Section 7.

3: Volume by Cylindrical Shells

Let f be a continuous function such that f (x) ≥ 0 for all x in [a, b]. What is the volume
of the solid obtained by revolving the region under the curve y = f (x) for a ≤ x ≤ b about
the y-axis?

Consider a vertical strip of width dx. If this strip is revolved about the x-axis, we obtain a
cylindrical shell with height f (x) and thickness dx. The shell has volume
dV = 2πxf (x)dx.
Summing the volumes of these shells for a ≤ x ≤ b, we obtain the volume of the solid.

Theorem: (The Shell Method)

If R is the region under the curve y = f (x) on the interval [a, b], then the volume of the solid
obtained by revolving R about the y-axis is
Z b
V = 2π xf (x)dx.
a

1
Example: Find the volume of the solid obtained by revolving the region bounded by y = ,
x
y = 0, x = 1, and x = 4 about the y-axis.

Using the Shell Method,

Z 4  
1
V = 2π x dx
1 x
Z 4
= 2π 1dx
1
= 6π.
Example: Find the volume of the solid obtained by revolving the region bounded by y = x−x2
and y = 0 about the y-axis.

Using the Shell Method,

Z 1
V = 2π x(x − x2 )dx
Z0 1
= 2π (x2 − x3 )dx
0
 1
1 3 1 4 
= 2π x − x 
3 4 0
π
= .
6

2
Example: Find the volume of the solid obtained by revolving the region bounded by y = e−x ,
y = 0, x = 0, and x = 1 about the y-axis.

Using the Shell Method, Z 1

2
V = 2π xe−x dx.
0
2
Let u = x , du = 2xdx. Then
Z 1
V = π e−u du
0
1
= −πe−u 0
 
1
= π 1− .
e

Example: Find the volume of the solid obtained by revolving the region bounded by x = y 2 ,
x = 0, y = 2, and y = 5 about the x-axis.
Using the Shell Method,
Z 5
V = 2π y(y 2 )dy
Z2 5
= 2π y 3 dy
2
 4 5
y 
= 2π
4 2
π
= (625 − 16)
2
609π
= .
2

Example: Find the volume of the solid obtained by revolving the region bounded by y = x2 ,
y = 0, x = 1, and x = 2 about the line x = 3.

Using the Shell Method,

Z 2
V = 2π (3 − x)x2 dx
Z1 2
= 2π (3x2 − x3 )dx
1
 2
3 1 4 
= 2π x − x 
4 1
13π
= .
2

√
Example: Find the volume of the solid obtained by revolving the region bounded by y = x
and y = x2 about the line x = −1.

Using the Shell Method,

Z 1 √
V = 2π (1 + x)( x − x2 )dx
Z0 1
√
= 2π ( x − x2 + x3/2 − x3 )dx
0
 1
2 3/2 1 3 2 5/2 1 4 
= 2π x − x + x − x 
3 3 5 4 0
29π
= .
30
Note: For many problems, more than one method can be used to compute the volume of a
solid of revolution.

Example: Consider the region R bounded by y = x2 and y = 2x. Set up (but do not evaluate)
integrals to find the volume of the solid obtained by revolving R about the x-axis using the
Washer Method and Shell Method.

Using the Washer Method,

Z 2 Z 2
2 2 2
V =π [(2x) − (x ) ]dx = π (4x2 − x4 )dx.
0 0

Using the Shell Method,

Z 4 √ Z 4  
y 3/2 1 2
V = 2π y y− dy = 2π y − y dy.
0 2 0 2

π
Example: Consider the region R bounded by y = cos x, y = 0, x = 0, and x = . Set up
2
(but do not evaluate) integrals to find the volume of the solid obtained by revolving R about
the y-axis using the Disk Method and Shell Method.

Using the Shell Method,

Z π/2
V = 2π x cos xdx.
0
Using the Disk Method, Z 1
V =π [cos−1 (y)]2 dy.
0