How do I find the surface area of a solid of revolution using polar coordinates?

1 Answer
Oct 18, 2014

If a surface is obtained by rotating about the x-axis the polar curve #r=r(theta)# from #theta=theta_1# to #theta_2#, then its surface area A can by found by

#A=2pi int_{theta_1}^{theta_2}r(theta)sin theta sqrt{r^2+[r'(theta)]^2} d theta#.


I hope that this was helpful.