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Double Integral

Double Integral

Double integration is a mathematical process used to compute the integral of a function over a two-dimensional region. It involves two successive integrations and is often used to find areas, volumes, and other quantities that extend over a plane. Formally, if f(x, y) is a function defined over a region R in the xy -plane, the double integral of f over R is denoted as:

where dA represents the differential area element. The double integral can be evaluated iteratively by integrating f with respect to one variable while treating the other variable as a constant, and then integrating the resulting expression with respect to the second variable.

1.0Double Integral

An integral in which the integrand is integrated twice is a double integral,

The integration is performed from the inside out.

Example 1: Find

Solution:

Hence,

Functions of more than one variable may be integrated with respect to one variable at a time while the other variables are held constant, reversing the process of partial differentiation.

Example 2: Find

Solution: Hold y constant and integrate with respect to x:

∫ (4y3 + 2x) dx = 4y3 x + x2 + C;

= (4y3. 2 + 22) – (4y3+12) = 4y3+ 3

Integrate with respect to y:

∫(4y3+3) dy = y4 + 3y + C;

Hence,

Example 3: Find  .

Solution:

2.0Geometrical Interpretation of the Double Integral

We are familiar with the geometrical interpretation of the equation y = f(x) as a curve in the two-dimensional x, y- plane, and of the integral as an area between the curve and the x- axis.

Similarly, while the equation z = f(x, y) defines a surface in the three-dimensional x, y, z - space , the double integral of a continuous function of two variables , may be interpreted as a volume between the surface z= f(x, y) and the x, y-plane.

Graph showing geometrical interpretation of the double integral

In the graph, the rectangular area ΔAi in the x, y-plane is projected on the surface z = f (x, y).

The quantity ΔAi = Δxi Δyi is the area of the bottom surface of a column whose top surface is part of the surface f (xi, yi).

The smaller the area ΔAi, the closer the volume of the column is to that of a parallelepiped measuring f(xi, yi)  ΔAi.

If the domain D, consisting of (x, y) with c ≤ x ≤ d, a ≤ y ≤ b, is divided into an increasingly greater number of rectangles so that ΔAi tends to 0, then the volume between the surface z = f(x, y) and D equals then the sum of all parallelepipeds measuring f(xi, yi) Δxi Δyi ; thus,

.

3.0Solved Examples on Double Integral

Example 1: Evaluate the double integral over the region R where and :

Step 1: Set Up the Double Integral

Step 2: Integrate with Respect to y 

Step 3: Integrate with Respect to x 

Thus, the value of the double integral is .

Example 2: Evaluate the double integral over the region R where and :

Step 1: Set Up the Double Integral

Step 2: Integrate with Respect to y 

Step 3: Integrate with Respect to x 

Thus, the value of the double integral is e – 2.

Example 3: Evaluate the double integral over the triangular region R with vertices at (0,0), (1,0), and (0,1):

Step 1: Set Up the Double Integral

The region R is bounded by y = 0, x = 0, and y = 1 – x . Therefore, we integrate with respect to y first:

Step 2: Integrate with Respect to y

=3 x(1-x)+2(1-x)^2-0

=3 x-3 x^2+2-4 x+2 x^2

=-x^2-x+2

Step 3: Integrate with Respect to x 

Thus, the value of the double integral is .

Example 4: 

Evaluate the double integral over the region R where and :

Step 1: Set Up the Double Integral

Step 2: Integrate with Respect to y 

Step 3: Integrate with Respect to x 

Thus, the value of the double integral is 2.

Example 5: Evaluate the double integral over the region R where and

.

Step 1: Set Up the Double Integral

Step 2: Integrate with Respect to y 

Step 3: Integrate with Respect to x 

=(0+1)-(-1+0)

=1+1=2

Thus, the value of the double integral is 2.

4.0Practice Questions on Double Integral

Question 1: Evaluate the double integral over the region R where and .

Question 2: Evaluate the double integral over the region R where and .

Question 3: Evaluate the double integral over the triangular region R with vertices at (0,0), (1,0), and (1,1).

Question 4: Evaluate the double integral over the region R where and .

Question 5: Evaluate the double integral over the region R where and .

Question 6: Evaluate the double integral over the region R where and .

Question 7: Evaluate the double integral over the region R where and .

Question 8: Evaluate the double integral over the region R where and .

Question 9: Evaluate the double integral over the region R where and .

Question 10: Evaluate the double integral over the region R where and .

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