Volumes by Cylindrical Shells

Some volume problems are very difficult to handle by the methods of Section 6.2. For
instance, let’s consider the problem of finding the volume of the solid obtained by rotating
about the y-axis the region bounded by y
2x 2  x 3 and y
0. (See Figure 1.) If we slice
y perpendicular to the y-axis, we get a washer. But to compute the inner radius and the outer
y=2≈-˛ radius of the washer, we would have to solve the cubic equation y
2x 2  x 3 for x in
terms of y; that’s not easy.
1
xL=? xR=? Fortunately, there is a method, called the method of cylindrical shells, that is easier to
use in such a case. Figure 2 shows a cylindrical shell with inner radius r1, outer radius r2,
and height h. Its volume V is calculated by subtracting the volume V1 of the inner cylinder
from the volume V2 of the outer cylinder:
0 x
2 V
V2  V1


r 22 h 
r 21 h

r 22  r 21 h
FIGURE 1


r2  r1 r2  r1 h
r2  r1
r¡
Îr
2
hr2  r1 
r 2
r™
If we let r
r2  r1 (the thickness of the shell) and r
2 r2  r1  (the average radius
1

of the shell), then this formula for the volume of a cylindrical shell becomes
h

1 V
2
rh r

and it can be remembered as

FIGURE 2
V
[circumference][height][thickness]

Now let S be the solid obtained by rotating about the y-axis the region bounded by
y
f x [where f x  0], y
0, x
a, and x
b, where b  a  0. (See Figure 3.)

y y
y=ƒ y=ƒ

0 a b x 0 a b x

FIGURE 3

We divide the interval a, b into n subintervals x i1, x i  of equal width x and let xi be
the midpoint of the ith subinterval. If the rectangle with base x i1, x i  and height f xi  is
rotated about the y-axis, then the result is a cylindrical shell with average radius xi , height
f xi , and thickness x (see Figure 4), so by Formula 1 its volume is

Vi
2
xi  f xi  x

Therefore, an approximation to the volume V of S is given by the sum of the volumes of

these shells:
n n
V
V
i
1
i
 2
x f x  x
i
1
i i

1
2 ■ VOLUMES BY CYLINDRICAL SHELLS

y This approximation appears to become better as n l . But, from the definition of an inte-
y=ƒ gral, we know that
n

 2
x f
x  x
y
b
lim i i 2
xf
x dx
n l  i
1 a

0 Thus, the following appears plausible:

a b x
xi
x i-1 x–i
2 The volume of the solid in Figure 3, obtained by rotating about the y-axis the
y region under the curve y
f
x from a to b, is
y=ƒ
b
V
y 2
x f
x dx where 0  a  b
a

0 a b x
The argument using cylindrical shells makes Formula 2 seem reasonable, but later we
will be able to prove it. (See Exercise 47.)
The best way to remember Formula 2 is to think of a typical shell, cut and flattened as
in Figure 5, with radius x, circumference 2
x, height f
x, and thickness x or dx :
FIGURE 4
b
y
2
x  f
x dx
a

circumference height

ƒ ƒ
x

x x 2πx Îx

FIGURE 5

This type of reasoning will be helpful in other situations, such as when we rotate about
lines other than the y-axis.

EXAMPLE 1 Find the volume of the solid obtained by rotating about the y-axis the region
y bounded by y
2x 2  x 3 and y
0.
SOLUTION From the sketch in Figure 6 we see that a typical shell has radius x, circumfer-
ence 2
x, and height f
x
2x 2  x 3. So, by the shell method, the volume is
x 2≈-˛ 2 2
V
y
2
x
2x 2  x 3  dx
2
y
2x 3  x 4  dx
2 x 0 0
x

2
[ 1
2 x 4  15 x 5 ]
2
0
2
(8  325 )
165

FIGURE 6 It can be verified that the shell method gives the same answer as slicing.
y

■ ■ Figure 7 shows a computer-generated

picture of the solid whose volume we computed

in Example 1.

FIGURE 7
 VOLUMES BY CYLINDRICAL SHELLS ■ 3

NOTE ■
Comparing the solution of Example 1 with the remarks at the beginning of this
section, we see that the method of cylindrical shells is much easier than the washer method
for this problem. We did not have to find the coordinates of the local maximum and we did
not have to solve the equation of the curve for x in terms of y. However, in other examples
the methods of the preceding section may be easier.

y EXAMPLE 2 Find the volume of the solid obtained by rotating about the y-axis the region
y=x between y
x and y
x 2.
y=≈
SOLUTION The region and a typical shell are shown in Figure 8. We see that the shell has
shell radius x, circumference 2
x, and height x  x 2. So the volume is
height=x-≈
1 1
0 x x V
y 2
xx  x 2  dx
2
y x 2  x 3  dx
0 0

FIGURE 8
2

x3
3

x4
4
  1

0




6

As the following example shows, the shell method works just as well if we rotate about
the x-axis. We simply have to draw a diagram to identify the radius and height of a shell.

EXAMPLE 3 Use cylindrical shells to find the volume of the solid obtained by rotating
about the x-axis the region under the curve y
sx from 0 to 1.
SOLUTION This problem was solved using disks in Example 2 in Section 6.2. To use shells
y
shell height=1-¥ we relabel the curve y
sx (in the figure in that example) as x
y 2 in Figure 9. For
1 rotation about the x-axis we see that a typical shell has radius y, circumference 2
y, and
height 1  y 2. So the volume is
y
x=1 1 1
x=¥ shell V
y 2
y1  y 2  dy
2
y y  y 3  dy
0 0
radius=y

0 1 x
2
 y2
2

y4
4
 1

0




2

FIGURE 9 In this problem the disk method was simpler.

EXAMPLE 4 Find the volume of the solid obtained by rotating the region bounded by
y
x  x 2 and y
0 about the line x
2.
SOLUTION Figure 10 shows the region and a cylindrical shell formed by rotation about the
line x
2. It has radius 2  x, circumference 2
2  x, and height x  x 2.

y y

y=x-≈ x=2

0 x 0 x
1 2 3 4
x 2-x
FIGURE 10

The volume of the given solid is

1 1
V
y 2
2  xx  x 2  dx
2
y x 3  3x 2  2x dx
0 0

2
 x4
4
 x3  x2 1

0




2
4 ■ VOLUMES BY CYLINDRICAL SHELLS

Exercises
15–20 Use the method of cylindrical shells to find the volume
A Click here for answers. S Click here for solutions. generated by rotating the region bounded by the given curves about
the specified axis. Sketch the region and a typical shell.
1. Let S be the solid obtained by rotating the region shown in 15. y
x 2, y
0, x
1, x
2; about x
1
the figure about the y-axis. Explain why it is awkward to use
16. y
x , y
0, x
2, x
1;
2
about the y-axis
slicing to find the volume V of S. Sketch a typical approxi-
mating shell. What are its circumference and height? Use shells 17. y
x , y
0, x
1, x
2;
2
about x
4
to find V .
18. y
4x  x , y
8x  2x ; 2 2
about x
2
y
19. y
sx  1, y
0, x
5; about y
3
y=x(x-1)@ 20. y
x , x
y ; 2 2
about y
1
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

0 x 21–26 Set up, but do not evaluate, an integral for the volume
1
of the solid obtained by rotating the region bounded by the given
2. Let S be the solid obtained by rotating the region shown in the curves about the specified axis.
figure about the y-axis. Sketch a typical cylindrical shell and 21. y
ln x, y
0, x
2; about the y-axis
find its circumference and height. Use shells to find the volume
of S. Do you think this method is preferable to slicing? Explain. 22. y
x, y
4x  x ; 2
about x
7

y 23. y
x , y
sin
x 2;

4
about x
1
24. y
1 1  x , y
0, x
0, x
2;
2
about x
2
y=sin{ ≈}
25. x
ssin y, 0  y 
, x
0; about y
4
26. x  y
7, x
4;
2 2
about y
5
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

0 x
π
œ„ 27. Use the Midpoint Rule with n
4 to estimate the volume
obtained by rotating about the y-axis the region under the curve
3–7 Use the method of cylindrical shells to find the volume gen-
y
tan x, 0  x 
4 .
erated by rotating the region bounded by the given curves about the
y-axis. Sketch the region and a typical shell. 28. If the region shown in the figure is rotated about the y-axis to
form a solid, use the Midpoint Rule with n
5 to estimate the
3. y
1 x, y
0, x
1, x
2
volume of the solid.
4. y
x 2, y
0, x
1
x 2
5. y
e , y
0, x
0, x
1 y
5
6. y
3  2x  x 2, xy
3
4
7. y
4x  2 , 2
y
x 2  4x  7
3
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

2
8. Let V be the volume of the solid obtained by rotating about the
1
y-axis the region bounded by y
sx and y
x 2. Find V both
by slicing and by cylindrical shells. In both cases draw a dia- 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 x
gram to explain your method.

9–14 Use the method of cylindrical shells to find the volume of 29–32 Each integral represents the volume of a solid. Describe
the solid obtained by rotating the region bounded by the given the solid.
curves about the x-axis. Sketch the region and a typical shell.
3
9. x
1  y 2, x
0, y
1, y
2 29. y 2
x 5 dx
0

10. x
sy, x
0, y
1 2 y

30. 2
y dy
11. y
x , 3
y
8, x
0 0 1  y2
12. x
4y 2  y 3, x
0 1
31. y 2
3  y1  y 2  dy
13. y
4x , 2x  y
6
2 0

4
14. x  y
3, x
4   y  12 32. 2

 xcos x  sin x dx
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
y
0

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
 VOLUMES BY CYLINDRICAL SHELLS ■ 5

; 33–34 Use a graph to estimate the x-coordinates of the points of 45. A right circular cone with height h and base radius r
intersection of the given curves. Then use this information to esti- ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

mate the volume of the solid obtained by rotating about the y-axis
the region enclosed by these curves. 46. Suppose you make napkin rings by drilling holes with different
diameters through two wooden balls (which also have different
33. y
0, y
x
x x 2 4
diameters). You discover that both napkin rings have the same
34. y
x 4, y
3x  x 3 height h, as shown in the figure.
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ (a) Guess which ring has more wood in it.
CAS 35–36 Use a computer algebra system to find the exact volume (b) Check your guess: Use cylindrical shells to compute the
of the solid obtained by rotating the region bounded by the given volume of a napkin ring created by drilling a hole with
curves about the specified line. radius r through the center of a sphere of radius R and
express the answer in terms of h.
35. y
sin2 x, y
sin4 x, 0  x   ; about x
 2
36. y
x sin x, y
0, 0  x   ;
3
about x
1
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

37–42 The region bounded by the given curves is rotated about

h
the specified axis. Find the volume of the resulting solid by any
method.
37. y
x 2
x  2, y
0; about the x-axis
38. y
x  3x
2, y
0;
2
about the y-axis
47. We arrived at Formula 2, V
xab 2 x f
x dx, by using
39. y
5, y
x

4x; about x
1 cylindrical shells, but now we can use integration by parts to
40. x
1  y 4, x
0; about x
2 prove it using the slicing method of Section 6.2, at least for the
case where f is one-to-one and therefore has an inverse func-
41. x 2

y  12
1; about the y-axis tion t. Use the figure to show that
42. x

y  1
1;
2 2
about the x-axis d
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ V
 b 2d   a 2c  y   t
y 2 dy
c

43–45 Use cylindrical shells to find the volume of the solid.

Make the substitution y
f
x and then use integration by
43. A sphere of radius r parts on the resulting integral to prove that V
xab 2 x f
x dx.
44. The solid torus (a donut-shaped solid with radii R and r)
shown in the figure y
x=g(y) y=ƒ
d

R x=b
r c
x=a
0 a b x
6 ■ VOLUMES BY CYLINDRICAL SHELLS

Answers
9. 21
2 y
1+¥
S Click here for solutions. 2

1
1. Circumference
2
x, height
x x  12;
15
y
0 1 x

x(x-1)@ y

0 1 x

y
y

0 1 x

1 x
x

3. 2
y 11. 768
7 13. 250
3

15. 17
6 17. 67
6 19. 24

1 21. x12 2
x ln x dx
x 23. x01 2
x  1sin
x 2  x 4  dx
0 x 25. x0
2
4  y ssin y dy 27. 1.142
29. Solid obtained by rotating the region 0  y  x 4, 0  x  3
y about the y-axis
31. Solid obtained by rotating the region bounded by
(i) x
1  y 2, x
0, and y
0, or (ii) x
y 2, x
1, and y
0
about the line y
3
35. 32
3 37. 81
10
1
33. 0, 1.32; 4.05
39. 8
3  ln 4 41. 4
3 43. 3
r 3 45. 3
r 2h
x 4 1
x

5.
1  1 e 7. 16

 VOLUMES BY CYLINDRICAL SHELLS ■ 7

Solutions: Volumes by Cylindrical Shells

1. If we were to use the “washer” method, we would first have

to locate the local maximum point (a, b) of y = x(x − 1)2
using the methods of Chapter 4. Then we would have to
solve the equation y = x(x − 1)2 for x in terms of y to
obtain the functions x = g1 (y) and x = g2 (y) shown in the
first figure. This step would be difficult because it involves
the cubic formula. Finally we would find the volume using
Rb© ª
V = π 0 [g1 (y)]2 − [g2 (y)]2 dy.

Using shells, we find that a typical approximating shell has radius x, so its circumference is 2πx. Its height is y, that

is, x(x − 1)2 . So the total volume is

· 5 ¸1
R1 £ ¤ R1¡ ¢ x x4 x3 π
V = 0
2πx x(x − 1)2 dx = 2π 0 x4 − 2x3 + x2 dx = 2π −2 + =
5 4 3 0 15

Z 2 Z 2
1
3. V = 2πx · dx = 2π 1 dx
1 x 1

= 2π [x]21 = 2π(2 − 1) = 2π

R1 2
5. V = 0
2πxe−x dx. Let u = x2 .
Thus, du = 2x dx, so
R1 £ ¤1
V = π 0 e−u du = π −e−u 0

= π(1 − 1/e)
8 ■ VOLUMES BY CYLINDRICAL SHELLS

7. The curves intersect when 4(x − 2)2 = x2 − 4x + 7 ⇔ 4x2 − 16x + 16 = x2 − 4x + 7 ⇔

3x2 − 12x + 9 = 0 ⇔ 3(x2 − 4x + 3) = 0 ⇔ 3(x − 1)(x − 3) = 0, so x = 1 or 3.

R 3 © £¡ 2 ¢ ¤ª R3£ ¤
V = 2π 1
x x − 4x + 7 − 4(x − 2)2 dx = 2π 1 x(x2 − 4x + 7 − 4x2 + 16x − 16) dx
R3£ ¤ R3 £ ¤3
= 2π 1
x(−3x2 + 12x − 9) dx = 2π(−3) 1 (x3 − 4x2 + 3x) dx = −6π 14 x4 − 43 x3 + 32 x2 1
£¡ 81 27
¢ ¡1 4 3
¢¤ ¡ ¢ ¡ ¢
= −6π 4
− 36 + 2
− 4
− 3
+ 2
= −6π 20 − 36 + 12 + 43 = −6π − 83 = 16π

R2 ¡ ¢ R2¡ ¢ £ ¤2
9. V = 2πy 1 + y 2 dy = 2π 1 y + y 3 dy = 2π 12 y 2 + 14 y4 1
1
£ ¡ ¢¤ ¡ ¢
= 2π (2 + 4) − 12 + 14 = 2π 21
4
= 21π
2

Z 8
√
11. V = 2π [y( 3 y − 0)] dy
0
Z 8 h i8
= 2π y4/3 dy = 2π 3 7/3
7
y
0 0

6π 7/3 6π 7 768π
= (8 ) = (2 ) =
7 7 7
 VOLUMES BY CYLINDRICAL SHELLS ■ 9

13. The curves intersect when 4x2 = 6 − 2x ⇔ 2x2 + x − 3 = 0 ⇔ (2x + 3)(x − 1) = 0 ⇔ x = − 32 or 1.

√
Solving the equations for x gives us y = 4x2 ⇒ x = ± 12 y and 2x + y = 6 ⇒ x = − 12 y + 3.
Z 4 Z 9
© £¡ 1 √ ¢ ¡ 1 √ ¢¤ª © £¡ 1 ¢ ¡ √ ¢¤ª
V = 2π y 2 y − −2 y dy + 2π y − 2 y + 3 − − 12 y dy
0 4
Z 4 Z 9 ³ ´ h i4 h i9
√
= 2π (y y ) dy + 2π − 12 y2 + 3y + 1 3/2
2
y dy = 2π 2 5/2
5
y + 2π − 16 y3 + 32 y2 + 15 y 5/2
0 4 0 4
¡2¢ £¡ ¢ ¡ 32 ¢¤
= 2π 5
· 32 + 2π − 243 2
+ 243
2
+ 243
5
− − 3 + 24 + 32
5
¡ ¢
= 128
5
π + 2π 433
15
= 1250
15
π = 250
3
π

R2 £1 ¤2
15. V = 1
2π(x − 1)x2 dx = 2π 4
x4 − 13 x3 1
£¡ 8
¢ ¡1 1
¢¤ 17
= 2π 4 − 3
− 4
− 3
= 6
π

R2 £4 ¤2
17. V = 1
2π(4 − x)x2 dx = 2π 3x
3
− 14 x4 1
£¡ 32 ¢ ¡ ¢¤
= 2π 3 − 4 − 43 − 14 = 67
6 π

R2
19. V = 2π(3 − y)(5 − x)dy
0
R2 ¡ ¢
= 0 2π(3 − y) 5 − y 2 − 1 dy
R2 ¡ ¢
= 0 2π 12 − 4y − 3y 2 + y 3 dy
£ ¤2
= 2π 12y − 2y 2 − y 3 + 14 y4 0

= 2π(24 − 8 − 8 + 4) = 24π
10 ■ VOLUMES BY CYLINDRICAL SHELLS

R2 R1 ¡ ¢
21. V = 1
2πx ln x dx 23. V = 0
2π[x − (−1)] sin π2 x − x4 dx

Rπ √
25. V = 0
2π(4 − y) sin y dy

π/4 − 0 π
27. ∆x = = .
4 16
R π/4 π
¡ π π 3π
¢
V = 0
2πx tan x dx ≈ 2π · 16 32
tan 32 + 32
tan 3π
32
+ 5π
32
tan 5π
32
+ 7π
32
tan 7π
32
≈ 1.142

R3 R3
29. 0
2πx5 dx = 2π 0
x(x4 ) dx. The solid is obtained by rotating the region 0 ≤ y ≤ x4 , 0 ≤ x ≤ 3 about the

y-axis using cylindrical shells.

R1
31. 0
2π(3 − y)(1 − y 2 ) dy. The solid is obtained by rotating the region bounded by (i) x = 1 − y2 , x = 0, and
y = 0 or (ii) x = y2 , x = 1, and y = 0 about the line y = 3 using cylindrical shells.

33. From the graph, the curves intersect at x = 0 and at x = a ≈ 1.32, with
x + x2 − x4 > 0 on the interval (0, a). So the volume of the solid
obtained by rotating the region about the y-axis is
Z Z
a £ ¤ a
V = 2π x(x + x2 − x4 ) dx = 2π (x2 + x3 − x5 ) dx
0 0
£1 ¤a
= 2π 3
x3 + 14 x4 − 16 x6 0
≈ 4.05

Z π/2 £¡ π ¢¡ ¢¤
35. V = 2π 2 − x sin2 x − sin4 x dx
0

CAS 1 3
= 32 π
 VOLUMES BY CYLINDRICAL SHELLS ■ 11

37. Use disks:

R1 ¡ ¢2 R1 ¡ ¢
V = −2
π x2 + x − 2 dx = π −2 x4 + 2x3 − 3x2 − 4x + 4 dx
£1 ¤1 £¡ 1 ¢ ¡ ¢¤
=π 5
x5 + 12 x4 − x3 − 2x2 + 4x −2
=π 5
+ 1
2
− 1 − 2 + 4 − − 32
5
+8+8−8−8
¡ 33 3
¢ 81
=π 5 + 2
= 10 π

39. Use shells:

R4
V = 1 2π[x − (−1)][5 − (x + 4/x)] dx
R4
= 2π 1
(x + 1)(5 − x − 4/x) dx
R4¡ ¢
= 2π 1
5x − x2 − 4 + 5 − x − 4/x dx
R4¡ ¢ £ ¤4
= 2π −x2 + 4x + 1 − 4/x dx = 2π − 13 x3 + 2x2 + x − 4 ln x 1
1
£¡ ¢ ¡ ¢¤
= 2π − 64
3
+ 32 + 4 − 4 ln 4 − − 13 + 2 + 1 − 0

= 2π(12 − 4 ln 4) = 8π(3 − ln 4)

Z ·q ¸2 Z µ ¶
2 2 ¡ ¢ £ ¤2 8 4
41. Use disks: V = π 1 − (y − 1)2 dy = π 2y − y2 dy = π y 2 − 13 y 3 0 = π 4 − = π
0 0 3 3
Rr √ Rr¡ ¢1/2 h ¡ ¢3/2 ir
43. V = 2 0 2πx r 2 − x2 dx = −2π 0 r 2 − x2 (−2x) dx = −2π · 2
3
r 2 − x2
0
¡ ¢
= − 43 π 0 − r 3 = 43 πr 3
Z r µ ¶ Z rµ ¶ · ¸r
h x2 x3 x2 r2 πr 2 h
45. V = 2π x − x + h dx = 2πh − + x dx = 2πh − + = 2πh =
0 r 0 r 3r 2 0 6 3

47. Using the formula for volumes of rotation and the figure, we see that
Rd Rc Rd Rd
Volume = 0 πb2 dy − 0 πa2 dy − c π[g(y)]2 dy = πb2 d − πa2 c − c π[g(y)]2 dy. Let y = f (x), which
Rb
gives dy = f 0 (x) dx and g(y) = x, so that V = πb2 d − πa2 c − π a x2 f 0 (x) dx. Now integrate
by parts with u = x2 , and dv = f 0 (x) dx ⇒ du = 2x dx, v = f (x), and
Rb 2 0 £ ¤b R b Rb
a
x f (x) dx = x2 f (x) a − a 2x f (x) dx = b2 f (b) − a2 f (a) − a 2x f (x) dx, but f (a) = c and f (b) = d
h Rb i R
b
⇒ V = πb2 d − πa2 c − π b2 d − a2 c − a 2xf (x) dx = a 2πxf (x) dx.