Past exam of the physics 1 paper of the University of Oxford / 2017 / 6 / b

Use the usual dumbbell geometry: the uniform thin rod joins the disc centres and is perpendicular to both disc faces. The required axis through the rod midpoint lies in a direction parallel to a diameter of each disc. For either disc, rotational symmetry and the perpendicular axis theorem giveEach disc centre lies a distance $l/2$ from the requested axis. The parallel axis theorem therefore gives a disc contribution $M{a}^2/4+M(l/2{)}^2$. The rod contributesAdd the two disc contributions and the rod's moment of inertia:Using $M{a}^2/2$ for each disc's central contribution would instead use an axis perpendicular to its face, which is parallel to the rod and is not the requested axis.