Disc Method
Definition
The disc method is a technique used in calculus to find the volume of a solid of revolution by integrating the cross-sectional areas of infinitesimally thin discs.
Analogy
Imagine stacking up coins of different sizes to form a 3D shape. The disc method calculates the total volume by adding up the volumes of all these stacked discs.
Related terms
Washer Method: The washer method is another technique used to find the volume of a solid of revolution, but it considers both inner and outer radii instead of just one radius like the disc method.
Shell Method: The shell method is an alternative approach to finding the volume of a solid of revolution by integrating cylindrical shells instead of discs.
Cross-sectional Area: Cross-sectional area refers to the area formed when a plane intersects with a three-dimensional object. In the context of the disc method, it represents the area of each infinitesimally thin disc.
"Disc Method" appears in:
Additional resources (1)
Practice Questions (9)
What does the radius of each disc represent in the Disc Method?
When using the disc method to find the volume of a solid, the integrand represents:
How is the volume of each disc calculated in the Disc Method?
What is the Disc Method used for?
How is the area of each disc calculated in the Disc Method?
Which axis of revolution would result in the width of each disc being dx in the Disc Method?
When using the disc method to find the volume of a solid of revolution, what shape are the cross sections approximated as?
What does the disc method involve when calculating the volume of a solid of revolution?
What is the role of the width of each disc in the disc method?
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