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    Final Lab 4

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    Justin Drawbert
    The document summarizes the solution to a problem finding the length of a parametric curve given by x=3t-t^3 and y=3t^2. The curve forms a loop intersecting itself at y=9 when t=±√3. Using the arc length formula, the length is calculated as ∫_{−√3}^{√3} √(9t^4+18t^2+9)dt = 12√3 ≈ 20.785

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    Final Lab 4

    Uploaded by

    Justin Drawbert
    39 views2 pages
    The document summarizes the solution to a problem finding the length of a parametric curve given by x=3t-t^3 and y=3t^2. The curve forms a loop intersecting itself at y=9 when t=±√3. Using the arc length formula, the length is calculated as ∫_{−√3}^{√3} √(9t^4+18t^2+9)dt = 12√3 ≈ 20.785

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    The document summarizes the solution to a problem finding the length of a parametric curve given by x=3t-t^3 and y=3t^2. The curve forms a loop intersecting itself at y=9 when t=±√3. Using the arc length formula, the length is calculated as ∫_{−√3}^{√3} √(9t^4+18t^2+9)dt = 12√3 ≈ 20.785

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    39 views2 pages

    Final Lab 4

    Uploaded by

    Justin Drawbert
    The document summarizes the solution to a problem finding the length of a parametric curve given by x=3t-t^3 and y=3t^2. The curve forms a loop intersecting itself at y=9 when t=±√3. Using the arc length formula, the length is calculated as ∫_{−√3}^{√3} √(9t^4+18t^2+9)dt = 12√3 ≈ 20.785

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    MTH 252

    Final Lab
    Problem 4
    Justin Drawbert
    August 10, 2010

    In Final Lab Problem 4 we are asked to find the length of the loop of a curve that is given by
    the parametric equations:
    x = 3t − t3 , y = 3t2
    The fact that we are told that this is a loop is a big clue. This means our curve will intersect
    somewhere. If we graph this. . .
    3 2
    x=3t-t , y=3t
    10

    5
    y

    -2.5 -2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5


    x

    . . . we can see that appears our curve intersects the y-axis at y = 9. If indeed our curve does
    intersect itself on the y-axis, this will occur for values of t such that x = 0. This is easy to check.
    We simply take our first equation, set x equal to zero, and solve. So we have
    3t − t3 = 0 ⇒ t(t2 − 3) = 0
    √ √
    t = − 3 or t = 0 or t = 3
    √  √ 2
    y=± 3 ⇒ 3 ± 3 =9
    √
    So we see that a loop is formed at t = ± 3, where x = 0 and y = 9. Keeping this in mind we then
    recall the Arc Length Formula from page 456 of our textbook
    Arc Length Formula If a smooth curve with parametric equations x = f (t),
    y = g(t), a ≤ t ≤ b, is traversed exactly once as t increases from a to b, then
    its length is s
    Z b  2  2
    dx dy
    L= + dt
    a dt dt

    1
    √
    So√by this,√and knowing that our graph intersects itself at t = ± 3 we know our bounds will be
    − 3 and 3. We’re almost ready to plug everything into the formula. In fact, we are ready, but
    let’s make things a bit easier on ourselves by finding the derivatives of x and y beforehand.
     2  2
    dx dx dy dy
    = 3 − 3t2 , = 9t4 − 18t2 + 9, = 6t, = 36t2
    dt dt dt dt

    With that out of the way, here we go.


    √ s 2 2
    Z 3 
    dx dy
    L= + dt
    √
    − 3 dt dt
    √
    Z 3 p
    = √ 9t4 − 18t2 + 9 + 36t2 dt
    − 3
    √
    Z 3 p
    = √ 9t4 + 18t2 + 9 dt
    − 3
    √
    Z 3 q
    2
    = √ 9 (t2 + 1) dt
    − 3
    √
    Z 3  
    = √ 3 t2 + 1 dt
    − 3
    Z √3  
    =3· √ t2 + 1 dt
    − 3
    " #√3
    3
    t
    =3 +1
    3 √
    − 3
    √ √  √ √ 
     
    =3 3+ 3− − 3− 3
    √
    = 12 3 ≈ 20.785
    √
    So the length of our curve is 12 3 or approximately 20.785

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