Final Answer:
To find the surface area obtained by rotating the curve y=cos(x) from x=0 to x= π/2 about the x axis, we first find dy/dx = -sin(x).
Step-by-step explanation:
Formula for Surface Area: The surface area (S) of a solid of revolution generated by rotating a curve y=f(x) around the x-axis between x=a and x=b is calculated using the formula:
S = ∫[a,b] 2πy √(1 + (dy/dx)^2) dx
Differentiate y=cos(x): To apply the formula, we need to find the derivative of y=cos(x), which is dy/dx = -sin(x).
Substitute and Integrate: Plugging y=cos(x), dy/dx=-sin(x), a=0, and b=π/2 into the formula, we get the integral expression for the surface area:
S = ∫[0, π/2] 2πcos(x) √(1 + (-sin(x))^2) dx
Solving the integral: This integral can be solved using various methods like trigonometric substitution or numerical integration to obtain the final surface area value.
Therefore, finding dy/dx = -sin(x) is the first step in calculating the surface area using the formula for solids of revolution.