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1 Iterated Integrals and Area: Z Z Z Z Z Z

The document discusses iterated integrals and double integrals. It defines a double integral as integrating a function f(x,y) first with respect to one variable (x or y) over its bounds, and then integrating the result with respect to the other variable over its bounds. Examples are provided of evaluating double integrals by first integrating with respect to x then y, and vice versa, choosing whichever method is easier. Changing the order of integration may be necessary if one method is more difficult.

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Roy Vesey
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34 views

1 Iterated Integrals and Area: Z Z Z Z Z Z

The document discusses iterated integrals and double integrals. It defines a double integral as integrating a function f(x,y) first with respect to one variable (x or y) over its bounds, and then integrating the result with respect to the other variable over its bounds. Examples are provided of evaluating double integrals by first integrating with respect to x then y, and vice versa, choosing whichever method is easier. Changing the order of integration may be necessary if one method is more difficult.

Uploaded by

Roy Vesey
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1 Iterated Integrals and Area

Definition of an Iterated Integral


Just as we can take a partial derivative by considering only one of the
variables a true variable and holding the rest of the variables constant, we
can take a ”partial integral”. We indicate which is the true variable by
writing dx, dy, etc. Also as with partial derivatives, we can take two ”partial
integrals” taking one variable at a time. In practice, we will either take x
first then y or y first then x. We call this an iterated integral or a double
integral.
Definition of a Double Integral
Let f (x, y) be a function of two variables defined on a region R bounded
below and above by

y = g1 (x) and y = g2 (x) (1)

and to the left and right by

x=a and x=b (2)

then the double integral (or iterated integral) of f (x, y) over R is defined
by
Z Z Z b Z g2 (x) Z b Z g2 (x)
f (x, y)dydx = f (x, y)dydx = [ f (x, y)dy]dx (3)
R a g1 (x) a g1 (x)

Example
Find the double integral of f (x, y) = 6x2 + 2y over R where R is the
region between y = x2 and y = 4.
Solution
First we have that the inside limits of integration are x2 and 4. The
region is bounded from the left by x = −2 and from the right by x = 2 as
indicated by the picture below.

1
We now integrate
Z 2 Z 4 Z 2
(6x2 + 2y)dydx = [6x2 y + y 2 ]4x2 dx =
−2 x2 −2
Z 2 7
= (24x2 + 16) − (6x4 + x4 )dx = [8x3 + 16x − x5 ]2−2 = 102.4 (4)
−2 5

2 Changing the Order of Integration


If a region is bounded from the left by x = h1 (y) and the right by x = h2 (y)
and below and above by y = c and y = d, then we can find the double
integral of dxdy by first integrating with respect to x then with respect to
y. Sometimes there is a choice to make as to whether to integrate first with
respect to x and then with respect to y. We do whatever is easier.
Example
Find the double integral of f (x, y) = 3y over the triangle with vertices
(-1,1), (0,0), and (1,1).

Solution
We integrate with respect to x first. The region is bounded on the left
and the right by x = −y and x = y. The lowest the region gets is y = 0 and
the highest is y = 1. The integral is
Z 1Z y Z 1 Z 1
3ydxdy = [3xy]y−y dy = 6y 2 dy = [2y 3 ]10 = 2 (5)
0 −y 0 0

If we try instead to integrate with respect to y first, we have to cut the


region into two pieces and perform two iterated integrals. This gives
Z 0 Z 1 Z 1Z 1
3ydydx + 3ydydx =
−1 −x 0 x

0 3y 2 1 1 3y 2 1
Z Z
[ ] dx + [ ] dx =
−1 2 −x 0 2 x

2
Z 0
3 3
Z 1 3 3
( − x2 )dx + ( − x2 )dx =
−1 2 2 0 2 2
3 3x3 x3
[ x − ]0−1 + [ x − ]10 = 2 (6)
2 2 2 2
Clearly in this example it is easier to integrate with respect to x first!
Example
Evaluate the integral Z Z 1 3 2
ex dxdy (7)
0 3y

Solution
2
Try as you may, you will not find an antiderivative of ex . We have
another choice. The picture below shows the region.

We can switch the order of integration. The region is bounded above


and below by y = 1/3x and y = 0. The double integral with respect to y
first and then with respect to x is
Z 3 Z x/3 2
ex dydx (8)
0 0

The integrand is just a constant with respect to y so we get


Z 3 2
Z 3 x x2
x/3
[ex y]0 dx = e dx (9)
0 0 3
This integral can be performed with simple u-substitution.

u = x2 du = 2xdx (10)
and the integral becomes

1
Z 9 1 1 1
eu du = [ eu ]90 = e9 − (11)
6 0 6 6 6

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