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Feb 19th, 2001, 04:42 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Member
What is the length of a sine wave y = sin(x), from 0 to 2PI?
The standard way of computing it is to intergrate it from 0 to 2PI, as follows
y = sin(x)
Intergrate(sqrt(1 + (dy/dx)^2), 0, 2PI, dx)
(Yes, I'm creating the intergrate function on the fly, but you can see the logic, if you know calculus and parametric equations.)
This leads to the following:
Intergrate(sqrt(1 + (cos(x))^2), 0, 2PI, dx)
Now, I'm stuck. where can I go from here?
And don't make the mistake of saying
1 + (cos(x))^2 = sin(x)^2
The correct substitution for that is
1 - (cos(x))^2 = sin(x)^2
The one thing I can use (I guess) is symmetry.
I know the length of a cosine wave is the same as a sine wave. therefore
Len(sine wave) = Len(cos wave),
or
Intergrate(sqrt(1 + (cos(x))^2), 0, 2PI, dx) =
Intergrate(sqrt(1 + (sin(x))^2), 0, 2PI, dx)
where do I go from here?
If I can't directly solve it, how do I approximate it?
What value does it approach?
(just doing some recreational math)
Samwise Galenorn
[email protected]
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