving the region around the the cross-sections are circles (step 1).
The area of the cross-section, then, is the area of a circle, and the radius of the circle is given by Use the
formula for the area of the circle:

The volume, then, is (step 3)

The volume is

2.7 Use the method of slicing to find the volume of the solid of revolution formed by revolving the region
between the graph of the function and the over the interval around the See
the following figure.

The Disk Method

When we use the slicing method with solids of revolution, it is often called the disk method because, for solids of
revolution, the slices used to over approximate the volume of the solid are disks. To see this, consider the solid of revolution
generated by revolving the region between the graph of the function and the over the interval
around the The graph of the function and a representative disk are shown in Figure 2.18(a) and (b). The
region of revolution and the resulting solid are shown in Figure 2.18(c) and (d).

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 141

Figure 2.18 (a) A thin rectangle for approximating the area under a curve. (b) A representative disk formed by
revolving the rectangle about the (c) The region under the curve is revolved about the resulting in
(d) the solid of revolution.

We already used the formal Riemann sum development of the volume formula when we developed the slicing method. We
know that

The only difference with the disk method is that we know the formula for the cross-sectional area ahead of time; it is the
area of a circle. This gives the following rule.

Rule: The Disk Method

Let be continuous and nonnegative. Define as the region bounded above by the graph of below by the
142 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

on the left by the line and on the right by the line Then, the volume of the solid of revolution
formed by revolving around the is given by
(2.3)

The volume of the solid we have been studying (Figure 2.18) is given by

Let’s look at some examples.

Example 2.8

Using the Disk Method to Find the Volume of a Solid of Revolution 1

Use the disk method to find the volume of the solid of revolution generated by rotating the region between the
graph of and the over the interval around the

Solution
The graphs of the function and the solid of revolution are shown in the following figure.

Figure 2.19 (a) The function over the interval (b) The solid of revolution
obtained by revolving the region under the graph of about the

We have

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 143

The volume is units 3.

2.8 Use the disk method to find the volume of the solid of revolution generated by rotating the region
between the graph of and the over the interval around the

So far, our examples have all concerned regions revolved around the but we can generate a solid of revolution by
revolving a plane region around any horizontal or vertical line. In the next example, we look at a solid of revolution that has
been generated by revolving a region around the The mechanics of the disk method are nearly the same as when
the is the axis of revolution, but we express the function in terms of and we integrate with respect to y as well.
This is summarized in the following rule.

Rule: The Disk Method for Solids of Revolution around the y-axis
Let be continuous and nonnegative. Define as the region bounded on the right by the graph of on the
left by the below by the line and above by the line Then, the volume of the solid of revolution
formed by revolving around the is given by

(2.4)

The next example shows how this rule works in practice.

Example 2.9

Using the Disk Method to Find the Volume of a Solid of Revolution 2

Let be the region bounded by the graph of and the over the interval
Use the disk method to find the volume of the solid of revolution generated by rotating around the

Solution
Figure 2.20 shows the function and a representative disk that can be used to estimate the volume. Notice that
since we are revolving the function around the the disks are horizontal, rather than vertical.
144 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

Figure 2.20 (a) Shown is a thin rectangle between the curve of the function
and the (b) The rectangle forms a representative disk after revolution around the

The region to be revolved and the full solid of revolution are depicted in the following figure.

Figure 2.21 (a) The region to the left of the function over the interval
(b) The solid of revolution formed by revolving the region about the

To find the volume, we integrate with respect to We obtain

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 145

The volume is units 3.

2.9 Use the disk method to find the volume of the solid of revolution generated by rotating the region
between the graph of and the over the interval around the

The Washer Method

Some solids of revolution have cavities in the middle; they are not solid all the way to the axis of revolution. Sometimes,
this is just a result of the way the region of revolution is shaped with respect to the axis of revolution. In other cases, cavities
arise when the region of revolution is defined as the region between the graphs of two functions. A third way this can happen
is when an axis of revolution other than the or is selected.

When the solid of revolution has a cavity in the middle, the slices used to approximate the volume are not disks, but washers
(disks with holes in the center). For example, consider the region bounded above by the graph of the function
and below by the graph of the function over the interval When this region is revolved around the
the result is a solid with a cavity in the middle, and the slices are washers. The graph of the function and a representative
washer are shown in Figure 2.22(a) and (b). The region of revolution and the resulting solid are shown in Figure 2.22(c)
and (d).
146 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

Figure 2.22 (a) A thin rectangle in the region between two curves. (b) A
representative disk formed by revolving the rectangle about the (c) The region
between the curves over the given interval. (d) The resulting solid of revolution.

The cross-sectional area, then, is the area of the outer circle less the area of the inner circle. In this case,

Then the volume of the solid is

Generalizing this process gives the washer method.

Rule: The Washer Method

Suppose and are continuous, nonnegative functions such that over Let denote the
region bounded above by the graph of below by the graph of on the left by the line and on

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 147

the right by the line Then, the volume of the solid of revolution formed by revolving around the is
given by
(2.5)

Example 2.10

Using the Washer Method

Find the volume of a solid of revolution formed by revolving the region bounded above by the graph of
and below by the graph of over the interval around the

Solution
The graphs of the functions and the solid of revolution are shown in the following figure.

Figure 2.23 (a) The region between the graphs of the functions and
over the interval (b) Revolving the region about the generates
a solid of revolution with a cavity in the middle.

We have

2.10 Find the volume of a solid of revolution formed by revolving the region bounded by the graphs of
and over the interval around the

As with the disk method, we can also apply the washer method to solids of revolution that result from revolving a region
around the y-axis. In this case, the following rule applies.
148 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

Rule: The Washer Method for Solids of Revolution around the y-axis
Suppose and are continuous, nonnegative functions such that for Let denote
the region bounded on the right by the graph of on the left by the graph of below by the line
and above by the line Then, the volume of the solid of revolution formed by revolving around the
is given by

Rather than looking at an example of the washer method with the as the axis of revolution, we now consider an
example in which the axis of revolution is a line other than one of the two coordinate axes. The same general method
applies, but you may have to visualize just how to describe the cross-sectional area of the volume.

Example 2.11

The Washer Method with a Different Axis of Revolution

Find the volume of a solid of revolution formed by revolving the region bounded above by and
below by the over the interval around the line

Solution
The graph of the region and the solid of revolution are shown in the following figure.

Figure 2.24 (a) The region between the graph of the function and the
over the interval (b) Revolving the region about the line generates a solid of
revolution with a cylindrical hole through its middle.

We can’t apply the volume formula to this problem directly because the axis of revolution is not one of the

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 149

coordinate axes. However, we still know that the area of the cross-section is the area of the outer circle less the
area of the inner circle. Looking at the graph of the function, we see the radius of the outer circle is given by
which simplifies to

The radius of the inner circle is Therefore, we have

2.11 Find the volume of a solid of revolution formed by revolving the region bounded above by the graph of
and below by the over the interval around the line
150 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

2.2 EXERCISES
58. Derive the formula for the volume of a sphere using 66. A pyramid with height 5 units, and an isosceles
the slicing method. triangular base with lengths of 6 units and 8 units, as seen
here.
59. Use the slicing method to derive the formula for the
volume of a cone.

60. Use the slicing method to derive the formula for the
volume of a tetrahedron with side length

61. Use the disk method to derive the formula for the
volume of a trapezoidal cylinder.

62. Explain when you would use the disk method versus
the washer method. When are they interchangeable?

For the following exercises, draw a typical slice and find

the volume using the slicing method for the given volume.
67. A cone of radius and height has a smaller cone of
63. A pyramid with height 6 units and square base of side radius and height removed from the top, as seen
2 units, as pictured here.
here. The resulting solid is called a frustum.

64. A pyramid with height 4 units and a rectangular base

with length 2 units and width 3 units, as pictured here.

For the following exercises, draw an outline of the solid and

find the volume using the slicing method.

68. The base is a circle of radius The slices

perpendicular to the base are squares.

69. The base is a triangle with vertices

65. A tetrahedron with a base side of 4 units, as seen here. and Slices perpendicular to the xy-plane are
semicircles.

70. The base is the region under the parabola

in the first quadrant. Slices perpendicular to the xy-plane
are squares.

71. The base is the region under the parabola

and above the Slices perpendicular to the
are squares.

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 151

72. The base is the region enclosed by and 90.

Slices perpendicular to the x-axis are right isosceles
91.
triangles.

73. The base is the area between and 92.

Slices perpendicular to the x-axis are semicircles.
93.
For the following exercises, draw the region bounded by
the curves. Then, use the disk method to find the volume 94. [T]
when the region is rotated around the x-axis.

74. 95.

75. 96.

76. 97.

77. For the following exercises, draw the region bounded by

the curves. Then, use the washer method to find the volume
when the region is revolved around the y-axis.
78.
98.
79.
99.
80.
100.
81.
101.
For the following exercises, draw the region bounded by
the curves. Then, find the volume when the region is
rotated around the y-axis. 102.

82.

83.

84.

85.

86.

87.

88.

89.

For the following exercises, draw the region bounded by

the curves. Then, find the volume when the region is
rotated around the x-axis.
152 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

103. Yogurt containers can be shaped like frustums. 106. A better approximation of the volume of a football
Rotate the line around the y-axis to find the is given by the solid that comes from rotating
around the x-axis from to What is the
volume between
volume of this football approximation, as seen here?

107. What is the volume of the Bundt cake that comes

from rotating around the y-axis from to

104. Rotate the ellipse around the

x-axis to approximate the volume of a football, as seen
here.

105. Rotate the ellipse around the

y-axis to approximate the volume of a football.

For the following exercises, find the volume of the solid

described.

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 153

108. The base is the region between and 113. Find the volume of a sphere of radius with a cap
Slices perpendicular to the x-axis are semicircles. of height removed from the top, as seen here.

109. The base is the region enclosed by the generic ellipse

Slices perpendicular to the x-axis
are semicircles.

110. Bore a hole of radius down the axis of a right cone

and through the base of radius as seen here.

111. Find the volume common to two spheres of radius

with centers that are apart, as shown here.

112. Find the volume of a spherical cap of height and

radius where as seen here.
154 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

2.3 | Volumes of Revolution: Cylindrical Shells

Learning Objectives
2.3.1 Calculate the volume of a solid of revolution by using the method of cylindrical shells.
2.3.2 Compare the different methods for calculating a volume of revolution.

In this section, we examine the method of cylindrical shells, the final method for finding the volume of a solid of revolution.
We can use this method on the same kinds of solids as the disk method or the washer method; however, with the disk and
washer methods, we integrate along the coordinate axis parallel to the axis of revolution. With the method of cylindrical
shells, we integrate along the coordinate axis perpendicular to the axis of revolution. The ability to choose which variable
of integration we want to use can be a significant advantage with more complicated functions. Also, the specific geometry
of the solid sometimes makes the method of using cylindrical shells more appealing than using the washer method. In the
last part of this section, we review all the methods for finding volume that we have studied and lay out some guidelines to
help you determine which method to use in a given situation.

The Method of Cylindrical Shells

Again, we are working with a solid of revolution. As before, we define a region bounded above by the graph of a
function below by the and on the left and right by the lines and respectively, as shown
in Figure 2.25(a). We then revolve this region around the y-axis, as shown in Figure 2.25(b). Note that this is different
from what we have done before. Previously, regions defined in terms of functions of were revolved around the
or a line parallel to it.

Figure 2.25 (a) A region bounded by the graph of a function of (b) The solid of revolution formed when the
region is revolved around the

As we have done many times before, partition the interval using a regular partition, and,
for choose a point Then, construct a rectangle over the interval of height

and width A representative rectangle is shown in Figure 2.26(a). When that rectangle is revolved around the
y-axis, instead of a disk or a washer, we get a cylindrical shell, as shown in the following figure.

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 155

Figure 2.26 (a) A representative rectangle. (b) When this rectangle is revolved around the the result is a cylindrical
shell. (c) When we put all the shells together, we get an approximation of the original solid.

To calculate the volume of this shell, consider Figure 2.27.

Figure 2.27 Calculating the volume of the shell.

The shell is a cylinder, so its volume is the cross-sectional area multiplied by the height of the cylinder. The cross-sections
are annuli (ring-shaped regions—essentially, circles with a hole in the center), with outer radius and inner radius
Thus, the cross-sectional area is The height of the cylinder is Then the volume of the shell is

Note that so we have

156 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

Furthermore, is both the midpoint of the interval and the average radius of the shell, and we can

approximate this by We then have

Another way to think of this is to think of making a vertical cut in the shell and then opening it up to form a flat plate
(Figure 2.28).

Figure 2.28 (a) Make a vertical cut in a representative shell. (b) Open the shell up to form a flat plate.

In reality, the outer radius of the shell is greater than the inner radius, and hence the back edge of the plate would be slightly
longer than the front edge of the plate. However, we can approximate the flattened shell by a flat plate of height
width and thickness (Figure 2.28). The volume of the shell, then, is approximately the volume of the flat
plate. Multiplying the height, width, and depth of the plate, we get

which is the same formula we had before.

To calculate the volume of the entire solid, we then add the volumes of all the shells and obtain

Here we have another Riemann sum, this time for the function Taking the limit as gives us

This leads to the following rule for the method of cylindrical shells.

Rule: The Method of Cylindrical Shells

Let be continuous and nonnegative. Define as the region bounded above by the graph of below by the
on the left by the line and on the right by the line Then the volume of the solid of revolution

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 157

formed by revolving around the y-axis is given by

(2.6)

Now let’s consider an example.

Example 2.12

The Method of Cylindrical Shells 1

Define as the region bounded above by the graph of and below by the over the interval
Find the volume of the solid of revolution formed by revolving around the

Solution
First we must graph the region and the associated solid of revolution, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 2.29 (a) The region under the graph of over the
interval (b) The solid of revolution generated by revolving about
the

Then the volume of the solid is given by

2.12 Define R as the region bounded above by the graph of and below by the x-axis over the
interval Find the volume of the solid of revolution formed by revolving around the
158 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

Example 2.13

The Method of Cylindrical Shells 2

Define R as the region bounded above by the graph of and below by the over the interval
Find the volume of the solid of revolution formed by revolving around the

Solution
First graph the region and the associated solid of revolution, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 2.30 (a) The region under the graph of over

the interval (b) The volume of revolution obtained by revolving
about the

Then the volume of the solid is given by

2.13 Define as the region bounded above by the graph of and below by the over
the interval Find the volume of the solid of revolution formed by revolving around the

As with the disk method and the washer method, we can use the method of cylindrical shells with solids of revolution,
revolved around the when we want to integrate with respect to The analogous rule for this type of solid is given
here.

Rule: The Method of Cylindrical Shells for Solids of Revolution around the x-axis
Let be continuous and nonnegative. Define as the region bounded on the right by the graph of on
the left by the below by the line and above by the line Then, the volume of the solid of

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 159

revolution formed by revolving around the is given by

Example 2.14

The Method of Cylindrical Shells for a Solid Revolved around the x-axis

Define as the region bounded on the right by the graph of and on the left by the for
Find the volume of the solid of revolution formed by revolving around the x-axis.

Solution
First, we need to graph the region and the associated solid of revolution, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 2.31 (a) The region to the left of the function over the interval
(b) The solid of revolution generated by revolving around the

Label the shaded region Then the volume of the solid is given by

2.14 Define as the region bounded on the right by the graph of and on the left by the
for Find the volume of the solid of revolution formed by revolving around the
160 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

For the next example, we look at a solid of revolution for which the graph of a function is revolved around a line other than
one of the two coordinate axes. To set this up, we need to revisit the development of the method of cylindrical shells. Recall
that we found the volume of one of the shells to be given by

This was based on a shell with an outer radius of and an inner radius of If, however, we rotate the region around
a line other than the we have a different outer and inner radius. Suppose, for example, that we rotate the region
around the line where is some positive constant. Then, the outer radius of the shell is and the inner
radius of the shell is Substituting these terms into the expression for volume, we see that when a plane region is
rotated around the line the volume of a shell is given by

As before, we notice that is the midpoint of the interval and can be approximated by Then,

the approximate volume of the shell is

The remainder of the development proceeds as before, and we see that

We could also rotate the region around other horizontal or vertical lines, such as a vertical line in the right half plane. In
each case, the volume formula must be adjusted accordingly. Specifically, the in the integral must be replaced with
an expression representing the radius of a shell. To see how this works, consider the following example.

Example 2.15

A Region of Revolution Revolved around a Line

Define as the region bounded above by the graph of and below by the over the interval
Find the volume of the solid of revolution formed by revolving around the line

Solution
First, graph the region and the associated solid of revolution, as shown in the following figure.

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 161

Figure 2.32 (a) The region between the graph of and the over the interval (b) The
solid of revolution generated by revolving around the line

Note that the radius of a shell is given by Then the volume of the solid is given by

2.15 Define as the region bounded above by the graph of and below by the over the
interval Find the volume of the solid of revolution formed by revolving around the line

For our final example in this section, let’s look at the volume of a solid of revolution for which the region of revolution is
bounded by the graphs of two functions.

Example 2.16

A Region of Revolution Bounded by the Graphs of Two Functions

Define as the region bounded above by the graph of the function and below by the graph of the
function over the interval Find the volume of the solid of revolution generated by revolving
around the
162 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

Solution
First, graph the region and the associated solid of revolution, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 2.33 (a) The region between the graph of and the graph of over the interval (b)
The solid of revolution generated by revolving around the

Note that the axis of revolution is the so the radius of a shell is given simply by We don’t need to
make any adjustments to the x-term of our integrand. The height of a shell, though, is given by so
in this case we need to adjust the term of the integrand. Then the volume of the solid is given by

2.16 Define as the region bounded above by the graph of and below by the graph of
over the interval Find the volume of the solid of revolution formed by revolving around the

Which Method Should We Use?

We have studied several methods for finding the volume of a solid of revolution, but how do we know which method to use?
It often comes down to a choice of which integral is easiest to evaluate. Figure 2.34 describes the different approaches
for solids of revolution around the It’s up to you to develop the analogous table for solids of revolution around the

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 163

Figure 2.34

Let’s take a look at a couple of additional problems and decide on the best approach to take for solving them.

Example 2.17

Selecting the Best Method

For each of the following problems, select the best method to find the volume of a solid of revolution generated
by revolving the given region around the and set up the integral to find the volume (do not evaluate the
integral).
a. The region bounded by the graphs of and the

b. The region bounded by the graphs of and the

Solution
a. First, sketch the region and the solid of revolution as shown.
164 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

Figure 2.35 (a) The region bounded by two lines and the (b) The solid of
revolution generated by revolving about the

Looking at the region, if we want to integrate with respect to we would have to break the integral
into two pieces, because we have different functions bounding the region over and In this
case, using the disk method, we would have

If we used the shell method instead, we would use functions of to represent the curves, producing

Neither of these integrals is particularly onerous, but since the shell method requires only one integral,
and the integrand requires less simplification, we should probably go with the shell method in this case.
b. First, sketch the region and the solid of revolution as shown.

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 165

Figure 2.36 (a) The region between the curve and the (b) The solid of
revolution generated by revolving about the

Looking at the region, it would be problematic to define a horizontal rectangle; the region is bounded on
the left and right by the same function. Therefore, we can dismiss the method of shells. The solid has no
cavity in the middle, so we can use the method of disks. Then

2.17 Select the best method to find the volume of a solid of revolution generated by revolving the given
region around the and set up the integral to find the volume (do not evaluate the integral): the region
bounded by the graphs of and
166 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

2.3 EXERCISES
For the following exercise, find the volume generated when 129.
the region between the two curves is rotated around the
given axis. Use both the shell method and the washer
For the following exercises, use shells to find the volume
method. Use technology to graph the functions and draw a
generated by rotating the regions between the given curve
typical slice by hand.
and around the
114. [T] Over the curve of and
rotated around the 130.

115. [T] Under the curve of 131.

rotated around the
132.
116. [T] Over the curve of
133.
rotated around the

117. [T] Under the curve of 134.

rotated around the

118. [T] Under the curve of 135.

rotated around the
136.
119. [T] Under the curve of
rotated around the 137.

For the following exercises, use shells to find the volumes 138.
of the given solids. Note that the rotated regions lie between
the curve and the and are rotated around the 139.

For the following exercises, find the volume generated

120. when the region between the curves is rotated around the
given axis.
121. 140. rotated around
the
122.
141. rotated around the
123.

124. 142. rotated around the

143. rotated around the line

125.

126.
144. rotated around the

line
127.
145. rotated around the
128.
146. rotated around the line

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 167

147. rotated around 159. Use the method of shells to find the volume of a cone
with radius and height
the

148. rotated around the line

149. [T] Left of right of around

the

For the following exercises, use technology to graph the

region. Determine which method you think would be
160. Use the method of shells to find the volume of an
easiest to use to calculate the volume generated when the
function is rotated around the specified axis. Then, use your ellipse rotated around the
chosen method to find the volume.

150. [T] and rotated around the

151. [T]

rotated around the

161. Use the method of shells to find the volume of a
cylinder with radius and height
152. [T] rotated around
the

153. [T] rotated around

the

154. [T] rotated around

the

155. [T] rotated around 162. Use the method of shells to find the volume of the
donut created when the circle is rotated
the
around the line
156. [T] and rotated around the

157. [T] rotated

around the

For the following exercises, use the method of shells to 163. Consider the region enclosed by the graphs of
approximate the volumes of some common objects, which and
are pictured in accompanying figures. What is the volume of the solid generated when this region
is rotated around the Assume that the function is
158. Use the method of shells to find the volume of a
sphere of radius defined over the interval
168 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

164. Consider the function which decreases

from to Set up the integrals for
determining the volume, using both the shell method and
the disk method, of the solid generated when this region,
with and is rotated around the
Prove that both methods approximate the same volume.
Which method is easier to apply? (Hint: Since is one-
to-one, there exists an inverse

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 169

2.4 | Arc Length of a Curve and Surface Area

Learning Objectives
2.4.1 Determine the length of a curve, between two points.
2.4.2 Determine the length of a curve, between two points.
2.4.3 Find the surface area of a solid of revolution.

In this section, we use definite integrals to find the arc length of a curve. We can think of arc length as the distance you
would travel if you were walking along the path of the curve. Many real-world applications involve arc length. If a rocket
is launched along a parabolic path, we might want to know how far the rocket travels. Or, if a curve on a map represents a
road, we might want to know how far we have to drive to reach our destination.
We begin by calculating the arc length of curves defined as functions of then we examine the same process for curves
defined as functions of (The process is identical, with the roles of and reversed.) The techniques we use to find arc
length can be extended to find the surface area of a surface of revolution, and we close the section with an examination of
this concept.

Arc Length of the Curve y = f(x)

In previous applications of integration, we required the function to be integrable, or at most continuous. However,
for calculating arc length we have a more stringent requirement for Here, we require to be differentiable, and
furthermore we require its derivative, to be continuous. Functions like this, which have continuous derivatives, are
called smooth. (This property comes up again in later chapters.)
Let be a smooth function defined over We want to calculate the length of the curve from the point
to the point We start by using line segments to approximate the length of the curve. For
let be a regular partition of Then, for construct a line segment from the point
to the point Although it might seem logical to use either horizontal or vertical line segments,
we want our line segments to approximate the curve as closely as possible. Figure 2.37 depicts this construct for

Figure 2.37 We can approximate the length of a curve by

adding line segments.

To help us find the length of each line segment, we look at the change in vertical distance as well as the change in horizontal
distance over each interval. Because we have used a regular partition, the change in horizontal distance over each interval is
given by The change in vertical distance varies from interval to interval, though, so we use
to represent the change in vertical distance over the interval as shown in Figure 2.38. Note that some (or all)
may be negative.
170 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

Figure 2.38 A representative line segment approximates the

curve over the interval

By the Pythagorean theorem, the length of the line segment is We can also write this as

Now, by the Mean Value Theorem, there is a point such that

Then the length of the line segment is given by Adding up the lengths of all
the line segments, we get

This is a Riemann sum. Taking the limit as we have

We summarize these findings in the following theorem.

Theorem 2.4: Arc Length for y = f(x)

Let be a smooth function over the interval Then the arc length of the portion of the graph of from
the point to the point is given by

(2.7)

Note that we are integrating an expression involving so we need to be sure is integrable. This is why we
require to be smooth. The following example shows how to apply the theorem.

Example 2.18

Calculating the Arc Length of a Function of x

Let Calculate the arc length of the graph of over the interval Round the answer to
three decimal places.

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 171

Solution
We have so Then, the arc length is

Substitute Then, When then and when then Thus,

2.18 Let Calculate the arc length of the graph of over the interval Round the
answer to three decimal places.

Although it is nice to have a formula for calculating arc length, this particular theorem can generate expressions that are
difficult to integrate. We study some techniques for integration in Introduction to Techniques of Integration. In some
cases, we may have to use a computer or calculator to approximate the value of the integral.

Example 2.19

Using a Computer or Calculator to Determine the Arc Length of a Function of x

Let Calculate the arc length of the graph of over the interval

Solution
We have so Then the arc length is given by

Using a computer to approximate the value of this integral, we get

2.19 Let Calculate the arc length of the graph of over the interval Use a
computer or calculator to approximate the value of the integral.
172 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

Arc Length of the Curve x = g(y)

We have just seen how to approximate the length of a curve with line segments. If we want to find the arc length of the
graph of a function of we can repeat the same process, except we partition the instead of the Figure
2.39 shows a representative line segment.

Figure 2.39 A representative line segment over the interval

Then the length of the line segment is which can also be written as If we now
follow the same development we did earlier, we get a formula for arc length of a function

Theorem 2.5: Arc Length for x = g(y)

Let be a smooth function over an interval Then, the arc length of the graph of from the point
to the point is given by

(2.8)

Example 2.20

Calculating the Arc Length of a Function of y

Let Calculate the arc length of the graph of over the interval

Solution
We have so Then the arc length is

Using a computer to approximate the value of this integral, we obtain

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 173

2.20 Let Calculate the arc length of the graph of over the interval Use a computer
or calculator to approximate the value of the integral.

Area of a Surface of Revolution

The concepts we used to find the arc length of a curve can be extended to find the surface area of a surface of revolution.
Surface area is the total area of the outer layer of an object. For objects such as cubes or bricks, the surface area of the
object is the sum of the areas of all of its faces. For curved surfaces, the situation is a little more complex. Let be a
nonnegative smooth function over the interval We wish to find the surface area of the surface of revolution created
by revolving the graph of around the as shown in the following figure.

Figure 2.40 (a) A curve representing the function (b) The surface of revolution
formed by revolving the graph of around the

As we have done many times before, we are going to partition the interval and approximate the surface area by
calculating the surface area of simpler shapes. We start by using line segments to approximate the curve, as we did earlier
in this section. For let be a regular partition of Then, for construct a
line segment from the point to the point Now, revolve these line segments around the
to generate an approximation of the surface of revolution as shown in the following figure.

Figure 2.41 (a) Approximating with line segments. (b) The surface of revolution
formed by revolving the line segments around the

Notice that when each line segment is revolved around the axis, it produces a band. These bands are actually pieces of cones
174 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

(think of an ice cream cone with the pointy end cut off). A piece of a cone like this is called a frustum of a cone.
To find the surface area of the band, we need to find the lateral surface area, of the frustum (the area of just the slanted
outside surface of the frustum, not including the areas of the top or bottom faces). Let and be the radii of the wide
end and the narrow end of the frustum, respectively, and let be the slant height of the frustum as shown in the following
figure.

Figure 2.42 A frustum of a cone can approximate a small part

of surface area.

We know the lateral surface area of a cone is given by

where is the radius of the base of the cone and is the slant height (see the following figure).

Figure 2.43 The lateral surface area of the cone is given by

Since a frustum can be thought of as a piece of a cone, the lateral surface area of the frustum is given by the lateral surface
area of the whole cone less the lateral surface area of the smaller cone (the pointy tip) that was cut off (see the following
figure).

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 175

Figure 2.44 Calculating the lateral surface area of a frustum

of a cone.

The cross-sections of the small cone and the large cone are similar triangles, so we see that

Solving for we get

Then the lateral surface area (SA) of the frustum is

Let’s now use this formula to calculate the surface area of each of the bands formed by revolving the line segments around
the A representative band is shown in the following figure.
176 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

Figure 2.45 A representative band used for determining

surface area.

Note that the slant height of this frustum is just the length of the line segment used to generate it. So, applying the surface
area formula, we have

Now, as we did in the development of the arc length formula, we apply the Mean Value Theorem to select

such that This gives us

Furthermore, since is continuous, by the Intermediate Value Theorem, there is a point such that

so we get

Then the approximate surface area of the whole surface of revolution is given by

This almost looks like a Riemann sum, except we have functions evaluated at two different points, and over
the interval Although we do not examine the details here, it turns out that because is smooth, if we let
the limit works the same as a Riemann sum even with the two different evaluation points. This makes sense
intuitively. Both and are in the interval so it makes sense that as both and

approach Those of you who are interested in the details should consult an advanced calculus text.
Taking the limit as we get

As with arc length, we can conduct a similar development for functions of to get a formula for the surface area of surfaces
of revolution about the These findings are summarized in the following theorem.

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 177

Theorem 2.6: Surface Area of a Surface of Revolution

Let be a nonnegative smooth function over the interval Then, the surface area of the surface of revolution
formed by revolving the graph of around the x-axis is given by

(2.9)

Similarly, let be a nonnegative smooth function over the interval Then, the surface area of the surface of
revolution formed by revolving the graph of around the is given by

Example 2.21

Calculating the Surface Area of a Surface of Revolution 1

Let over the interval Find the surface area of the surface generated by revolving the graph of
around the Round the answer to three decimal places.

Solution
The graph of and the surface of rotation are shown in the following figure.

Figure 2.46 (a) The graph of (b) The surface of revolution.

We have Then, and Then,

178 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

Let Then, When and when This gives us

2.21 Let over the interval Find the surface area of the surface generated by
revolving the graph of around the Round the answer to three decimal places.

Example 2.22

Calculating the Surface Area of a Surface of Revolution 2

Let Consider the portion of the curve where Find the surface area of the surface
generated by revolving the graph of around the

Solution
Notice that we are revolving the curve around the and the interval is in terms of so we want to
rewrite the function as a function of y. We get The graph of and the surface of rotation
are shown in the following figure.

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 179

Figure 2.47 (a) The graph of (b) The surface of revolution.

We have so and Then

Let Then When and when Then

2.22 Let over the interval Find the surface area of the surface generated by
revolving the graph of around the
180 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

2.4 EXERCISES
For the following exercises, find the length of the functions evaluate the integral exactly, use technology to
over the given interval. approximate it.

165. 171. from

166. 172. from

167.
173. from

168. Pick an arbitrary linear function over any

interval of your choice Determine the length of 174. from to
the function and then prove the length is correct by using
geometry. 175. [T] on to
169. Find the surface area of the volume generated when
the curve revolves around the from 176. from
to as seen here.

177. from

178. from

179. from

180. [T] on

For the following exercises, find the lengths of the

functions of over the given interval. If you cannot
evaluate the integral exactly, use technology to
approximate it.

181. from to

170. Find the surface area of the volume generated when 182. from
the curve revolves around the from
to 183. from to

184. [T] from to

185. from

186. from to

187. [T] from to

For the following exercises, find the lengths of the
functions of over the given interval. If you cannot 188. [T] from to

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Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration 181

189. [T] from 207. The base of a lamp is constructed by revolving a

quarter circle around the from
190. [T] on to to as seen here. Create an integral for the
surface area of this curve and compute it.
For the following exercises, find the surface area of the
volume generated when the following curves revolve
around the If you cannot evaluate the integral
exactly, use your calculator to approximate it.

191. from to

192. from to

193. from
208. A light bulb is a sphere with radius in. with the
194. [T] from bottom sliced off to fit exactly onto a cylinder of radius
in. and length in., as seen here. The sphere is
cut off at the bottom to fit exactly onto the cylinder, so
195. from the radius of the cut is in. Find the surface area (not
including the top or bottom of the cylinder).
196. from

197. from

198. [T] from

For the following exercises, find the surface area of the

volume generated when the following curves revolve
around the If you cannot evaluate the integral
209. [T] A lampshade is constructed by rotating
exactly, use your calculator to approximate it.
around the from to as seen here.
199. from Determine how much material you would need to construct
this lampshade—that is, the surface area—accurate to four
decimal places.
200. from

201. from

202. [T] from to

203. from
210. [T] An anchor drags behind a boat according to
204. [T] from to the function where represents the
depth beneath the boat and is the horizontal distance of
205. [T] from to the anchor from the back of the boat. If the anchor is ft
below the boat, how much rope do you have to pull to reach
206. [T] from to the anchor? Round your answer to three decimal places.
182 Chapter 2 | Applications of Integration

211. [T] You are building a bridge that will span

ft. You intend to add decorative rope in the shape of
where is the distance in feet from
one end of the bridge. Find out how much rope you need to
buy, rounded to the nearest foot.

For the following exercises, find the exact arc length for the
following problems over the given interval.

212. from to (Hint:

Recall trigonometric identities.)

213. Draw graphs of and

For as increases, formulate a prediction on
the arc length from to Now, compute the
lengths of these three functions and determine whether your
prediction is correct.

214. Compare the lengths of the parabola and the

line from as increases. What
do you notice?

215. Solve for the length of from

Show that from to
is twice as long. Graph both functions and explain
why this is so.

216. [T] Which is longer between and

the hyperbola or the graph of

217. Explain why the surface area is infinite when

is rotated around the for
but the volume is finite.

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