Arkansas Tech University

MATH 2924: Calculus II

Dr. Marcel B. Finan
9 Areas and Volumes: The Method of Slicing
In this section we illustrate how the denite integral can be used to com-
pute the area of a region and the volume of certain solids. For example,
the approach to nding the area of a region will be to think of the region
as approximated by small elements, each of which is so geometrically sim-
ple that its area can be calculated directly, for example the slices might be
rectangles, circles, or triangles. Next, the areas of each of these elements are
added to obtain a Riemann sum. The limit of such Riemann sum as the
number of mesh points increases without bound gives the desired area. The
same idea applies in nding the volume of a solid. We refer to this process
as the method of slicing.
Finding Areas by The Method of Slicing
When calculating the area of a region using Riemann sums, slice the region
into thin pieces in which the geometry is so simple that the area can be
estimated. We illustrate this in the following examples.
Example 9.1
Use horizontal slices to nd the area of an isosceless triangle with vertices at
(0, 0), (5, 5) and (10, 0).
Solution.
We slice the triangle into n horizontal slices, each slice being approximately
a rectangle of width y = y
i
y
i1
and length w
i
. See Figure 9.1.
Figure 9.1
1
To nd w
i
, note that the triangles ABC and AB

are similar triangles so

that
w
i
10
=
5 y
i
5
.
Solving for w
i
, we nd w
i
= 10 2y
i
. Thus, the area of each piece is approx-
imately (10 2y
i
)y so that
Total Area
n

i=1
(10 2y
i
)y.
Letting n we get
Total Area =

5
0
(10 2y)dy = 10y y
2

5
0
= 25 square units.
Example 9.2
Use horizontal slices to set up a denite integral representing the area of a
semicircle of radius 7 cm.
Solution.
For simplicity, we assume that the circle is centered at (0, 0). We slice the
semicircle into n thin slices of width y = y
i
y
i1
and length 2w
i
=
2

49 y
2
i
. See Figure 9.2.
Figure 9.2
Thus, the area of a slice is approximately 2

49 y
2
i
y so that
Total Area
n

i=1
2

49 y
2
i
y.
2
Taking n and using the table of integrals we obtain
Total Area =

7
0
2

49 y
2
dy
=2
1
2

49 y
2
+ 49 arcsin (
y
7
)

7
0
=
49
2
cm
2
Finding Volumes by Slicing
When calculating the volume of a solid using Riemann sums, slice the solid
into thin pieces in which the geometry is so simple that the volume can be
estimated.
Example 9.3
Use vertical slicing to nd the volume of a cone with height 5 cm and radius
of base 5 cm.
Solution.
We consider a cone centered at the origin and with axis the xaxis. We
divide the cone into n thin disks each of thickness x = x
i
x
i1
and radius
y
i
= x
i
. See Figure 9.3.
Figure 9.3
Thus, the volume of a slice is approximately x
2
i
x so that
Total Volume
n

i=1
x
2
i
x.
Letting n to obtain
Total Volume =

5
0
x
2
dx =
x
3
3

5
0
=
125
3
cm
3
3
Example 9.4
The Great Pyramid of Egypt has a square base with side 755 feet long and
height 410 feet. Find the volume of the Great Pyramid in cubic feet.
Solution.
The pyramid may be thought of as being made up of layers parallel to the
base. Each layer is a thin rectangular box with square base and with thickness
z. Figure 9.4 illustrates a slice of the pyramid.
Figure 9.4
Let s
i
be the side length of a slice of height z
i
then
Total Volume s
2
i
z.
We express s
i
as a function of z using the vertical cross section in Figure 9.5.
Figure 9.5
By similar triangles, we get
s
i
755
=
410 z
i
410
.
Solving for s
i
one sees that the length of the rectangular box is given by the
formula
s
i
= 755
755
410
z
i
.
4
The total volume is approximated by adding the volumes of the n layers
V
n

i=1
[755
755
410
z
i
]
2
z.
Letting n we obtain
V =

410
0
[755
755
410
z]
2
dz = (
755
410
)
2

410
0
(410 z)
2
dz
=(
755
410
)
2
[
(410 z)
3
3
]
410
0
=
410
3
(
755
410
)
2
78 million ft
3
5