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HKU 1st Hons Engineer 93197825 AP MCAT GCE

DISC METHOD

Example 4: The region bounded by y  x2 , x  2 , x  3 , and the x axis, is rotated

360 °about the x -axis. Find the volume of the figure so formed.

Solution:

Consider a thin vertical strip width dx , height y . When it is rotated about the x

-axis it forms a disc whose volume is  y 2dx .

3
The volume of the solid    y 2 dx
2
3
1 
3
   x 4dx    x5 
2  5 2
211
  132.575 (approx.)
5
WASHER METHOD

Example 5: The region bounded by y  x3 and y  2 x2 is rotated 360 °about the

x -axis. Find the volume of the solid so formed.

Solution:

y  2 x2 intersects y  x3 at (2,8) and (0,0). We wish to find the volume of the

“crescent” shaped region rotated around the x -axis.

Consider a thin vertical strip width dx .

When it is rotated around the x -axis it becomes a “washer”

 Cambridge Physics PhD Tutor IB DSE IGCSE SAT
UC Math MA, HKU Chemist [email protected]
HKU 1st Hons Engineer 93197825 AP MCAT GCE

whose volume is  R 2dx   r 2dx where R , r

refer to the radii of the large and small circle respectively.

Note that R  2 x 2 and r  x 3 .

Volume of the washer   2x 2  dx   x3  dx

2 2

 
  4x4  x6 dx

2
 Volume of solid of revolution    4x 4  x 6dx
0

2
4 x7  256
   x5     22.979
5 7 0 35
Example 6: In the previous example, if the region had been rotated about the y -axis then its

volume could have been found as follows.

A thin horizontal strip which, when rotated about the y -axis, would again form a “washer”

whose volume is  P2dy   p 2dy where P , p are the large and small radii respectively.

P is the x co-ordinate of a point on y  x3 and p is the x co-ordinate of a point on

1
1
y2
y  2 x2 . i.e. Py 3
and p  .
2
2
y
The volume of the washer   y dy  
3
dy
2
8
y
8
 3 5 y2 
2
The volume of the solid of revolution    y  dy    y 3  
3

0
2 5 4 0

16
  10.053 .
5

Example 7: Consider the region R bounded by y   x 2  3x and y  x . Find the volume of the

solid formed when this region R is rotated about the x -axis.

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UC Math MA, HKU Chemist [email protected]
HKU 1st Hons Engineer 93197825 AP MCAT GCE

Solution:

A vertical strip is used. The thin vertical strip, when rotated about the x -axis produces a

 
washer whose volume is   x 2  3x dx   x  dx .
2 2

The volume of the solid of revolution:

 
    x 2  3x  x 2dx
2

0
2
   x 4  6 x3  8 x 2dx
0

2
 x5 3x 4 8x 3 
   
5 2 3 0

56
   11.729 (approx.)
15

SHELL METHOD

Example 8: Consider the solid formed when the region R in the last example is rotated about the y

-axis. Find the volume of the solid so formed.

Solution: As explained it is impractical to use a horizontal strip and hence the thin vertical strip, when

rotated 360 °about the y -axis produces a shape known as a shell whose dimensions are

shown in the figure below. The word shell is used in its military, rather than marine, sense.

 x 2

 3x  x 
 Cambridge Physics PhD Tutor IB DSE IGCSE SAT
UC Math MA, HKU Chemist [email protected]
HKU 1st Hons Engineer 93197825 AP MCAT GCE

To evaluate the volume of the shell so formed, imagine cutting open the shell to

produce a lamina as shown below

 x 2

 3x  x 

2 x

whose dimensions are as shown.

The volume of the lamina is 2 x  x 2  2 x dx .

The volume of the solid of revolution formed is

2

 2 x  x  2 x dx 
2

0
2


 2   x3  2 x 2 dx 
0

2
 x4 2 
 2    x 3 
 4 3 0

8

3

 8.378
Example 9: The region bounded by the x -axis and y  2 x  x 2 is rotated around the vertical line

x  3. Find the volume of the solid so formed.

Solution:

When rotated the vertical thin strip becomes a solid as shown below.
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UC Math MA, HKU Chemist [email protected]
HKU 1st Hons Engineer 93197825 AP MCAT GCE

The volume of this thin shell considered as a lamina when cut open is

2 3  x  ydx

 
 2 3  x 2x  x 2 dx 
Total volume of solid of revolution

 
2


  2 3  x 2x  x 2 dx
0

 
2
 2  6x  5x 2  x 3 dx
0

2
 5 x4 
 2 3x 2  x3  
 3 4 0

 8  16
 2    .
3 3
HKDSE M2 Sample Question:

(a) Using integration by parts, find  x cos x dx .

(b) The inner surface of a container is formed by revolving the curve y cos x (for 0 x ) about the
y-axis. Find the capacity of the container.

(6 marks)
Solution: (a)

 x cos x dx   xd (sin x)
 x sin x   sin xd x
 x sin x  cos x  C

(b) Using shell method, capacity is


2  rh dr
0

 2  x[1 - (-cosx)]dx
0

 2  (x  xcosx)dx
0
 
 2   xdx   xcosxdx 
 0 0 

 x2 
 2   x sin x  cos x 
2 0
  ( 2  4)
 Cambridge Physics PhD Tutor IB DSE IGCSE SAT
UC Math MA, HKU Chemist [email protected]
HKU 1st Hons Engineer 93197825 AP MCAT GCE

 xe dx
x
2
(a) Find

x2
(b) The shaded region is bounded by the curves y  and y  e  x , where 1 x 2 .
2

2
Find the volume of the solid generated by revolving the shaded region about the y-axis.
(6 marks)

Solution:

(a)

1  x2
 xe 
 x2
dx  e d (x2 )
2
 ex
2

 C
2
(b) Volume of revolution =

2  x 2 
2
2  x  e  x dx
1
 2 
2 x 2 
3
 2    xe x dx
1
 2 
2
 x4 2 
    ex 
4 1
 2 4  1  22 2 
  e  e 1 
 4 
15 
    e 4  e 1 
4 
 Cambridge Physics PhD Tutor IB DSE IGCSE SAT
UC Math MA, HKU Chemist [email protected]
HKU 1st Hons Engineer 93197825 AP MCAT GCE

Your Turn!
1. Find the volume of the solid of revolution generated by revolving the region bounded by y = 6, y = 0, x =
0, and x = 4 about: (a) the x–axis (452.389) and (b) y–axis (301.593)
2. Find the volume of the solid of revolution generated by revolving the region bounded by y = x, y = 0, and
x = 2 about: (a) the x–axis (8.378) and (b) y–axis (16.755)
3. Find the volume of the solid of revolution generated by revolving the region bounded by y = 1  x2
and y = 0 about the x–axis. (4.189)
4. Find the volume of the solid of revolution generated by revolving the region bounded by y = x2 and y = 4
about the x–axis. (160.850)
5. Find the volume of the solid of revolution generated by revolving the region bounded by y = 1 – x, y = 0,
and x = 0 about: (a) the x–axis (1.047), (b) the y–axis (1.047), and (c) the line y = –1. (4.189)
6. Find the volume of the solid of revolution generated by revolving the region bounded by y = x, y = 0, and
2 < x < 4 about: (a) the x–axis (58.643), (b) the y–axis (117.286), and (c) the line x = 4. (33.510)
7. Find the volume of the solid of revolution generated by revolving the region bounded by y = x , y = 0,
and x = 4 about: (a) the x–axis (25.133), (b) the y–axis (80.425), (c) the line x = 4 (53.617), and (d) the
line x = 6. (120.637)
8. Find the volume of the solid of revolution generated by revolving the region bounded by y = 2x2, y = 0,
and x = 2 about: (a) the y–axis (50.265), (b) the x–axis (80.425), and (c) the line y = 8 (187.658),
9. Find the volume of the solid of revolution generated by revolving the region bounded by y = x2 and
y = 4x – x2 about: (a) the x–axis (33.510) and (b) the line y = 6 (67.021).
10. Find the volume of the solid of revolution generated by revolving the region bounded by y = 6 – 2x – x2
and y = x + 6 about: (a) the x–axis (152.681) and (b) the line y = 3 (67.858).
11. The region bounded by the parabola y = 4x – x2 and the x–axis is revolved about the x–axis. Find the
volume of the solid. (107.233)
Your Turn! Disks and Washers
For problems 1 through 5, find the volume of the solid obtained by revolving about the x–axis the region
with the given boundaries:
1) f(x) = 2x + 1, y = 0, 1 < x < 4 (367.566)
2) f(x) = sin x, y = 0, 1 < x <  (4.935)
3) f(x) = tan x, y = 0, 1 < x < /4 (0.674)
4) f(x) = (1/4)x2, g(x) = x (26.808)
5) f(x) = sin x, g(x) = cos x, 0 < x < /4 (1.571)
For problems 6 through 8, find the volume of the solid obtained by revolving about the y–axis the region
with the given boundaries:
6) y = x2, y = 0, 0 < x < 2 (25.133)
7) y = x3, x = 2, y = 0 (40.212)
8) y = 1/x, y = 0, 1/4 < x < 1 (4.712)
9) Find the volume of the solid obtained by rotating the region bounded by the x–axis and the graph of
y = 1 – x2 about the line y = –3. (28.484)
10) Find the volume of the solid obtained when the region bounded by the graphs of y = x , y = 0, and x =
9 is rotated about the line y = –2. (353.429)
 Cambridge Physics PhD Tutor IB DSE IGCSE SAT
UC Math MA, HKU Chemist [email protected]
HKU 1st Hons Engineer 93197825 AP MCAT GCE

Your Turn! Shell Method

b d
Shells: V   2 rhdx or V   2 rhdy
a c

Complete each using the shell method--you may check using the disk or washer method.
For problems 1-18, use the Shell Method to find the volume generated by revolving the given plane
region about the given line.
1. y = x, y = 0, x = 2, about the y–axis (16.755)
2. y = 1 – x, y = 0, x = 0, about the y–axis (1.047)
3. y = x, y = 0, x = 2, about the x–axis (8.378)
4. y = 2 – x, y = 0, x = 0, about the x–axis (8.378)
5. y = x , y = 0, x = 4, about the y–axis (80.425)
6. y = x2 + 4, y = 8, x > 0, about the y–axis (25.133)
7. y = x2, y = 0, x = 2, about the y–axis (25.133)
8. y = x2, y = 0, x = 4, about the y–axis (402.124)
9. y = x2, y = 4x – x2, about the y–axis (16.755)
10. y = x2, y = 4x – x2, about the line x = 2 (16.755)
11. y = x2, y = 4x – x2, about the line x = 4 (50.265)
12. y = 1/x, x = 1, x = 2, y = 0, about the x–axis (1.571)
13. y = 4x – x2, y = 0, about the line x = 5 (201.062)
14. x + y2 = 9, x = 0, about the x–axis (127.235)
15. y = 4x – x2, x = 0, y = 4, about the y–axis (8.378)
16. y = 4 – x2, y = 0, about the y–axis (25.133)
17. y = x , y = 0, x = 4, about the line x = 6 (120.637)
18. y = 2x, y = 4, x = 0, about the y–axis (16.755)
19. Use the Disc (Washer) or Shell Method to find the volume of the solid generated by revolving the region
bounded by y = x3, y = 0, and x = 2 about: (a) the x–axis (57.446), (b) the y–axis (40.212), (c) the line
x = 4 (60.319), and (d) the line y = 8 (143.616).