Area of the Surface Element

The equation R(u,

v) = x, y, z represents a transformation
from a uv-plane to an xyz-axis. The graph of all the points

R(u,
v) is a surface.

Suppose we subdivide a region of the uv-axis into a rectangular

grid.


This automatically subdivides the surface R(u,
v) into a grid.

Consider one rectangle on the uv grid.

 be the vector denoting the change in position along

Let dR
this curve.

dR =
du
u
1.
Let us call this tangent vector T

T1 =
du =
u

x y z
,
,
u u u

du

T2 =
dv =
v

x y z
,
,
v v v

dv

(
1 T
2 =
T

R
du
u

R
dv
v


 i
 x
=  u
 x
v

j
y
u
y
v


k 

z 
u  du dv
z 
v

The length of this cross product is equal to the area of one

surface element

The length of this cross product is denoted by dS



 R

 R
dS = 

 du dv
 u v 




 R R
Total Surface Area of S =


 du dv


u
v
D

R = u cos v, u sin v, 4 u
where 0 u 2 and 0 v 2

y = 2z z 2

y = 2z z 2
= x, y, z = x, 2z z 2 , z
R

y = 2z z 2
= x, y, z = x, 2z z 2 , z
R

D is the triangle in the xz plane with vertices (0, 0, 0), (0, 0, 1)

and (2, 0, 0). S is the section shaded in blue. Find the surface
area of S.


z = x2 + y 2


z = x2 + y 2

2
2

R = x, y, z = x, y,
x +y


z = x2 + y 2

2
2

R = x, y, z = x, y, x + y = r cos , r sin , r


z = x2 + y 2
= r cos , r sin , r
R

where 1 r

 = 2 cos sin , 2 sin sin , 2 cos

R
Let S be the portion of the hemisphere of radius 2 that is inside
the cylinder x2 + y 2 = 1. Find the surface area of S.