2.

4 Arc Length

A.6 Use integrals to compute arc7.4 Arc Length

length.
Approximating Arc Length Example:
Approximating Arc Length:
Consider the graph of y = f (x), 1 ≤ x ≤ 7 shown below:
Consider the graph of y = f (x), 1  x  7 shown below:

it
We can approximate the length of this curve by using a similar method to approximating area or
volumeWe
as can approximate
we have done in the length
past: of this curve by using a similar method to approximating area as
we did
1. Divide thewith rectangles
interval 1  x in7the
intopast.
several smaller subintervals. Pick a number that would work
1.the
well for Divide thegraph.
above interval
How1 ≤many
x ≤ 7subintervals
into severalare
smaller subintervals.
you using and what Pick a number
is your x? that would work
well for the above graph. How many subintervals are you using and what is your ∆x?

2. For2.each
Forsubinterval (small(small
each subinterval range range
of x-values) what length
of x-values) could could
what length you use touse
you approximate the the
to approximate
lengthlength
of the ofsmall curve on just that interval? (Hint: Think about the tops of the trapezoids.)
the small curve on just that interval? Draw these line segments on the graph above.
Draw these line segments on the graph above.

3. How can you actually compute the length of these small line segments? The sum of all of these
small lengths gives an approximation for the total length of the curve from x = 1 to x = 7.
3. How can you actually compute the length of these small line segments? The sum of all of these
small lengths gives an approximation for the total length of the curve from x = 1 to x = 7.
General Idea for Approximation: Arc Length of graph of y = f (x) from x = a to x = b

• Divide the interval into n subintervals of

width and cut up the curve into
pieces over each subinterval.

• Use the line segments from to to approximate the length.

• These line segments each have length:

• Add up all the small line segment lengths to get approximation for total length.

How do we turn this into an expression that gives the exact arc length?

Formula for Arc Length:

The arc length of the graph of over can be computed as:

The arc length of the graph of over can be computed as:

2
Examples: Find the arc length of each curve. If it is not possible to evaluate the integral,
approximate it using n = 3.

1. The graph of y = 5 − 3x from x = 0 to x = 2.

[Can you verify you found the correct answer by using what you know about distance?]

2. The graph of x = 2y 3/2 + 1 between the points (3, 1) and (17, 4).

3
3. The graph of y = (sin x)3 from the origin to ( 3π
2
, −1). (Don’t forget the chain rule!)

y3 1
4. The graph of x = + over 1 ≤ y ≤ 2.
6 2y