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A2 Math-JayD Centroid November 26, 2013

Centroid of a region under a curve

The centroid is the center of mass in an object that

you have learned in Physics. Here we study the center
of mass of a region under a curve and the center of
mass in a solid generated by a region of a curve by
rotating it about one of the axes. The centroid of
A
a region is the point in which all the mass of the O d
region is assumed to be concentrated at. In physics, F
the moment of a mass due to a force acting on it is
defined as F ×d, where d is the perpendicular distance
between the axis of moment and the direction of the
force.

We assume that the mass is uniformly distributed in the area under the curve. Suppose
we have a differentiable function M (x) which gives the moment of the region about the y
axis when we consider the area under the curve from x = a to an arbitrary point P (x, y)
on the curve.
If we increase the value of x by δx. Then we can assume that the moment M (x) will be
changed by a small amount δM. We may also assume that the strip shown in the figure
is approximately a rectangle of length y, and width δx.

P(x, y)

X
δx

The distance from the y axis to the center of the strip is x. We assume that mass(weight)
is concentrated at the center of the strip and the mass is proportional to the area of the
strip. We can visualize the force as the gravitational force acting perpendicular to the

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strip through the center. Hence, the moment of the strip about the y−axis is given by
∆M = xy∆x
We divide now by ∆x and get
∆M
= xy
∆x
Now, take ∆x → 0, so
dM ∆M
= lim = xy
dx ∆x→0 ∆x
Now we can find the moment M of the region about the y axis by taking integral of the
both sides. Z b
My = xy dx (1)
a

y
Alternatively, the same moment of the region about the y axis
can also be given by considering the mass concentrated at the
centroid (x, y) of the region. Since the total area of the region
Rb
is given by a y dx, and the distance to the centroid from the
y axis is x, The moment of the region about the y axis is given x centroid (x, y)

by distance times the area:

Z b
My = x y dx (2)
a
Now we equate expressions (1) and (2) for My :
Z b Z b
x y dx = xy dx
a a
Rb
xy dx
x = Ra b
a y dx

y-coordinate of the centroid

The moment of the strip about the x-axis is the force (acting through the center of the
strip) times the distance from the x-axis. This distance is y2 .

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 Y

P(x, y)

y
2

X
δx

Thus, the moment ∆M of the strip about the x-axis is

y
∆M = y∆x
2
Hence, as before, we take the limit as ∆x → 0.
y
∆M = y∆x
2
∆M 1
= y2
∆x 2
∆M dM 1
lim = = y2
∆x→0 ∆x dx 2
Z b
1 2
⇒ Mx = y dx (3)
a 2

Now we consider the whole region is concentrated at the centroid (x, y).

The moment of the region about the x-axis

centroid (x, y)
is the mass(area or weight) concentrated at
the centroid times the distance y So,
y
Z b
Mx = y y dx (4)
a x

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Now we equate the expressions (3) and (4) to get
Z b Z b
1 2
y y dx = y dx
a a 2
Rb 1 2
y dx
y = Ra b2
a y dx

The coordinates of the centroid (x, y) of a region under a curve are given by

Rb Rb 1 2
xy dx y dx
x = Rba
and y = Ra b2
a y dx a y dx

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The Centroid of a Three Dimensional Solid Figure.

Here, we discuss the solid figures generated by rotating a region under

a curve from x = a to x = b through 360◦ . As before, we let Mab be
the moment of the figure about the y-axis. Let (x, y) be any arbitrary
point on the curve and Max be the moment of the solid about the
x-axis from a to x. Because the volume generated about the x-axis X

is symmetric about the x-axis, the y coordinate of the centroid is

zero. So, we only talk about the x-coordinate of the centroid. Let
∆M be the change in the moment if we change the value of x by ∆x.
Without loss of generality we can assume that volume as the force. y
x x
As before the moment about the y-axis of the small solid disk is given by a b

∆x
∆M = distance from the y-axis ×∆V,
where ∆V is the volume of the small disk. Sine ∆V = πy 2 ∆x, we have

∆M = x∆V
∆M = xπy 2 ∆x
∆M
= xπy 2
∆x
∆M dM
Hence, lim = = πxy 2
∆x→0 ∆x dx
Now using integration we find the moment about the y-axis of the region under the curve
from x = a to x = b as Z b
Mab = πxy 2 dx
a
If the mass of the solid generated with a volume of V is concentrated at the centroid and
the y-coordinate of the centroid is y then on the other hand,

Mab = yV
Substituting for Mab , we have
Z b
yV = πxy 2 dx
a

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and dividing by V we get, Rb
πxy 2 dx
a
y= .
V
Rb
Since V = a πy 2 dx, the y-coordinate of the centroid is given by

Rb
a xy 2 dx
y = Rb
a y 2 dx

Examples
1. Find the centroid of a semicircle.

√
2. The area of the region enclosed by the x-axis and the curve y = x from x = 1 to
x = 4. is rotated about the x-axis. Find the coordinate of the centroid of the solid
generated.

3. The area of the region enclosed by the x-axis and the curve y = sin x from x = 0
to x = π is rotated through a 360◦ about the x-axis. Find the coordinates of the
centroid of the solid generated.

4. Find the centroid of a solid cone of height h and radius r.

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