List 10

List of Proposed Problems

Applied Mathematics

1. Center of mass. Find the center of mass of the point masses lying on the x-axis
a) m1 = 5, m2 = 4, m3 = 8, m4 , m5 = 3, x1 = −3, x2 = −2, x3 = 2, x4 = 4,
x5 = 7
b) m1 = 3, m2 = 1, m3 = 4, m5 , m5 = 4, m6 = 5 x1 = −4, x2 = −1, x3 = 0,
x4 = 4, x5 = 7, m6 = 8
2. Center of mass. The masses mi are located at the point Pi . Find the moments Mx
and My and the center of mass of the system.
a) m1 = 8, m2 = 4, m5 = 7, m4 = 3, P1 (1, 5), P2 (−3, 4), P3 (−2, −3),
P4 (3, −4)
b) m1 = 2, m2 = 3, m5 = 4, m4 = 2, m5 = 2 P1 (−2, 5), P2 (−4, 5), P3 (−3, −5),
P4 (4, −2), P5 (1, 5)
3. Center of mass. Introduce an appropriate coordinate system and find the coordina-
tes of the center of mass of the planar lamina. (The answer depends on the position
of the coordinate system.)

a)

b)

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 c)

d)

e)

f)

4. Thin Plates with constant density. Find the center of mass of a thin plate of a
constant density δ covering the given region

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 a) The region bounded by the parabola y = x2 and the line y = 4
b) The region bounded by the parabola y = 25 − x2 and the x − axis
c) The region bounded by the parabola y = x − x2 and the line y = −x
d) The region enclosed by the parabolas y = x2 − 3 and y = −2x2
e) The region bounded by the y − axis and the curve x = y − y 3 , 0 ≤ y ≤ 1
f ) The region in the first and fourth quadrants enclosed by the curves y = 1/(1 +
x2 ) and y = −1/(1 + x2 ) and by the lines x = 0 and x = 1
g) The region bounded by the parabolas y = 2x2 − 4x and y = 2x − x2
√
h) The region between the curve y = 1/ x and the x − axis from x = 1 to
x = 16
i) The parabola y = 4 − x2 and the axis x.
j) The parabola x = 2y − y 2 and the axis y.
k) The curves y = x2 − 4 and y = 2x − x2
5. Thin Plates with varying density.
a) Find the center of mass of a thin plate covering the region between the x−axis
and the curve y = 2/x2 , 1 ≤ x ≤ 2, if the plate’s density at the point (x, y) is
δ(x) = x2
b) Find the center of mass of a thin plate covering the region bounded below by
the parabola y = x2 and above by the line y = x if the plate’s density at the
point (x, y) is δ(x) = 12x
√
c) The region bounded by the curves y = ±4/ x and the lines x = 1 and x = 4
is revolved about the y − axis to generate a solid.
1) Find the volume of the solid
2) Find the center of mass of a thin plate covering the region if the plate’s
density at the point (x, y) is δ(x) = 1/x
3) Sketch the plate and show the center of mass in your sketch
d) The region between the curve y = 2/x and the x − axis from x = 1 to x = 4
is revolved about the x − axis to generate a solid
1) Find the volume of the solid

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 2) Find the center of mass of a thin plate
√ covering the region if the plate’s
density at the point (x, y) is δ(x) = x
3) Sketch the plate and show the center of mass in your sketch
6. Thin wires.
a) Constant density. Find the moment about
√ the x − axis of a wire of a constant
density that lies along the curve y = x from x = 0 to x = 2
b) Constant density. Find the moment about the x − axis of a wire of constant
density that lies along the curve y = x3 from x = 0 to x = 1
7. Plates bounded by two curves. Find the centroid of the thin plate bounded by the
graphs of the given functions. Use δ = 1
a) g(x) = x2 and f (x) = x + 6
b) g(x) = x2 (x + 1), f (x) = 2 and x = 0
c) g(x) = x2 (x − 1) and f (x) = x2
8. The Theorems of Pappus.
a) The square region with vertices (0, 2), (2, 0), (4, 2), (2, 4) is revolved about
the x − axis to generate a solid. Find the volume and surface area of the solid.
b) Use a theorem of Pappus to find the volume generated by revolving about the
line x = 5 the triangular region bounded by the coordinate axes and the line
2x + y = 6
c) Find the volume of the torus generated by revolving the circle (x−2)2 +y 2 = 1
about the y − axis
d) Use Pappus’s Theorem for surface area and the fact that the surface√area of a
sphere of radius a is 4πa2 to find the centroid of the semicircle y = a2 − x2
e) The torus formed by revolving the circle (x−5)2 +y 2 = 16 about the y −axis
f ) The torus formed by revolving the circle x2 + (y − 3)2 = 4 about the x − axis

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