# Find the equation for the surface of revolution by revolving

• June 6th 2012, 12:49 PM
icelated
Find the equation for the surface of revolution by revolving
Find the equation for the surface of revolution by revolving
$2z = \sqrt {4- x^2}$ about the x- axis

Okay, this is far as i can get

$z = \frac {\sqrt {4- x^2}} {2}$

What should i do to solve this?
• June 6th 2012, 01:28 PM
Reckoner
Re: Find the equation for the surface of revolution by revolving
Quote:

Originally Posted by icelated
Find the equation for the surface of revolution by revolving
$2z = \sqrt {4- x^2}$ about the y - axis

Are you sure that the question asks for revolution about the y-axis? Because that doesn't make a lot of sense to me. The equation $2z = \sqrt{4-x^2}$ defines a plane curve in the $xz$-plane, which would be perpendicular to the $y$-axis. The axis of revolution should be in the same plane as the generating curve.
• June 6th 2012, 01:32 PM
icelated
Re: Find the equation for the surface of revolution by revolving
Sorry, i meant x-axis
• June 6th 2012, 01:47 PM
Reckoner
Re: Find the equation for the surface of revolution by revolving
Quote:

Originally Posted by icelated
Sorry, i meant x-axis

Okay, that's better.

Let's let $z = r(x) = \frac{\sqrt{4-x^2}}2$. For a fixed point on this curve $\left(x_0, 0, r\left(x_0\right)\right)$, revolving the point about the $x$-axis produces a circle parallel to the $yz$-plane whose equation is $y^2+z^2=\left[r(x_0)\right]^2$. Replacing $x_0$ with the independent variable $x$ gives us an equation for the resulting surface of revolution:

$y^2+z^2=\left[r(x)\right]^2$

$\Rightarrow y^2 + z^2 = \left(\frac{\sqrt{4-x^2}}2\right)^2$

$\Rightarrow y^2 + z^2 = \frac{4-x^2}4$

$\Rightarrow \frac{x^2}4 + y^2 + z^2 = 1$

As you can see from the equation, this surface is an ellipsoid.
• June 6th 2012, 02:30 PM
icelated
Re: Find the equation for the surface of revolution by revolving
Thank you