Civil Engineering Department Lecture 14 Calculus I
Lengths of Plane Curves
Length of a Curve y=f(x)
Suppose the curve whose length we want to find is the graph of the function y = ƒ(x) from x = a
to x = b. We connect successive points Pk-1 and Pk with straight-line segments that, taken
together, form a polygonal path whose length approximates the length of the curve (Figure a).
(a) (b)
The line segment in the path has the length given below:
𝐿𝑘 = √(∆𝑥𝑘 )2 + (∆𝑦𝑘 )2
So the length of the curve is approximated by the sum:
𝑛 𝑛
∑ 𝐿𝑘 = ∑ √(∆𝑥𝑘 )2 + (∆𝑦𝑘 )2
𝑘=1 𝑘=1
In order to evaluate this limit, we use the Mean Value Theorem, which tells us that there is a
point ck, with 𝑥𝑘−1 ≤ 𝑐𝑘 ≤ 𝑥𝑘 , such that:
∆𝑦𝑘 = 𝑓 ′ (𝑐𝑘 ). ∆𝑥𝑘
Substituting this for ∆yk, the sums for the length of the curve becomes:
𝑛 𝑛 𝑛
∑ 𝐿𝑘 = ∑ √(∆𝑥𝑘 )2 + (𝑓 ′ (𝑐𝑘 ). ∆𝑥𝑘 )2 = ∑ √1 + [𝑓 ′ (𝑐𝑘 )]2 ∆𝑥𝑘
𝑘=1 𝑘=1 𝑘=1
If the function derivative is continuous on [a, b], the limit of the Riemann sum on the right-hand
side of the abovementioned Equation has the following value:
𝑛 𝑛 𝑏
lim ∑ 𝐿𝑘 = lim ∑ √1 + [𝑓 ′ (𝑐𝑘 )]2 ∆𝑥𝑘 = ∫ √1 + [𝑓 ′ (𝑥)]2 𝑑𝑥
𝑛→∞ 𝑛→∞ 𝑎
𝑘=1 𝑘=1
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Civil Engineering Department Lecture 14 Calculus I
Example: Find the length of the curve shown in Figure below, which is the graph of the function
4√2 3/2
𝑦= 𝑥 − 1, 0≤𝑥≤1
3
Solution: limits of integration: a=0, b=1
4√2 3/2 𝑑𝑦 4√2 3 1/2
𝑦= 𝑥 − 1, = . 𝑥 = 2√2. 𝑥1/2
3 𝑑𝑥 3 2
𝑑𝑦 2 2
( ) = (2√2. 𝑥1/2 ) = 8𝑥
𝑑𝑥
The length of the curve over x=0 to x=1 is:
1
𝑑𝑦 2 1
𝐿 = ∫ √1 + [ ] 𝑑𝑥 = ∫ √1 + 8𝑥 𝑑𝑥
0 𝑑𝑥 0
2 1 1 13
= . (1 + 8𝑥)3/2 ]0 =
3 8 6
Example 2: Find the length of the graph of:
𝑥3 1
𝑓(𝑥) = + , 1≤𝑥≤4
12 𝑥
Solution:
A graph of the function is shown in Figure below.
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Civil Engineering Department Lecture 14 Calculus I
′ (𝑥)
𝑥2 1
𝑓 = −
4 𝑥2
Therefore,
2
𝑑𝑦 2 𝑥2 1 𝑥4 1 1
1 + [ ] = 1 + [ − 2] = 1 + − +
𝑑𝑥 4 𝑥 16 2 𝑥 4
2
𝑥4 1 1 𝑥2 1
= + + = ( + 2)
16 2 𝑥 4 4 𝑥
The length of the graph over [1, 4] is:
2
4
𝑑𝑦 2 4
𝑥2 1 4
𝑥2 1
𝐿 = ∫ √1 + [ ] 𝑑𝑥 = ∫ √( + 2 ) 𝑑𝑥 = ∫ ( + 2 ) 𝑑𝑥
1 𝑑𝑥 1 4 𝑥 1 4 𝑥
4
𝑥3 1 64 1 1 72
= [ − ] = ( − ) − ( − 1) = =6
12 𝑥 1 12 4 12 12
Dealing with Discontinuous in dy /dx
Even if the derivative dy/dx does not exist at some point on a curve, it is possible that dx/dy could
exist. This can happen, for example, when a curve has a vertical tangent. In this case, we may be
able to find the curve’s length by expressing x as a function of y and applying the following
analogue of length Equation:
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Civil Engineering Department Lecture 14 Calculus I
𝑑
𝑑𝑥 2 𝑑
𝐿 = ∫ √1 + [ ] 𝑑𝑦 = ∫ √1 + [𝑔′ (𝑦)]2 𝑑𝑦
𝑐 𝑑𝑦 𝑐
Example 3: Find the length of the curve 𝑦 = (𝑥/2)2/3 from x = 0 to x = 2 .
Solution:
𝑑𝑦 2 𝑥 −1/3 1 1 2 1/3
= ( ) ( )= ( )
𝑑𝑥 3 2 2 3 𝑥
The derivative is not defined at x = 0, so we cannot find the curve’s length with the standard
equation.
We need to express x in terms of y:
𝑥
𝑦 = (𝑥/2)2/3 ⟹ 𝑦 3/2 = ⟹ 𝑥 = 2𝑦 3/2
2
From this we see that the curve whose length we want is also the graph of 𝑥 = 2𝑦 3/2 from y = 0
to y = 1.
𝑑𝑥 3
= 2 ( ) (𝑦)1/2 = 3𝑦1/2
𝑑𝑦 2
𝑑
𝑑𝑥 2 1 1 2 1
𝐿 = ∫ √1 + [ ] 𝑑𝑦 = ∫ √1 + [3𝑦 2 ] 𝑑𝑦 = ∫ √1 + 9𝑦 𝑑𝑦
𝑐 𝑑𝑦 0 0
1
1 2 3/2
2
= . (1 + 9𝑦) ] = (10√10 − 1) ≈ 2.27
9 3 0 27
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Civil Engineering Department Lecture 14 Calculus I
Lengths of Parametrically Defined Curves
Let C be a curve given parametrically by the equations:
𝑥 = 𝑓(𝑡) and 𝑦 = 𝑔(𝑡), 𝑎≤𝑦≤𝑏
𝐿𝑘 = √(∆𝑥𝑘 )2 + (∆𝑦𝑘 )2
= √[𝑓(𝑡𝑘 ) − 𝑓(𝑡𝑘−1 )]2 + [𝑔(𝑡𝑘 ) − 𝑔(𝑡𝑘−1 )]2
∆𝑥𝑘 = 𝑓(𝑡𝑘 ) − 𝑓(𝑡𝑘−1 ) = 𝑓 ′ (𝑡𝑘 ∗ )∆𝑡𝑘 ,
∆𝑦𝑘 = 𝑔(𝑡𝑘 ) − 𝑔(𝑡𝑘−1 ) = 𝑔′ (𝑡𝑘 ∗∗ )∆𝑡𝑘
𝑏
𝐿 = ∫ √[𝑓 ′ (𝑡)]2 + [𝑔′ (𝑡)]2 𝑑𝑡
𝑎
𝑏
𝑑𝑥 2 𝑑𝑦 2
𝐿 = ∫ √( ) + ( ) 𝑑𝑡
𝑎 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
Example 4: Using the definition, find the length of the circle of radius r (circumference)
defined parametrically by:
𝑥 = 𝑟 cos 𝑡 and 𝑦 = 𝑟 sin 𝑡 , 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 2𝜋
Solution:
2𝜋
𝑑𝑥 2 𝑑𝑦 2
𝐿=∫ √( ) + ( ) 𝑑𝑡
0 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
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Civil Engineering Department Lecture 14 Calculus I
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦
= −𝑟 sin 𝑡, = 𝑟 cos 𝑡
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑥 2 𝑑𝑦 2
( ) + ( ) = 𝑟 2 (sin2 𝑡 + cos 2 𝑡) = 𝑟 2
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
2𝜋
𝐿 = ∫ √𝑟 2 𝑑𝑡 = 𝑟[𝑡]2𝜋
0 = 2𝜋𝑟
0
Example 5: Find the length of the asteroid given in the Figure below, and defined parametrically
by the following equations:
𝑥 = cos3 𝑡 and 𝑦 = sin3 𝑡 , 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 2𝜋
Solution: Because of the curve’s symmetry with respect to the coordinate axes, its length is four
times the length of the first-quadrant portion.
𝑑𝑥 2
( ) = [3 cos2 𝑡 (− sin 𝑡)]2 = 9 cos4 𝑡 . sin2 𝑡
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑦 2
( ) = [3 sin2 𝑡 (cos 𝑡)]2 = 9. sin4 𝑡 . cos2 𝑡
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑥 2 𝑑𝑦 2
√( ) + ( ) = √9 cos 2 𝑡 . sin2 𝑡(cos2 𝑡 + sin2 𝑡)
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
= √9 cos2 𝑡 . sin2 𝑡 = 3|cos 𝑡. sin 𝑡|
𝜋
= 3 cos 𝑡. sin 𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤
2
Length of the first-quadrant piece is:
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Civil Engineering Department Lecture 14 Calculus I
𝜋/2
3 2 𝜋/2 3
𝐿=∫ 3 cos 𝑡. sin 𝑡 𝑑𝑡 = sin 𝑡]0 =
0 2 2
The length of the asteroid is four times the last answer, that is
3
𝐿 =4∗ =6
2
Homework
Find the lengths of the following curves:
a. 𝑥 = 1 − 𝑡 and 𝑦 = 2 + 3𝑡, − 2/3 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 1
b. 𝑥 = cos 𝑡 and 𝑦 = 𝑡 + sin 𝑡 , 0≤𝑡≤𝜋
c. 𝑥 = 𝑡 3 and 𝑦 = 2𝑡 2 /2, 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ √3
3
d. 𝑥 = 𝑡 2 /2 and 𝑦 = (2𝑡 + 1)2 /3, 0≤𝑡≤4
e. 𝑥 = 8cos 𝑡 + 8𝑡 sin 𝑡 and 𝑦 = 8 sin 𝑡 − 8𝑡 cos 𝑡 , 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 𝜋/2
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