1. Home
  2. >Calculus
  3. >Parametric Equations and Polar Coordinates
Help

Arc length and surface area of parametric equations

Everything You Need in One Place

Homework problems? Exam preparation? Trying to grasp a concept or just brushing up the basics? Our extensive help & practice library have got you covered.

Learn and Practice With Ease

Our proven video lessons ease you through problems quickly, and you get tonnes of friendly practice on questions that trip students up on tests and finals.

Instant and Unlimited Help

Our personalized learning platform enables you to instantly find the exact walkthrough to your specific type of question. Activate unlimited help now!

Get the most by viewing this topic in your current grade. Pick your course now.

?
Intros
Lessons
  1. Overview:
  2. Arc Length of Parametric Equations
  3. Surface Area of Parametric Equations
?
Examples
Lessons
  1. The Length of a Curve
    Find the length of each of the given parametric equations:
    1. x=etsin⁡t x=e^t \sin t
      y=etcos⁡ty=e^t \cos t
      where 0≤t≤2π0 \leq t \leq 2\pi
    2. x=cos⁡(θ) x=\cos (\theta)
      y=sin⁡(θ)y=\sin (\theta)
      where 0≤θ≤π0 \leq \theta \leq \pi
  2. The Surface Area of a Curve rotating about the x-axis
    Find the surface area for each of the given parametric equations by rotating about the xx-axis:
    1. x=4t−t2x=4t-t^2
      y=2ty=2t
      where 0≤t≤30 \leq t \leq 3
    2. x=r(θ−sin⁡θ)x=r(\theta - \sin \theta)
      y=r(1−cos⁡θ)y=r(1- \cos \theta ) where 0≤θ≤2π,  r>00 \leq \theta \leq 2\pi , \; r > 0
  3. Applications related to Circles and Spheres
    You are given the parametric equations x=r  cos⁡(t)x=r\; \cos(t), y=r  sin⁡(t)y=r\;\sin(t) where 0≤t≤2π0 \leq t \leq 2\pi. Show that the circumference of a circle is 2πr2\pi r
    1. You are given the parametric equations x=r  cos⁡(t)x=r\; \cos(t), y=r  sin⁡(t)y=r\;\sin(t) where 0≤t≤π0 \leq t \leq \pi. Show that the surface area of a sphere is 4πr24\pi r^2
      Topic Notes
      ?
      In this lesson, we will learn how to find the arc length and surface area of parametric equations. To find the arc length, we have to integrate the square root of the sums of the squares of the derivatives. For surface area, it is actually very similar. If it is rotated around the x-axis, then all you have to do is add a few extra terms to the integral. Note that integrating these are very hard, and would require tons of trigonometric identity substitutions to make it simpler. We will first apply these formulas to some of the questions below. Then we will look at a case where using these formulas will give us much more simplified formulas in finding the arc length and surface areas of circles and spheres.
      Let the curve be defined by the parametric equations x=f(t)x=f(t), y=g(t)y=g(t) and let the value of tt be increasing from α\alpha to β\beta. Then we say that the formula for the length of the curve is:
      L=∫αβ(dxdt)2+(dydt)2dtL=\int_{\alpha}^{\beta}\sqrt{(\frac{dx}{dt})^2+(\frac{dy}{dt})^2}dt

      The formula to find the surface area is very similar.

      If the curve is rotating around the xx-axis, where f′,g′f', g' are continuous and g(t)≥0g(t) \geq 0, then the formula for the surface area of the curve is
      SA=∫αβ2πy(dxdt)2+(dydt)2dtSA=\int_{\alpha}^{\beta} 2\pi y\sqrt{(\frac{dx}{dt})^2+(\frac{dy}{dt})^2}dt
      Basic Concepts
      ?
      Related Concepts
      ?