A calculus problem by D G

Calculus Level 5

Define an ellipse with major axis 3 3 and minor axis 2 2 :

x 2 9 + y 2 4 = 1 {\frac{x^2}{9} + \frac{y^2}{4} = 1}

Now construct a second curve of fixed normal distance d d from the ellipse (defining positive d d as pointing away from the origin). What is the average value of the circumference of this curve as d d ranges from 0 0 to 2 π 2 \pi ? If your answer can be expressed in the form

A π B + C E ( D F ) {A \pi^B + C E \left (-\frac{D}{F} \right )}

for positive integers A A , B B , C C , D D , F F , D D and F F coprime, where E ( x ) E(x) refers to the complete elliptic integral of the second kind, find A + B + C + D + F A + B + C + D + F .


The answer is 21.

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1 solution

For simplicity I work with a quarter of the ellipse. A quarter of the perimeter of the curve = a quarter of the perimeter of the ellipse + increment f (d). f(d)=-d * integral of second derivative of ellipse/(1+(first derivative of ellipse)^2), x from 0 to 3 = d * pi/2. A quarter of the perimeter of the ellipse = 3 * E(sqrt(5)/3). Multiplying everything by 4 we have: 2 * pi * d + 12 * E(sqrt(5)/3). The mean value for "d" between 0 and 2 * pi is: 2 * pi^2 + 12 * E(sqrt(5)/3).

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