What is the arc length of f(x)=(3x)/sqrt(x-1) f(x)=3xx1 on x in [2,6] x[2,6]?

1 Answer
Jul 8, 2018

approx 4.5145181844.514518184

Explanation:

Writing

f(x)=3x(x-1)^(-1/2)f(x)=3x(x1)12
then by the product and the chain rule we get

f'(x)=3(x-1)^(-1/2)+3x*(-1/2)*(x-1)^(-3/2)

which simplifies to

f'(x)=(3(x-2))/(2*(x-1)^(3/2))
so we have to solve

int_2^6 sqrt(1+(3(x-2)/(2*(x-1)^(3/2)))^2)dx
by a numerical method we get

\approx4.514518184