Chapter 7: Applications of Integration

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In this course, we will concentrate on two applications in geometry,
namely
1. Volumes of solids of revolution (§7.1),
2. Arc lengths and surface areas (§7.3).
Other applications (mass, moments, probability, first-order differential
equations) will be covered in other courses.

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§7.1 Volumes by Slicing – Solids of Revolution

In this section, we show how volumes of certain three-dimensional

regions (or solids) can be expressed as definite integrals and thereby
determined.

Key idea: Volumes by Slicing.

By dividing solids into thin “slices” by parallel planes, we determine
the volumes for each slice and then sum these volumes to find the
volume of the solid.

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Suppose that the solid S lies between planes perpendicular to the
x-axis at positions x = a and x = b, and that the cross-sectional area
of S in the plane perpendicular to the x-axis at x is a known function
A(x), for a ≤ x ≤ b. Assume that A(x) is continuous on [a, b].

Let a = x0 < x1 < · · · < xn−1 < xn = b. This results in n slices of

which the ith has thickness ∆xi = xi − xi−1 . By the
Intermediate-Value theorem, the ith slice has volume

∆Vi = A(ci )∆xi

for some ci in [xi−1 , xi ]. The volume of the solid is then

n
X n
X
V = ∆Vi = A(ci )∆xi .
i=1 i=1

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Letting n approach infinity in such a way that max ∆xi approaches 0, we
obtain the definite integral of A(x) over [a, b] as the limit of the above
Riemann sum.

Theorem
The volume V of a solid between x = a and x = b having cross-sectional
area A(x) at position x is
Z b
V = A(x)dx.
a

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Solids of Revolution

Many common solids have circular cross-sections in planes

perpendicular to some axis. Such solids are called solids of
revolution because they can be generated by rotating a plane region
about an axis in that plane so that it sweeps out the solid.

If the region R bounded by y = f (x), y = 0, x = a and x = b is

rotated about the x-axis, then the cross-sections of the solid
generated are circular discs of radius |f (x)|. This leads to
A(x) = π(f (x))2 , so that the volume of the solid of revolution
becomes Z b
V =π (f (x))2 dx.
a

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Example 1:
Let R be the region bounded by y = 4 − x2 and y = 0. Find the volume
of the solid obtained by revolving R about the y-axis.

y
6
4
√
x= 4−y

r
y x

-x
2

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Solution: The area of the disc swept by rotating the line segment between
√ √
− 4 − y and 4 − y about the y-axis is

A(y) = πx2 √
x= 4−y
= π(4 − y)

Hence, the volume of the revolving solid is

Z 4
V = A(y)dy
0
Z 4
= π(4 − y)dy
0
π 2 4
= (4πy − y )
2 0
= 8π.

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Example 2:
Let R be the region bounded by y = 4 − x2 and y = 0. Find the volume
of the solid obtained by revolving R about the line x = 3.

y
6
4
√
x= 4−y

r
y x

-x
2 3

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Solution: The area of the ring swept by revolving the line segment
√ √
between − 4 − y and 4 − y about x = 3 is

A(y) = π(3 + 4 − y )2 − π(3 − 4 − y )2 = 12π 4 − y.

p p p

The volume of the revolving solid is

Z 4
V = A(y)dy
0
Z 4 p
= 12π 4 − ydy
0
p 3 4
= −8π 4−y
0
= 64π.

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Example 3: Find the volume of a solid ball having radius a.

Solution:√Note that the ball can be generated by rotating the half disk,
0 ≤ y ≤ a2 − x2 , −a ≤ x ≤ a, about the x-axis. Therefore, its volume is
Z a p
V = π( a2 − x2 )2 dx
−a
Z a
= 2π (a2 − x2 )dx
0
x3 a
= 2π(a2 x − )
3 0
4 3
= πa .
3

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Example 4: Find the volume of the infinitely long horn that is generated
by rotating the region bounded by y = 1/x and y = 0 and lying to the
right of x = 1 about the x-axis.

Solution: The volume of the horn is

Z ∞
1
V = π( )2 dx
1 x
Z R
1
= π lim dx
R→∞ 1 x2
1 R
= −π lim
R→∞ x 1
1
= −π lim ( − 1)
R→∞ R
= π.

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Cylindrical Shells
Suppose the region R bounded by y = f (x) ≥ 0, y = 0, a ≤ x ≤ b is
rotated about the y-axis to generate a solid of revolution.
Slicing perpendicularly to the axis of rotation would require us to
solve for x in terms of y. This may be difficult or impossible.

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Idea (for rotation about y-axis):
Cut region into vertical strips.
Each strip, when rotated, sweeps out a cylindrical shell with volume

dV = 2πxf (x) dx.

Integrate from a to b to get the total volume

Z b
V = 2π xf (x) dx.
a

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Example 5: Let R be a disc of radius a at centered at (b, 0). Find the
volume of the torus generated by rotating R about the y-axis.

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Method 1 (Cylindrical shells):
Cut R into vertical strips, which generate cylindrical shells when rotated.
Equation of circle:
p
(x − b)2 + y 2 = a2 =⇒ y = ± a2 − (x − b)2
Volume of cylindrical shell:
hp p i
dV = 2πx a2 − (x − b)2 − (− a2 − (x − b)2 ) dx
p
= 4πx a2 − (x − b)2 dx.
Total volume: Z b+a p
V = 4π x a2 − (x − b)2 dx
Zb−a
a p
= 4π (u + b) a2 − u2 du [Let u = x − b]
−a
Z a p
= 0 + 4π b a2 − u2 du = 2π 2 a2 b.
−a

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Method 2 (Slicing):

Cut R into horizontal strips, which generate rings when rotated.

p
Equation of circle: (x − b)2 + y 2 = a2 =⇒ x = b ± a2 − y 2
Volume of rings:

dV = π (Outer radius)2 − (Inner radius)2 dy

 
h p p i
= π (b + a2 − y 2 )2 − (b − a2 − y 2 )2 dy
p
= 4πb a2 − y 2 dy.

Total volume: Z ap
V = 4πb a2 − y 2 dy = 2π 2 a2 b.
| −a {z }
=πa2 /2

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§7.3 Arc Length and Surface Area

Let f be a function defined on [a, b] and having a continuous

derivative f ′ there. We divide the interval [a, b] into n subintervals
with the partition,

{a = x0 < x1 < · · · < xn = b}.

The arc length in [xi−1 , xi ] may be approximated by

p
(∆xi )2 + (∆yi )2 .

The arc length of the curve in [a, b] is then approximated by

n p
X
Ln = (∆xi )2 + (∆yi )2 .
i=1

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Letting n → ∞ in such a way that max(∆xi ) → 0, the arc length of
the curve is given by
n p
X
s = lim Ln = lim (∆xi )2 + (∆yi )2
n→∞ n→∞
i=1
n r
X ∆yi 2
= lim 1+( ) · ∆xi
n→∞
i=1
∆xi
Z b
r
dy 2
= 1+( ) dx.
a dx

In other words, Ln is a Riemann sum for the arc length s of the curve
y = f (x) from x = a to x = b,
Z b
r Z b
dy 2 p
s= 1+( ) dx = 1 + (f ′ (x))2 dx.
a dx a

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Example 6:
Find the length of the curve y = x2/3 from x = 1 to x = 8.

Solution: Note that dy/dx = (2/3)x−1/3 is continuous between x = 1

and x = 8. The arc length of the curve is
Z 8
r Z 8r
dy 2 4
s = 1 + ( ) dx = 1 + x−2/3 dx
1 dx 1 9
Z 8
1 p
= x−1/3 9x2/3 + 4dx.
3 1

Let u = 9x2/3 + 4. Then du = 6x−1/3 dx and

40
√ √
40 40 − 13 13
Z 40
1 1/2 1 3/2
s= u du = u = .
18 13 27 13 27

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Example 7:
1
Find the length of the curve y = x4 + from x = 1 to x = 2.
32x2
Solution: Note that
dy 2 1 2 1 2
1+( ) = 1 + (4x3 − 3
) = (4x3 + ) .
dx 16x 16x3
The arc length of the curve is
Z r
2 Z 2
dy 2 1
s = 1 + ( ) dx = (4x3 + )dx
1 dx 1 16x3
1 2 3
= (x4 − 2
) = 15 + .
32x 1 128

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Example 8: Find the arc length of a circle with a radius of a.
√
Solution: Consider 0 ≤ t < π/2. We have y = a2 − x2 . The arc length
of the circle is given by
s 2
Z a  Z a r
dy x
s=4 1+ dx = 4 1 + (− √ )2 dx
0 dx 0 a − x2
2
Z a
a
=4 √ dx.
0 a − x2
2

Letting x = a sin(t), dx = a cos(t) dt gives

Z π/2 Z π/2
a cos(t)
s = 4a dt = 4a 1dt = 2πa.
0 a cos(t) 0

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Areas of Surfaces of Revolution
When a plane curve is rotated (in three
dimensions) about a line in the plane of
the curve, it sweeps out a surface of
revolution.
The area of a surface of revolution can
be found by integrating an area element
dS by rotating an arc length element ds
about the axis of rotation:

dS = 2πr ds

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Example 9: Find the surface area of a sphere of radius a.

Solution:
√ The surface is generated by rotating the semi-circle
y = a2 − x2 about the x-axis.

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Arc length element:
r
p x2 a dx
ds = 1 + (y ′ )2 dx = 1+ dx = √ .
a − x2 a2 − x2
Surface element:
dS = 2π|y| ds = 2πa dx.
Total surface area:
Z a
S= 2πa dx = 4πa2 .
−a

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Example 10: Find the surface area of the infinitely long horn that is
generated by rotating the region bounded by y = 1/x and y = 0 and lying
to the right of x = 1 about the x-axis. (See the graph in Example 4)

Arc length element:

p p
ds = 1 + (y ′ )2 dx = 1 + x−4 dx.
Surface element:
2π p
dS = 2π|y| ds = 1 + x−4 dx.
x
Total surface area:
∞
√ ∞
1 + x−4
Z Z
dx
S = 2π dx ≥ 2π = ∞.
1 x 1 x

Therefore, the surface area is infinite, even though the volume of the
horn is finite!

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