+ We present a more tedious analytic solution.

- We consider a portion of the surface area

Input := 

f[x_] = Sqrt[1 - x^2];
Input := 

s[w_] = Integrate[Sqrt[1 + f'[x]^2],{x,1-w,1}]
Output =


Pi                          1

-- - ArcTan[(1 - w) Sqrt[--------]]

2                               2

                         2 w - w

Input := 

curve = ParametricPlot[{s[w],1-w},{w,.0000001,1},
		AspectRatio->Automatic]
Output =


-Graphics-

Input := 

s[1-u]
Output =


Pi                        1

-- - ArcTan[Sqrt[--------------------] u]

2                                   2

                 2 (1 - u) - (1 - u)

- If we collect terms we get.

Input := 

express = Pi/2 -
	ArcTan[u Sqrt[1/Expand[2(1-u) - (1 - u)^2]]]
Output =


Pi                   1

-- - ArcTan[u Sqrt[------]]

2                       2

                   1 - u

- And if we draw a triangle with hypotenuse 1 and sides u and Sqrt[1 - u^2] then it can be shown that express = ArcCos[u].

- But a plot will "prove" that s[1-u] IS ArcCos[u].

Input := 

border = Plot[s[1-u],{u,0.0000001,.99999999}, 
	AspectRatio->Automatic]
Output =


-Graphics-

Input := 

arcCos = Plot[ArcCos[u],{u,0,1},
	AspectRatio->Automatic]

General::spell1: 

   Possible spelling error: new symbol name "arcCos"

     is similar to existing symbol "ArcCos".



;[o]

General::spell1: 

   Possible spelling error: new symbol name "arcCos"

     is similar to existing symbol "ArcCos".

Output =


-Graphics-

- We see they match perfectly!

Input := 

Show[border,arcCos]
Output =


-Graphics-

- We compute the area of the flat cut out sheet.

Input := 

Integrate[Cos[x],{x,0, Pi/2}]
Output =


1

- We compute the desired surface area using the element of surface area in a double integral.

Input := 

g[x_,y_] = Sqrt[1 - x^2]
Output =


          2

Sqrt[1 - x ]

Input := 

SA[x_,y_] = Sqrt[D[g[x,y],x]^2 + D[g[x,y],y]^2 + 1]
Output =


            2

           x

Sqrt[1 + ------]

              2

         1 - x

Input := 

inner[x_,y_] = Integrate[SA[x,y],{x,y,1}] 
Output =


Pi                   1

-- - ArcTan[y Sqrt[------]]

2                       2

                   1 - y

Input := 

NIntegrate[inner[x,y],{y,0,1}]
Output =


1.

- We see that they are the same.