2016 JC1 H2 Further Mathematics (B) (9649)                                       Chap 12 Applications of Integration 

Tutorial 19:  Arc Length & Surface Area 
[Level 1]  Be prepared to share your solutions in class. 
1 1
1 Find the length of the arc of the curve y 2  x from origin to  ,  .
4 2
[Solution]:
dy 1
Consider y  x (positive), 
dx 2 x
1
4
1
Arc length =
0
4x  1
dx  0.574 using GC

To obtain exact value of the integral:

dx
Consider x  y ,  2y
2

dy
1
2
Arc length = 
0
1  4 y 2 dy

4
1 2 1
= 
0
1  tan 2 
2
sec  d (By letting y 
2
tan  )


14 3
2 0
= sec  d

=
1
4
 
2  ln 1  2  (using integration by parts)

1 
                      2016 JC1 H2 Further Mathematics (B) (9649)                                       Chap 12 Applications of Integration 

2 The parametric equations of a curve are x  a  t  sin t  , y  a 1  cos t  , where a is a

positive constant and 0  t  2 .
(i) Sketch the curve.
(ii) Find the length of the arc from t = 0 to t =  .

[Solution]:
(i) y

2a

x
0

dx dy
(ii)  a 1  cos t  and  a sin t
dt dt


Length   a 2 1  cos t   a 2 sin 2 t dt
2

0

  2a 1  cos t dt
0

1
 2a  sin t dt
0
2
 4a

3 For the curve with equation y  ln  sec x  , prove that the length of the arc of the curve

between x  0 and x 
4
 
is ln 2  1 . This arc of the curve is rotated through 2
radians about the x  axis. Find the area of the curved surface generated.
[Solution]: 
2
 dy 
4

0
dy   
 tan x Area 2 y 1   dx
dx  dx 
 
4 4
Arc Length   1  tan 2 x dx  2   ln  sec x   sec x dx
0 0

4
 0.668
  sec x dx
0

  ln sec x  tan x  04  ln  2 1 

2 
                      2016 JC1 H2 Further Mathematics (B) (9649)                                       Chap 12 Applications of Integration 

4 A parabolic bowl is formed by rotating the curve y  ax 2 about the y-axis. If the bowl
is to have a 16 cm surface diameter and a maximum depth of 12 cm, find the value of
a. Find the surface area of the bowl, leaving your answer in the form p q 3  r 3  
where p, q and r are exact surds to be determined.

[Solution]:

3
Since (8, 12) is a point on the curve, therefore 12  a  8   a 
2

16
2
 dx  12
Surface area of the bowl = 2  x 1    dy
0  dy 
2
12
4  2 
 2  y 1 
 3 y 
dy
0 3  
8  4 
12

3
 0
y 1    dy
 3y 
8 4
12

3
 0
y    dy
3
12
 4 
  y  
8  3
  
3 3 
 2 
0

16 3  40 4 
3 3

=   
9  3 3 


3