Monthly Archives: December 2024

December 30, 2024 · 8:16 am

Volume of revolution about a line that is not an axis

Find the volume of the solid of revolution obtained by rotating the region bounded by $f(x)=x^3+1, g(x)=x^2, 0\le x\le 1$ about the line $y=3$ .

Rotate the green region about the line $y=3$

Washer Method

$\begin{equation*}V=\pi \int [f(x)]^2 dx \end{equation}$

The volume of the solid is the volume of $y=x^2$ rotated about $y=3$ subtract the volume of $y=x^3+1$ rotated about $y=3$ .

$\begin{equation*}V=\pi \int_0^1((3-x^2)^2-(3-(x^3+1))^2 dx\end{equation}$

$3-x^2$ is the distance (i.e radius) of the curve and the line.

$\begin{equation*}V=\pi \int_0^1(9-6x^2+x^4-(4-4x^3+x^6)) dx\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=\pi \int_0^1(5-6x^2+4x^3+x^4-x^6) dx\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=\pi (5x-2x^3+x^4+\frac{x^5}{5}-\frac{x^7}{7}]_0^1\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=\pi (5-2+1+\frac{1}{5}-\frac{1}{7})\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=\frac{142 \pi}{35}\end{equation}$

Shell Method

The shell method is much harder because we need to split the integral into two parts.

We need to rotate the green region about $y=3$ and the red region

$\begin{equation*}V=2\pi\int (xf(x))dx\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=2\pi[\int_0^1(3-y)\sqrt{y} dy+\int_1^2 (3-y)(y-1)^{\frac{1}{3}} dy]\end{equation}$

$3-y$ is the distance between each $y-$ value and the line of rotation. For example, if we were rotating about the $x-$ axis, the distance is $y$ .

$\sqrt{y}$ is the height of the cylinder between $0$ and $1$ . $1-(y-1)^{\frac{1}{3}}$ is the height of the cylinder between $1$ and $2$ . Refer back to Shell method for more information.

I used a calculator to find this integral

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Filed under Integration, Volume of Revolution, Year 12 Specialist Mathematics

Tagged as Disc method, Volume of revolution, volume of revolution about a line, washer method

December 28, 2024 · 7:12 am

Volume of Revolution Method Two (Shell Method)

I am going to use the same example as I did for Method One (Disc or Washer Method).

If we rotate the shaded region about the $x-$ axis, we get an open hollow cylinder (like a pipe).

The width of the integral is $\delta y$ and the midpoint is $y$ .

The height of the cylinder is $x$ , but we need it in terms of $y$ , hence $x=f(y)$

The volume of the hollow cylinder is the volume of the outer cylinder subtract the volume of the inner cylinder.

$\begin{equation*}V=\pi (y+\frac{\delta y}{2})^2f(y)-\pi (y-\frac{\delta y}{2})^2 f(y)\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=\pi f(y)((y+\frac{\delta y}{2})^2-(y-\frac{\delta y}{2})^2)\end{equation}$

Which we can expand using a difference of squares.

$\begin{equation*}V=\pi f(y)(y+\frac{\delta y}{2}+y-\frac{\delta y}{2})(y+\frac{\delta y}{2}-y+\frac{\delta y}{2})\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=\pi f(y)(2y \delta y)\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=2\pi yf(y)\delta y\end{equation}$

The volume of the entire sold will be

$\begin{equation*}V=\Sigma_{y=a}^b 2 \pi yf(y)\delta y\end{equation}$

As $\delta y \rightarrow 0$

$\begin{equation*}V=\lim\limits_{\delta y \to 0}\Sigma_{y=a}^b 2 \pi yf(y)\delta y=\int_a^b 2\pi yf(y) dy\end{equation}$

Even though we are rotating the line about the $x-$ axis, we are integrating with respect to the $y-$ axis.

Example

Find the volume of the solid generated by revolving the region between $y=x^2$ and $y=2x$ about the $y-$ axis.

If we are rotating about the $y-$ axis, we will integrate with respect to $x$ .

$\begin{equation*}V=2\pi \int x f(x) dx\end{equation}$

The height of our hollow cylinder is $2x-x^2$

Hence

$\begin{equation*}V=2\pi\int_0^2 x(2x-x^2) dx\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=2\pi \int_0^2 (2x^2-x^3) dx\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=2\pi (\frac{2x^3}{3}-\frac{x^4}{4}]_0^2\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=2\pi (\frac{2}{3}\times 8-\frac{1}{4}\times 16 )\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=32 \pi(\frac{1}{3}-\frac{1}{4})\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=\frac{8\pi}{3}\end{equation}$

Let’s check with method one.

$x^2=y$ and $x=\frac{y}{2}$

$\begin{equation*}V=\pi \int_0^4 y-\frac{y^2}{4} dy\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=\pi (\frac{y^2}{2}-\frac{y^3}{12})]_0^4\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=\pi(8-\frac{16}{3})\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=\frac{8\pi}{3}\end{equation}$

I try to pick the method that makes the integration easier.

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Filed under Integration, Volume of Revolution, Year 12 Specialist Mathematics

Tagged as shell method, Volume of revolution

December 23, 2024 · 3:45 am

Volume of Revolution – Method One (Disc or Washer Method)

If we rotate this line segment around the $x-$ axis, we generate a three dimensional solid.

We are going to find the volume of this solid.

Consider a small section of the line segment and rotate this about the $x-$ axis.

As the width of the section $(\delta x)$ gets smaller (i.e. $\rightarrow 0$ ), the solid is a cylinder.

The radius of the cylinder is $f(x)$ and the height of the cylinder is $\delta x$ .

The volume of a cylinder is $V=\pi r^2 h$

Hence the volume of our section is

$\begin{equation*}V=\pi[f(x)]^2\delta x\end{equation}$

If we divide our line segment into a large number of cylinders (of equal height) then,

$\begin{equation*}V=\Sigma_a^b(\pi [f(x)]^2\delta x\end{equation}$

where $a$ is the lower $x$ value and $b$ the upper.

Now we want $\delta x\rightarrow 0$ so $V=\lim\limits_{\delta x \to 0} \Sigma_a^b(\pi [f(x)]^2\delta x$

Which is

$\begin{equation*}V=\int_a^b \pi [f(x)]^2 dx\end{equation}$

Example

The curve $y=\sqrt{x-1}$ , where $2\le x\le5$ is rotated about the $x-$ axis to form a solid of revolution. Find the volume of this solid.

$\begin{equation*}V=\pi \int_2^5( y^2 dx)\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=\pi \int_2^5 x-1 \space dx \end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=\pi (\frac{x^2}{2}-x]_2^5)\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=\pi(\frac{25}{2}-5-(\frac{4}{2}-2))\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=\frac{15 \pi}{2}\end{equation}$

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Filed under Integration, Volume of Revolution, Year 12 Specialist Mathematics

Tagged as Disc method, Integration, volume, Volume of revolution

December 16, 2024 · 9:19 am

Interesting Sum

$S=\sum_{n=1}^\infty (tan^{-1}(\frac{2}{n^2}))$ , find $S$ .

I came across this sum in An Imaginary Tale by Nahin and I was fascinated.

Let $tan(\alpha)=n+1$ and $tan(\beta)=n-1$ .

tan(\alpha-\beta)=\frac{tan(\alpha)-tan(\beta)}{1+tan(\alpha)tan(\beta)}

tan(\alpha-\beta)=\frac{(n+1)-(n-1)}{1+(n+1)(n-1)}

Which means,

$\begin{equation*}S=\sum_{n=1}^\infty(tan^{-1}(n+1)-tan^{-1}(n-1))\end{equation}$

Let’s try a few partial sums

$S_4=tan^{-1}(2)-tan^{-1}(0)+tan^{-1}(3)-tan^{-1}(1)+tan^{-1}(4)-tan^{-1}(2)+tan^{-1}(5)-tan^{-1}(3)$

$S_4=-tan^{-1}(0)+-tan^{-1}(1)+tan^{-1}(4)+tan^{-1}(5)$

$S_6=tan^{-1}(2)-tan^{-1}(0)+tan^{-1}(3)-tan^{-1}(1)+tan^{-1}(4)-tan^{-1}(2)+tan^{-1}(5)-tan^{-1}(3)+tan^{-1}(6)-tan^{-1}(4)+tan^{-1}(7)-tan^{-1}(5)$

$S_6=-tan^{-1}(0)+-tan^{-1}(1)+tan^{-1}(6)+tan^{-1}(7)$

Hence, $S_N=-tan^{-1}(0)+-tan^{-1}(1)+tan^{-1}(N)+tan^{-1}(N+1)$

$S_N=-\frac{\pi}{4}-0+tan^{-1}(N)+tan^{-1}(N+1)$

What happens as $N\rightarrow \infty$ ?

$\lim\limits_{N\to \infty}\ S_N=-\frac{\pi}{4}+\frac{\pi}{2}+\frac{\pi}{2}=\frac{3\pi}{4}$

Because we know $tan(\frac{\pi}{2})$ is undefined.

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Filed under Identities, Interesting Mathematics, Puzzles, Sequences, Trigonometry

Tagged as limits, sum, trigonometric identities

December 14, 2024 · 6:56 am

Volume and Surface Area of a Conical Frustrum

My best attempt at drawing a Frustrum in Geogebra.

We have a truncated cone,

(1) $\begin{equation*}V=\frac{1}{3}\pi R_2^2(h_1+h_2)-\frac{1}{3}\pi R_1^2h_1\end{equation*}$

We are unlikely to know $h_1$ . Can we get $h_1$ in terms that we do know (i.e. $R_1, R_2, h_2$ )?

Think of similar triangles

$\Delta ABC \sim \Delta ADE (AA)$

$R_1 \parallel R_2$

$\angle {C}=\angle{E}$ (Corresponding Angles in Parallel Lines)

$\angle {B}=\angle {D}$ (Corresponding Angles in Parallel Lines)

Therefore

$\begin{equation*}\frac{h_1}{R_1}=\frac{h_1+h_2}{R_2}\end{equation}$

Rearrange to make $h_1$ the subject.

$\begin{equation*}h_1=\frac{h_2R_1}{R_2-R_1}\end{equation}$

Substitute into equation $(1)$

$\begin{equation*}V=\frac{1}{3} \pi((R_2^2(\frac{h_2R_1}{R_2-R_1})+h_2)-R_1^2(\frac{h_2R_1}{R_2-R_1}))\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=\frac{1}{3} \pi (R_2^2h_2+\frac{R_2^2h_2R_1}{R_2-R_1}-\frac{R_1^2h_2R_1}{R_2-R_1})\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=\frac{1}{3} \pi (R_2^2h_2+\frac{R_2^2h_2R_1-R_1^2h_2R_1}{R_2-R_1})\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=\frac{1}{3} \pi (R_2^2h_2+\frac{h_2R_1}{R_2-R_1}(R_2^2-R_1^2))\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=\frac{1}{3} \pi h_2(R_2^2+\frac{R_1}{R_2-R_1}(R_2-R_1)(R_2+R_1))\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=\frac{1}{3} \pi h_2(R_2^2+R_1(R_2+R_1))\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}V=\frac{1}{3} \pi h_2(R_2^2+R_1 R_2+R_1^2)\end{equation}$

Now let’s think about the surface area.

The surface area of a cone is $A=\pi r^2+\pi rs$ where $s$ is the slant height of the cone.

Once again, we need to subtract the ‘missing’ part of the cone.

(2) $\begin{equation*}A=\pi R_2^2+\pi R_2(s_1+s_2)+ \pi R_1^2- \pi R_1s_1\end{equation*}$

We don’t need to subtract the circle of the top cone because it is the top of the frustrum, but we do need to add it on.

Using similar triangles again

$\begin{equation*}\frac{s_1}{R_1}=\frac{s_1+s_2}{R_2}\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}s_1=\frac{s_2R_1}{R_2-R_1}\end{equation}$

Substitute into equation $(2)$

$\begin{equation*}A=\pi(R_2^2+R_2(\frac{s_2R_1}{R_2-R_1}+s_2)+\pi R_1^2-R_1(\frac{s_2R_1}{R_2-R_1}))\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}A=\pi(R_2^2+R_2s_2+R_1^2+\frac{s_2R_1}{R_2-R_1}(R_2-R_1))\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}A=\pi(R_2^2+R_2s_2+R_1s_2+R_1^2)\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}A =\pi (R_1^2+s_2(R_1+R_2)+R_2^2)\end{equation}$

And hence the curved surface area is $\pi s_2(R_1+R_2)$ .

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Filed under Area, Area of Frustrum, Interesting Mathematics, Measurement, Volume of Frustrum

Tagged as frustrum, surface area, volume

December 10, 2024 · 6:00 am

Puzzle Page 2

If $x^2-3x+1=0$ , then find $x^5+\frac{1}{x^5}$ .

My first thought was to solve for $x$ , but it doesn’t factorise easily, and I didn’t want to find the fifth power of an expression involving surds $(x=\frac{3\pm \sqrt{5}}{2})$ , there must be an easier way.

Because $x\neq0$ , we can divide by $x$

$\begin{equation*}x-3+\frac{1}{x}=0\end{equation}$

Hence

(1) $\begin{equation*}x+\frac{1}{x}=3\end{equation*}$

What is the expansion of $(x+\frac{1}{x})^5$ ?

Using the binomial expansion theorem

$\begin{equation*}(x+\frac{1}{x})^5=x^5+5x^4(\frac{1}{x})+10x^3(\frac{1}{x^2})+10x^2(\frac{1}{x^3})+5x(\frac{1}{x^4})+\frac{1}{x^5}\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}(x+\frac{1}{x})^5=x^5+\frac{1}{x^5}+5(x^3+\frac{1}{x^3})+10(x+\frac{1}{x})\end{equation}$

Therefore

(2) $\begin{equation*}x^5+\frac{1}{x^5}=(x+\frac{1}{x})^5-5(x^3+\frac{1}{x^3})-10(x+\frac{1}{x})\end{equation*}$

Let’s do it again for $x^3+\frac{1}{x^3}$

$\begin{equation*}(x+\frac{1}{x})^3=x^3+3x^2(\frac{1}{x})+3x(\frac{1}{x^2})+\frac{1}{x^3}\end{equation}$

(3) $\begin{equation*}x^3+\frac{1}{x^3}=(x+\frac{1}{x})^3-3(x+\frac{1}{x})\end{equation*}$

Substitute $3$ into $2$

$\begin{equation*}x^5+\frac{1}{x^5}=(x+\frac{1}{x})^5-5((x+\frac{1}{x})^3-3(x+\frac{1}{x}))-10(x+\frac{1}{x})\end{equation}$

Remember $x+\frac{1}{x}=3$

Therefore

$\begin{equation*}x^5+\frac{1}{x^5}=3^5-5(3^3)+15\times3-10\times3\end{equation}$

$\begin{equation*}x^5+\frac{1}{x^5}=243-135+45-30=123\end{equation}$

This would be a good extension question for students learning the binomial expansion theorem. We also use this technique for trigonometric identities using complex numbers.

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Filed under Algebra, Binomial Expansion Theorem, Puzzles

December 3, 2024 · 6:54 am