Volumes of Revolution

Emily Davis
6 min read
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Study Guide Overview
This study guide covers the disc method for finding volumes of solids of revolution. It focuses on rotations around axes parallel to the x-axis and y-axis. Key topics include setting up integrals using or , rewriting equations, and applying the method through worked examples. Practice questions, a glossary, and exam strategies are also provided.
#Volume with Disc Method Revolving Around Other Axes
#Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Volume of Revolution Around Axes Parallel to the x-axis
- Volume of Revolution Around Axes Parallel to the y-axis
- Practice Questions
- Glossary
- Summary and Key Takeaways
- Exam Strategy
#Introduction
The disc method is a powerful technique used in calculus to find the volume of a solid of revolution. When a region in the plane is revolved around a line that is parallel to either the x-axis or the y-axis, we can use the disc method to calculate the volume of the resulting solid.
#Volume of Revolution Around Axes Parallel to the x-axis
#Key Concepts
- For a continuous function , if the region bounded by:
- The curve and the line
- Between and
- is rotated around the line , then the volume of revolution is:
- Thinking of this as an accumulation of change:
- is the volume of a disc with:
- Circular cross section of radius
- Length
- is the limit of this volume element as
- The integral is evaluated from to
- is the volume of a disc with:
#Worked Example
Let be the region enclosed by the graph of , the lines and , and the line . The region is rotated about the horizontal line .
Solution: To find the volume, we use the formula:
Breaking it down:
Expanding the integrand:
Integrating term by term:
Evaluating the definite integral:
Simplifying the expression:
Final volume:
#Volume of Revolution Around Axes Parallel to the y-axis
#Key Concepts
- For a continuous function , if the region bounded by:
- The curve and the line
- Between and
- is rotated around the line , then the volume of revolution is:
#Worked Example
Let be the region enclosed by the graph of , the lines and , and the line . The region is rotated about the vertical line .
Solution: First, rewrite the function as a function of :
To find the volume, we use the formula:
Breaking it down:
Expanding the integrand:
Integrating term by term:
Evaluating the definite integral:
Simplifying the expression:
Final volume:
#Practice Questions
-
Practice Question
Find the volume of the solid obtained by rotating the region bounded by and about the line from to y = \sqrt{x}x=4y=0x=5x = y^2x = 4x=4
#Glossary
- Disc Method: A technique for calculating the volume of a solid of revolution by slicing the solid into discs.
- Volume of Revolution: The volume of a solid formed by rotating a region in the plane around a specified line.
- Definite Integral: An integral with upper and lower limits, representing the signed area under a curve.
#Summary and Key Takeaways
- The disc method involves slicing the solid into thin discs, calculating the volume of each disc, and summing these volumes using integration.
- When revolving around a line parallel to the x-axis, the volume is given byV = \pi \int_{a}^{b} (y - k)^{2} , dx
- When revolving around a line parallel to the y-axis, the volume is given byV = \pi \int_{a}^{b} (x - k)^{2} , dy$.
- Carefully reframe the function as necessary to match the variable of integration.
#Exam Strategy
- Always sketch the region and the axis of rotation to visualize the problem.
- Ensure you correctly identify the bounds of integration.
- Double-check if you need to rewrite the function in terms of the variable of integration.
- Simplify the integrand before integrating to avoid mistakes.
These tips and strategies will help you efficiently and accurately apply the disc method to calculate volumes of revolution in exam scenarios.
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