Lecture Notes Arc Length page 1

Sample Problems

Compute the arc length of the graph of the given function on the interval given.

1. f (x) = 2 (x 1)3=2 on [1; 5] x3 1

3. f (x) = + on [1; 3]
6 2x
2 2 h i
3=2
2. f (x) = x +1 on [1; 4] 4. f (x) = ln (cos x) on 0;
3 4

Practice Problems

Compute the arc length of the graph of the given function on the interval given.

1. f (x) = cosh x on [0; 1] 1

3. f (x) = x2 ln x on [1; 2]
8
p
2. f (x) = 4 x2 on [ 2; 2] 4. f (x) = x3=2 on [0; 1]

Answers - Sample Problems

2 p 14 p
1.) 37 37 1 2.) 45 3.) 4.) ln 1 + 2
27 3

Answers - Practice Problems

p
e 1 1 13 13 8
1.) 2.) 2 3.) 3 + ln 2 4.)
2 2e 8 27

c Hidegkuti, Powell, 2012 Last revised: October 16, 2012

Lecture Notes Arc Length page 2

Sample Problems - Solutions

Compute the arc length of the graph of the given function on the interval given.

1. f (x) = 2 (x 1)3=2 on [1; 5]

Solution:
3 p
f 0 (x) = 2 (x 1)1=2 = 3 x 1
2
2
f 0 (x) = 9 (x 1) = 9x 9

Z5 q Z5 Z5 5
2
p 1=2 1 2 3=2
L = 1+ [f 0 (x)] dx = 1 + 9x 9 dx = (9x 8) dx = (9x 8)
9 3 1
1 1 1
2 2 2 p
= (9 5 8)3=2 (9 1 8)3=2 = 373=2 13=2 = 37 37 1
27 27 27

2 2 3=2
2. f (x) = x +1 on [1; 4]
3
Solution:
2 2 3=2
f (x) = x +1
3
2 3 1=2
p
f 0 (x) = x2 + 1 (2x) = 2x x2 + 1
3 2
2
f 0 (x) + 1 = 4x2 x2 + 1 + 1 = 4x4 + 4x2 + 1
q p q
[f 0 (x)]2 + 1 = 4x4 + 4x2 + 1 = (2x2 + 1)2 = 2x2 + 1

Z4 q Z4 4
2x3 2 43 2 13
L = 1+ [f 0 (x)]2 dx = 2x2 + 1 dx = +x = +4 +1
3 1 3 3
1 1
128 2 126
= +4 +1 = + 3 = 45
3 3 3

x3 1
3. f (x) = + on [1; 3]
6 2x
Solution:
x3 1
f (x) = +
6 2x
3x2 1 x2 1 1 1
f 0 (x) = = = x2
6 2x2 2 2x2 2 x2
2
0 2 1 4 1 1 14 4 1 1
4 1 1
2
f (x) +1 = x + 4 2 +1= x + 4 2 + = x + 4 +2 = x + 2
4 x 4 x 4 4 x 2 x

c Hidegkuti, Powell, 2012 Last revised: October 16, 2012

Lecture Notes Arc Length page 3

s
Z3 q Z3 2 Z3 Z3
2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1
L = 1 + [f 0 (x)] dx = x2 + 2 dx = x + 2 dx = x2 + dx
2 x 2 x 2 x2
1 1 1 1
3
1 x3 1 1 33 1 13 1 1 1 1
= = = 9 1
2 3 x 1 2 3 3 3 1 2 3 3
1 26 2 1 28 14
= = =
2 3 3 2 3 3
h i
4. f (x) = ln (cos x) on 0;
4
Solution:

f (x) = ln (cos x)
1
f 0 (x) = ( sin x) = tan x
cos x
2
f 0 (x) + 1 = tan2 x + 1 = sec2 x

Z=4 q Z=4 p Z=4 =4

2
L = 1 + [f 0 (x)] dx = sec2 x dx = sec x dx = ln jsec x + tan xj
0
0 0 0
p p
= ln sec + tan ln jsec 0 + tan 0j = ln 2+1 ln j1 + 0j == ln 2+1 ln 1
4 4
p
= ln 2 + 1

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c Hidegkuti, Powell, 2012 Last revised: October 16, 2012