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EXAMPLE 3Finding the Mass of a Wire with Variable Density

Find the mass M of a thin piece of wire in the shape of a semicircle x=2cost, y=2sint, 0tπ, if the variable density of the wire is ρ(x,y)=y+2.

Solution Using (2), we find that the mass M of the wire is M=Cρ(x,y)ds=C(y+2)ds=π0(y+2)(dxdt)2+(dydt)2dt=π0(2sint+2)(2sint)2+(2cost)2dtdxdt=2sint;dydt=2cost=π04(sint+1)dt=4[cost+t]π0=4[π+2]