Surface Area in Polar Coordinates

In summary, to find the surface area of the surface z=cosh(sqrt(x^2+y^2)) above the given region in the xy plane, you can use the formula for surface area and integrate using polar coordinates. However, in the given example, the integral was incorrectly evaluated, resulting in an incorrect answer. The correct method involves integrating by parts, which will yield the correct answer of cosh(4)-cosh(2).
  • #1
JaysFan31
Find the surface area of the surface z=cosh(sqrt(x^2+y^2)) above the region in the xy plane given in polar coordinates:
r is between 0 and theta
theta is between 2 and 4

Ok. I used the formula:
Surface area equals the square root of the partial derivative of x squared plus the partial derivative of y squared plus 1. After doing it out, the (x^2+y^2) turned into 1, leaving me with the square root of 1 + (sinhsqrt(x^2+y^2))^2.
I took the integral of this from 0 to theta by switching the (x^2+y^2) into just r (polar coordinates). I got that this integral equaled cosh(r)tanh(r) and in turn cosh(theta)tanh(theta). Taking this integral from 2 to 4, I got cosh(4)-cosh(2). I thought I did everything correct, but this is not the answer. What did I do wrong?

Thanks for any help. I hope you can understand my thought process.
 
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  • #2
[tex]\sqrt{1+\mbox{sinh}^2\left(\sqrt{x^2+y^2}\right) } = \sqrt{\mbox{cosh}^2\left(\sqrt{x^2+y^2}\right) } = \mbox{cosh}\left(\sqrt{x^2+y^2}\right)[/tex]

hence your SA is given by

[tex]SA = \iint_R \mbox{cosh}\left(\sqrt{x^2+y^2}\right) \, dA = \int_{2}^{4}\int_{0}^{\theta} \mbox{cosh}(r) r \, dr \, d\theta[/tex]

where the [tex]r \, dr \, d\theta[/tex] is from the transform to polar. Now integrate by parts...
 

Related to Surface Area in Polar Coordinates

1. What is surface area in polar coordinates?

Surface area in polar coordinates is a measure of the total area bounded by a curve in polar coordinates. It is commonly used in mathematics and physics to calculate the area of curved shapes such as circles, ellipses, and spirals.

2. How is surface area in polar coordinates different from Cartesian coordinates?

In Cartesian coordinates, the coordinates of a point are represented by ordered pairs (x,y) on a flat plane. In polar coordinates, the coordinates of a point are represented by the distance from the origin (r) and the angle from the positive x-axis (θ). This difference in representation leads to different formulas for calculating surface area.

3. What is the formula for calculating surface area in polar coordinates?

The formula for calculating surface area in polar coordinates is A = ∫αβ ½r² dθ, where α and β are the starting and ending angles of the curve, and r is the distance from the origin to the curve. This formula is derived from the arc length formula and is similar to the formula for calculating area under a curve in rectangular coordinates.

4. Can surface area in polar coordinates be negative?

No, surface area in polar coordinates cannot be negative. Since it is a measure of the total area bounded by a curve, it is always a positive value. Additionally, the integral used to calculate surface area only takes positive values into account.

5. How is surface area in polar coordinates used in real-life applications?

Surface area in polar coordinates is used in various fields such as physics, engineering, and architecture. It helps in calculating the area of curved surfaces, which is important in designing structures such as bridges and buildings. It is also used in fields such as fluid mechanics to calculate the surface area of rotating objects.

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