7.

3 Volumes
Disk and Washer Methods
2
y x Suppose I start with this curve.

1
My boss at the ACME Rocket
Company has assigned me to
build a nose cone in this shape.
0 1 2 3 4

So I put a piece of wood in a

lathe and turn it to a shape to
match the curve.
2
How could we find the volume
y x of the cone?
1 One way would be to cut it into a
series of thin slices (flat cylinders)
and add their volumes.
0 1 2 3 4

The volume of each flat

cylinder (disk) is:
 r 2  the thickness

 x
2
 dx
In this case:
r= the y value of the function
thickness = a small change
in x = dx
 The volume of each flat
2
y x cylinder (disk) is:

1
 r 2  the thickness

 x
2
 dx
0 1 2 3 4

If we add the volumes, we get:

   x
4 2
dx
0

4
   x dx
0


4

 x2  8
2 0
 This application of the method of slicing is called the
disk method. The shape of the slice is a disk, so we
use the formula for the area of a circle to find the
volume of the disk.

If the shape is rotated about the x-axis, then the formula is:
b
V    y 2 dx
a

b
A shape rotated about the y-axis would be: V    x 2 dy
a
 1
The region between the curve x  , 1  y  4 and the
y
y-axis is revolved about the y-axis. Find the volume.

y 4 We use a horizontal disk.

x
The thickness is dy.
1 1 3

1 The radius is the x value of the

2  .707 dy 1
2 2 function  .
1 y
3  .577
3 1
2
 1  4 1
 
4
1
V  
 y 
dy dy
4 2 0 1 1 1 y
 
volume of disk

0
  ln y 1    ln 4  ln1   ln 2  2 ln 2
4 2
 y The natural draft cooling tower
500 ft shown at left is about 500 feet
high and its shape can be
approximated by the graph of
this equation revolved about
the y-axis:

x  .000574 y 2  .439 y  185

x

The volume can be calculated using the disk method with

a horizontal disk.

.000574 y  .439 y  185 dy  24, 700, 000 ft 3

500
 2 2

0
Example: Using calculus, derive the formula for
finding the volume of a sphere of radius r.
The region bounded by a semicircle and its diameter
shown below is revolved about the x-axis, which gives
us a sphere of radius r.
Area of each cross section? (circle)
A  y 2
What is y?

A r 2
x 2

2

–r dx r
A r  x  2 2

Equation of semicircle:
x y r
2 2 2
y r x 2 2
Example: Using calculus, derive the formula for
finding the volume of a sphere of radius r.
Area of each cross section? (circle)

A r  x 2 2

Volume:
r

–r r
V    (r  x )dx 2 2

r (Remember r is
just a number!!!)
r
 2 1 
V   r x  x  3

 3  r
 2 1 3   2 1 3 
V    r r  r    r (r )  (r ) 
 3   3 
Example: Using calculus, derive the formula for
finding the volume of a sphere of radius r.
Volume:

 2 1 3   2 1 3 
V    r r  r    r (r )  (r ) 
 3   3 

–r r  3 1 3   3 1 3 
V     r  r     r  r  
 3   3 

2 3 2 3 4 3
V  r  r   r
3 3  3
Example: Find the volume of the solid generated when the region
bounded by y = x2, x = 2, and y = 0 is rotated about the line x = 2.

Area of each cross section? (circle)

A  r 2
What is r?

A   2  x  r=2–x
2
dy
r
Remember, we are using a
2 dy here!!!
yx
So, 2

yx


A 2 y 2
Example: Find the volume of the solid generated when the region
bounded by y = x2, x = 2, and y = 0 is rotated about the line x = 2.

Area of each cross section? (circle)


A 2 y  2

Volume:
r

V    (2  y 2 )dy
1
2

Bounds?
From 0 to intersection
(y-value!!!)

8
4
V    (2  y )dy 
1
2

0 3
 4 The region bounded by
3
y  2x y  x 2 and y  2 x is
revolved about the y-axis.
2
y  x2 Find the volume.
1

If we use a horizontal slice:

yx 2
y  2x 0 1 2

The “disk” now has a hole in

y it, making it a “washer”.
yx x
2
The volume of the washer is:  R   r   thickness
2 2

 2

 y  y
  R  r  dy
4 2
V      dy 2 2
0  2
 
 4 1  outer inner
V     y  y 2  dy radius radius
0
 4 
 16  8
4
V 
4 1 2
y  y dy 1 1 
  8   
   y 2  y3 
0 4 2 12  0  3 3
 This application of the method of slicing is called the
washer method. The shape of the slice is a circle
with a hole in it, so we subtract the area of the inner
circle from the area of the outer circle.

b
The washer method formula is: V    R2  r 2 dx
a
 4 y  x2 If the same region is
y  2x
3 rotated about the line x=2:
2
The outer radius is:
y
R  2
1

0 1 2
2
r The inner radius is:
y  x2 y  2x R
r  2 y
y
yx x 4 y2
2    4  2 y   4  4 y  y dy
4
0 4
V    R2  r 2 dy 4 1 2 1
0
   3 y  y  4 y 2 dy
2 0 4
 y
  dy
4 2
  2   2 y 4
0
 2  3 2 1 3 8  3
    y  y  y  2

 y2   2 12 3 0
 
4
    4  2 y    4  4 y  y dy  16 64  8
0
 4      24    
 3 3 3