Why might I need to add or subtract volumes of revolution??

• As with the?area between a curve and a line?or the?area between 2 curves, a required volume may be created by two functions
  • In this note we focus on volumes created by?rotation?around the?x-axis?but the same principles apply to rotation around the?y-axis
  • Make sure you are familiar with the methods in?Volumes of Revolution
• The volumes created here can be created from areas that do not have the?x-axis as one its boundaries
  • A?cylinder?is created by rotating a rectangle that borders the?x-axis around the?x-axis by 360°
  • An?annular?prism?(a cylinder with a whole through it – like a toilet roll) is created by rotating a rectangle that does?not?have a boundary with the??x?axis around the?x-axis by 360°
• A rectangle would be defined by two vertical and two horizontal lines

How do I know whether to add or subtract volumes of revolution?

• When the?area?to be?rotated?around an axis has more than one function (and an axis) defining its boundary it can be trickier to tell whether to?add?or?subtract?volumes?of?revolution
  • It will depend on
    • The?nature?of the?functions?and their?points?of?intersection
    • Whether?rotation?is around the?x-axis?or the?y-axis
• Consider the region?R, bounded by a curve, a line and the?-axis,?in the diagram below

• • Think in 2D and area
    • “region under the curve”
      SUBTRACT
      “region under the line”

• • Think in 2D and area
    • “top ‘half’ is the area ‘below’ the curve to the horizontal where the curve and line intersect”
      ADD
      “bottom ‘half’ is area ‘below’ the line to the horizontal where the curve and line interest”

How do I solve problems involving adding or subtracting volumes of revolution?

• Visualising the solid created becomes increasingly useful (but also trickier) for shapes generated by separate volumes of revolution
  • Continue trying to sketch the functions and their solids of revolution to help

• STEP 3:?Identify the limits for each volume involved and form the integrals required
  • The limits could come from a graph

• STEP 4:?Evaluate the integral for each function and add or subtract as necessary
  • The answer may be required in?exact form
  • If not, round to?three significant figures?(unless told otherwise)