SECTION 5.

7 Volumes of Solids of Revolution 371

5.7 VOLUMES OF SOLIDS OF REVOLUTION

■ Use the Disk Method to find volumes of solids of revolution.
■ Use the Washer Method to find volumes of solids of revolution with holes.
■ Use solids of revolution to solve real-life problems.

The Disk Method

Another important application of the definite integral is its use in finding the
volume of a three-dimensional solid. In this section, you will study a particular
type of three-dimensional solid—one whose cross sections are similar. You will Plane
begin with solids of revolution. These solids, such as axles, funnels, pills, bottles, region
and pistons, are used commonly in engineering and manufacturing.
As shown in Figure 5.25, a solid of revolution is formed by revolving a
plane region about a line. The line is called the axis of revolution.
To develop a formula for finding the volume of a solid of revolution, consider
a continuous function f that is nonnegative on the interval
a, b. Suppose that the
area of the region is approximated by n rectangles, each of width x, as shown in
Figure 5.26. By revolving the rectangles about the x-axis, you obtain n circular
disks, each with a volume of

f x i 2x. The volume of the solid formed by
revolving the region about the x-axis is approximately equal to the sum of the
volumes of the n disks. Moreover, by taking the limit as n approaches infinity, you Axis of revolution
can see that the exact volume is given by a definite integral. This result is called
the Disk Method. FIGURE 5.25

The Disk Method

The volume of the solid formed by revolving the region bounded by the
graph of f and the x-axis a ≤ x ≤ b about the x-axis is

Volume 
a
b

f x 2 dx.

Representative Axis of Representative

rectangle revolution disk

Plane region
R

x=a x=b
∆x

Solid of
revolution Approximation
∆x by n disks

Approximation by n rectangles
FIGURE 5.26
372 CHAPTER 5 Integration and Its Applications

EXAMPLE 1 Finding the Volume of a Solid of Revolution

Find the volume of the solid formed by revolving the region bounded by the graph
of f x  x2  x and the x-axis about the x-axis.
SOLUTION Begin by sketching the region bounded by the graph of f and the
x-axis. As shown in Figure 5.27(a), sketch a representative rectangle whose
height is f x and whose width is x. From this rectangle, you can see that the
radius of the solid is
Radius  f x  x 2  x.

T E C H N O L O G Y Using the Disk Method, you can find the volume of the solid of revolution.

Try using the integration Volume 
 1

f x2 dx Disk Method


capabilities of a graphing 0
1
utility to verify the solution in
Example 1. Consult your user’s

x2  x2 dx Substitute for f x.


0
manual for specific keystrokes. 1

x 4  2x 3  x 2 dx Expand integrand.
0

 
1
x5 x 4 x3

  Find antiderivative.
5 2 3 0

 Apply Fundamental Theorem.
30
 0.105 Round to three decimal places.

So, the volume of the solid is about 0.105 cubic unit.

y y

1
2
y x2 x
f (x) x2 x
1
4

x x
∆x 1

(a) Plane region (b) Solid of revolution

FIGURE 5.27

TRY IT 1

Find the volume of the solid formed by revolving the region bounded by the
graph of f x  x 2  4 and the x-axis about the x-axis.

STUDY TIP

In Example 1, the entire problem was solved without referring to the three-
dimensional sketch given in Figure 5.27(b). In general, to set up the integral
for calculating the volume of a solid of revolution, a sketch of the plane region
is more useful than a sketch of the solid, because the radius is more readily
visualized in the plane region.
 SECTION 5.7 Volumes of Solids of Revolution 373

The Washer Method

You can extend the Disk Method to find the volume of a solid of revolution with
a hole. Consider a region that is bounded by the graphs of f and g, as shown in
Figure 5.28(a). If the region is revolved about the x-axis, then the volume of the
resulting solid can be found by applying the Disk Method to f and g and
subtracting the results.

Volume 

a
b

f x2 dx 
a
b

gx 2 dx

Writing this as a single integral produces the Washer Method.

The Washer Method

Let f and g be continuous and nonnegative on the closed interval
a, b,
as shown in Figure 5.28(a). If gx ≤ f x for all x in the interval, then
the volume of the solid formed by revolving the region bounded by the
graphs of f and g a ≤ x ≤ b about the x-axis is

Volume 
 b

a

f x 2 
gx 2
dx.

f x is the outer radius and gx is the inner radius.

In Figure 5.28(b), note that the solid of revolution has a hole. Moreover, the
radius of the hole is gx, the inner radius.

f (x) g(x)

a b
Plane region
(a)

Solid of revolution
with hole

(b)

FIGURE 5.28
374 CHAPTER 5 Integration and Its Applications

EXAMPLE 2 Using the Washer Method

Find the volume of the solid formed by revolving the region bounded by the
graphs of
f x   25  x 2 and gx  3
about the x-axis (see Figure 5.29).
SOLUTION First find the points of intersection of f and g by setting f x equal
to gx and solving for x.
f x  gx Set f x equal to gx.
25  x2  3 Substitute for f x and gx.
25  x2  9 Square each side.
16  x 2

±4  x Solve for x.

Using f x as the outer radius and gx as the inner radius, you can find the volume
of the solid as shown.

Volume 
4
4

f x 2 
gx2
dx Washer Method


4
4

25  x 22  32 dx Substitute for f x and gx.


4
4
16  x 2 dx Simplify.

 
x3 4

16x  Find antiderivative.
3 4

256

 Apply Fundamental Theorem.
3
 268.08 Round to two decimal places.

So, the volume of the solid is about 268.08 cubic inches.

3 in.
5 in.
y
f (x) = 25 − x 2 y= 25 − x2
x
4 5
TRY IT 2

Find the volume of the solid g(x) = 3 y=3

formed by revolving the region x
−5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5
bounded by the graphs of
Plane region Solid of revolution
f x  5  x2 and gx  1
(a) (b)
about the x-axis.
FIGURE 5.29
 SECTION 5.7 Volumes of Solids of Revolution 375

Application

EXAMPLE 3 Finding a Football’s Volume

A regulation-size football can be modeled as a solid of revolution formed by

revolving the graph of
f x  0.0944x2  3.4, 5.5 ≤ x ≤ 5.5
about the x-axis, as shown in Figure 5.30. Use this model to find the volume of a
football. (In the model, x and y are measured in inches.)
SOLUTION To find the volume of the solid of revolution, use the Disk Method.

Volume 
5.5

5.5

f x 2 dx Disk Method


5.5

5.5
0.0944x2  3.42 dx Substitute for f x. © Jessica Rinaldi/Stringer/Reuters/CORBIS

American football, in its modern

 232 cubic inches Volume form, is a twentieth-century invention.
In the 1800s a rough, soccer-like
So, the volume of the football is about 232 cubic inches.
game was played with a “round
y football.” In 1905, at the request of
f )x) 0.0944x 2 3.4 President Theodore Roosevelt, the
5.5 x 5.5 Intercollegiate Athletic Association
(which became the NCAA in 1910)
was formed. With the introduction of
the forward pass in 1906, the shape
x of the ball was altered to make it
easier to grip.

F I G U R E 5 . 3 0 A football-shaped solid is formed

by revolving a parabolic segment about the x-axis.

TRY IT 3

A soup bowl can be modeled as a solid of revolution formed by revolving the

graph of
f x  x  1, 0 ≤ x ≤ 3
about the x-axis. Use this model, where x and y are measured in inches, to
find the volume of the soup bowl.

TA K E A N O T H E R L O O K

Testing the Reasonableness of an Answer

A football is about 11 inches long and has a diameter of about 7 inches. In Example 3,
the volume of a football was approximated to be 232 cubic inches. Explain how you
can determine whether this answer is reasonable.
376 CHAPTER 5 Integration and Its Applications

P R E R E Q U I S I T E The following warm-up exercises involve skills that were covered in earlier sections. You will
R E V I E W 5 . 7 use these skills in the exercise set for this section.

In Exercises 1– 6, solve for x.

1. x2  2x 2. x2  4x  x 2
3. x  x 3  5x 4. x 2  1  x  3
6. x  1  2 x  1
1
5. x  4  4x  x 2

In Exercises 7–10, evaluate the integral.

7. 
0
2
2e 2x dx 8.  3

1
2x  1
x2  x  2
dx

9. 
0
2
xx 2  1 dx 10. 1
5
ln x2
x
dx

E X E R C I S E S 5 . 7

In Exercises 1–16, find the volume of the solid formed by 11. y  x  1, y  0, x  0, x9
revolving the region bounded by the graph(s) of the equation(s)
12. y  x, y  0, x4
about the x-axis.
13. y  2x 2, y  0, x2
1. y  4  x 2 2. y  x 2
1
y y 14. y  , y  0, x  1, x3
x
(1, 1) 15. y  e x, y  0, x  0, x1
2 1
16. y  x 2, y  4x  x 2
1
In Exercises 17–24, find the volume of the solid formed by
revolving the region bounded by the graph(s) of the equation(s)
x x about the y-axis.
1 2 1
17. y  x2, y  4, 0 ≤ x ≤ 2
3. y  x 4. y  4  x2 18. y  16  x 2, y  0, 0 ≤ x ≤ 4
1
y y 19. x  1  2 y, x  0, y0
20. x  y  y  1, x0
2 (4, 2)
(1, 1) 21. y  x 23 22. x  y 2  4y
1 1
y y
x x
1 2 3 4 2 1 1 2
4
1 (1, 1)
5. y  4  x 2, y0 3

6. y  x, y  0, x4 2
1
7. y  1  4 x 2, y0 1
(3, 1)
8. y  x 2  1, y5 x x
1 1 2 3 4
9. y  x  1, y  0, x0
10. y  x, ye x1
, x0
 SECTION 5.7 Volumes of Solids of Revolution 377

23. y  4  x, y  0, x0 33. Biology A pond is to be stocked with a species of fish.

The food supply in 500 cubic feet of pond water can
24. y  4, y  0, x  2, x0
adequately support one fish. The pond is nearly circular, is
25. Volume The line segment from 0, 0 to 6, 3 is 20 feet deep at its center, and has a radius of 200 feet. The
revolved about the x-axis to form a cone. What is the bottom of the pond can be modeled by
volume of the cone? y  20
0.005x2  1 .
26. Volume The line segment from 0, 0 to 4, 2 is (a) How much water is in the pond?
revolved about the y-axis to form a cone. What is the (b) How many fish can the pond support?
volume of the cone?
34. Modeling a Body of Water A pond is approximately
27. Volume Use the Disk Method to verify that the volume circular, with a diameter of 400 feet (see figure). Starting at
1
of a right circular cone is 3
r 2 h, where r is the radius of the the center, the depth of the water is measured every 25 feet
base and h is the height. and recorded in the table.
28. Volume Use the Disk Method to verify that the volume
4
of a sphere of radius r is 3
r 3. x 0 25 50 75 100
29. Volume The right half of the ellipse Depth 20 19 19 17 15
9x 2  25y 2  225
is revolved about the y-axis to form an oblate spheroid x 125 150 175 200
(shaped like an M&M candy). Find the volume of the Depth 14 10 6 0
spheroid.
30. Volume The upper half of the ellipse (a) Use a graphing utility to plot the depths and graph the
9x 2  16y 2  144 model of the pond’s depth, y  20  0.00045x 2.
is revolved about the x-axis to form a prolate spheroid (b) Use the model in part (a) to find the pond’s volume.
(shaped like a football). Find the volume of the spheroid. (c) Use the result of part (b) to approximate the number of
31. Volume A tank on the wing of a jet airplane is modeled gallons of water in the pond 1 ft3  7.48 gal.
by revolving the region bounded by the graph of
y  18 x 22  x and the x-axis about the x-axis, where x Volume of a Pond
y
and y are measured in meters (see figure). Find the volume
of the tank. 20
18
16
Jet Wing Tank
Depth (in feet)

y 14
12
10
Distance (in meters)

8
6
1 4
2
x
y = 18 x 2 2 − x
50 100 150 200
Distance from center (in feet)
x
1 2 3
In Exercises 35 and 36,use a program similar to the one on page 366
Distance (in meters)
to approximate the volume of a solid generated by revolving the
region bounded by the graphs of the equations about the x-axis.
32. Volume A soup bowl can be modeled as a solid of 35. y  
3
x  1, y  0, x  0, x7
revolution formed by revolving the graph of
10
36. y  y  0, x  0, x3
 x ,
y  1, 0 ≤ x ≤ 4 x2  1
2
about the x-axis. Use this model, where x and y are
measured in inches, to find the volume of the soup bowl.