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Arc Length

This document discusses vector functions and arc length. It defines arc length for both plane and space curves using limits of inscribed polygons. It provides formulas for calculating arc length using vector functions and derivatives. An example calculates the arc length of a circular helix. The document also discusses how arc length is independent of parametrization and can be used to reparametrize a curve.

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82 views

Arc Length

This document discusses vector functions and arc length. It defines arc length for both plane and space curves using limits of inscribed polygons. It provides formulas for calculating arc length using vector functions and derivatives. An example calculates the arc length of a circular helix. The document also discusses how arc length is independent of parametrization and can be used to reparametrize a curve.

Uploaded by

2020853882
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Vector Functions

Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.


Arc Length and Curvature

Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.


Arc Length
We have defined the length of a plane curve with parametric
equations x = f (t), y = g(t), a  t  b, as the limit of lengths of
inscribed polygons and, for the case where f ' and g' are
continuous, we arrived at the formula

The length of a space curve is defined in exactly the same way.

Figure 1
The length of a space curve is the
limit of lengths of inscribed polygons.

3
Suppose that the curve has the vector
equation, r(t) = f (t), g(t), h(t), a  t  b, or,
equivalently, the parametric equations

Arc Length and x = f (t), y = g(t), z = h(t),


Curvature
where f ', g', and h' are continuous.

If the curve is traversed exactly once as t


increases from a to b, then it can be shown
that its length is

4
Arc Length and Curvature
Notice that both of the arc length formulas (1) and (2)
can be put into the more compact form

because, for plane curves r(t) = f (t) i + g(t) j,

and for space curves r(t) = f (t) i + g(t) j + h(t) k,

5
Find the length of the arc of
the circular helix with vector
equation
Example
r(t) = cos t i + sin t j + t k

from the point (1, 0, 0) to


the point (1, 0, 2).

6
Example

Solution:
Since r'(t) = –sin t i + cos t j + k, we have

The arc from (1, 0, 0) to (1, 0, 2) is


described by the parameter interval 0  t 
2 and so, from Formula 3, we have

7
A single curve C can be represented
by more than one vector function.
For instance, the twisted cubic

r1(t) = t, t2, t3 1t2

Arc Length could also be represented by the


function

r2(u) = eu, e2u, e3u 0  u  ln 2

where the connection between the


parameters t and u is given by t = eu.

We say that Equations 4 and 5 are


parametrizations of the curve C.
8
Arc Length

In general, it can be shown that when equation

is used to compute arc length, the answer is independent of the


parametrization that is used.

Now we suppose that C is a curve given by a vector function

r(t) = f (t) i + g(t) j + h(t) k atb

where r' is continuous and C is traversed exactly once as t


increases from a to b.

9
Arc Length

We define its arc length function s by

Thus s(t) is the length of the part of C between r(a) and r(t).

10
Arc Length

If we differentiate both sides of previous equation


using Part 1 of the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus,
we obtain​

It is often useful to parametrize a curve with respect


to arc length because arc length arises naturally from
the shape of the curve and does not depend on a
particular coordinate system.
11
If a curve r(t) is already given in
terms of a parameter t and s(t)
is the arc length function given
by previous equation, then we
may be able to solve for t as a
function of s: t = t(s).

Arc Length Then the curve can be


reparametrized in terms of s by
substituting for t: r = r(t(s)).

Thus, if s = 3 for instance,


r(t(3)) is the position vector of
the point 3 units of length along
the curve from its starting point.
12

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