Multiple Integrals as Volume

8.1 Double Integrals

𝑏
In one-variable calculus, the integral ∫𝑎 𝑓(𝑥)𝑑𝑥 for positive 𝑓(𝑥) can be interpreted as the area
under the curve 𝑓(𝑥) over the interval [𝑎, 𝑏].
y

x
a b
The integral is the area between the curve 𝑓(𝑥) and the 𝑥-axis.
𝑓
In the same way, the double integral ∬𝐷 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦)𝑑𝐴 of positive 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) can be interpreted as the
volume under the surface 𝑧 = 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) over the region D. Imagine that the blue object below is the surface
𝑧 = 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) and the 𝑥𝑦-plane, i.e, the “cylinder” above the region D.

𝑑 𝑑
𝑉 = ∬ 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) 𝑑𝐴 𝑉 = ∬ [𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) − 𝑔(𝑥, 𝑦)] 𝑑𝐴
𝐷 𝐷

Example 1:
Find the volume of the solid that lies below the surface given by 𝑧 = 16𝑥𝑦 + 200 and lies above the
region in the 𝑥𝑦-plane bounded by 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 and 𝑦 = 8 − 𝑥 2 .
Solution:
Here is the graph of the surface and we’ve tried to show the region in the 𝑥𝑦-plane below the surface.
Here is a sketch of the region in the 𝑥𝑦-plane by itself.

By setting the two bounding equations equal we can see that they will intersect at 𝑥 = 2 and 𝑥 = −2. So,
the inequalities that will define the region D in the 𝑥𝑦-plane are,
−2 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 2

𝑥2 ≤ 𝑦 ≤ 8 − 𝑥2
The volume is then given by,
𝑑
𝑉 = ∬ (16𝑥𝑦 + 200) 𝑑𝐴
𝐷

2 8−𝑥 2
=∫ ∫ (16𝑥𝑦 + 200) 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑥
−2 𝑥 2

2 8 − 𝑥2
=∫ (8𝑥𝑦 2 + 200𝑦) | 𝑑𝑥
−2 2
𝑥
2
= ∫ (−128𝑥 3 − 400𝑥 2 + 15𝑥 + 1600) 𝑑𝑥
−2

400 3 2
= (−32𝑥 4 − 𝑥 + 256𝑥 2 + 1600𝑥) |
3
−2
12800
=
3

Example 2:
Find the volume of the solid enclosed by the planes 4𝑥 + 2𝑦 + 2 = 10, 𝑦 = 3𝑥, 𝑧 = 0, and 𝑥 = 0.
Solution:
This example is a little different from the previous one. Here the region D is not explicitly given so we’re
going to have to find it. First, notice that the last two planes are really telling us that we won’t go past the
𝑥𝑦-plane and the 𝑦𝑧-plane when we reach them.
The first plane, 4𝑥 + 2𝑦 + 𝑧 = 10 is the top of the volume and so we are really looking for the volume
under,
𝑧 = 10 − 4𝑥 − 2𝑦

and above the region D in the 𝑥𝑦-plane. The second plane 𝑦 = 3𝑥, gives one of the sides of the volume
as shown below.
The region D will be the region in the 𝑥𝑦-plane (i.e. 𝑧 = 0) that is bounded by 𝑦 = 3𝑥, 𝑥 = 0, and the line
where 4𝑥 + 2𝑦 + 2 = 10 intersects the 𝑥𝑦-plane. We can determine where 4𝑥 + 2𝑦 + 2 = 10 intersects
the 𝑥𝑦-plane by plugging 𝑧 = 0 into it.
0 + 4𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 10 → 2𝑥 + 𝑦 = 5 → 𝑦 = −2𝑥 + 5

The region D is really where this solid will sit on the 𝑥𝑦-plane and here are the inequalities that define the
region.
0≤𝑥≤1

3𝑥 ≤ 𝑦 ≤ −2𝑥 + 5
Then,
𝑑
𝑉 = ∬ (10 − 4𝑥 − 2𝑦) 𝑑𝐴
𝐷
1 −2𝑥+5
=∫ ∫ (10 − 4𝑥 − 2𝑦) 𝑑𝑦𝑑𝑥
0 3𝑥

1 −2𝑥 + 5
= ∫ (10𝑦 − 4𝑥𝑦 − 𝑦 2 ) | 𝑑𝑥
0 3𝑥
1
= ∫ (25𝑥 2 − 50𝑥 + 25) 𝑑𝑥
0

25 1
= ( 𝑥 3 − 25𝑥 2 + 25𝑥) |
3
0
25
=
3
8.2 Triple Integrals
The volume of the three-dimensional region E is given by the integral
𝑆

𝑉 = ∭ 𝑑𝑉
𝐸

We have three different possibilities for a general region. Here is a sketch of the first possibility.

In this case we define the region E as follows,

𝐸 = {(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧)|(𝑥, 𝑦) ∈ 𝐷, 𝑢1 (𝑥, 𝑦) ≤ 𝑧 ≤ 𝑢2 (𝑥, 𝑦)}

where (𝑥, 𝑦) ∈ 𝐷 is the notation that means that the point (𝑥, 𝑦) lies in the region D from the 𝑥𝑦-plane. In
this case we will evaluate the triple integral as follows,
𝑆 𝑠
𝑢2 (𝑥,𝑦)
∭ 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧)𝑑𝑉 = ∬ [∫ 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧)𝑑𝑧] 𝑑𝐴
𝑢1 (𝑥,𝑦)
𝐸 𝐷

Example 1:
Evaluate the tripe integral where E is the region under the plane 2𝑥 + 3𝑦 + 𝑧 = 6 that lies in the first
octant.

∭ 2𝑥 𝑑𝑉
𝐸

Solution:
We should first define octant. Just as the two-dimensional coordinates system can be divided into four
quadrants the three-dimensional coordinate system can be divided into eight octants. The first octant is
the octant in which all three of the coordinates are positive.

Here is a sketch of the plane in the first octant.

We now need to determine the region D in the 𝑥𝑦-plane. We can get a visualization of the region by
pretending to look straight down on the object from above. What we see will be the region D in the 𝑥𝑦-
plane. So, D will be the triangle with vertices at (0,0), (3,0) and (0,2).

Now we need the limits of integration. Since we are under the plane and in the first octant (so we’re
above the plane 𝑧 = 0) we have the following limits for 𝑧

0 ≤ 𝑧 ≤ 6 − 2𝑥 − 3𝑦

We can integrate the double integral over D using either of the following two sets of inequalities.
3
0≤𝑥≤3 0≤ 𝑥 ≤− 𝑦+3
2

2
0≤𝑦≤− 𝑥+2 0≤𝑦≤2
3

Since neither really holds an advantage over the other we’ll use the first one. The integral is then,
𝑆 𝑛
6−2𝑥−3𝑦
∭ 2𝑥 𝑑𝑉 = ∬ [∫ 2𝑥𝑑𝑧 ] 𝑑𝐴
0
𝐸 𝐷
𝑛
6 − 2𝑥 − 3𝑦
= ∬(2𝑥𝑧) | 𝑑𝐴
𝐷 0
2
3 − 3𝑥+2
=∫ ∫ 2𝑥(6 − 2𝑥 − 3𝑦) 𝑑𝑦𝑑𝑥
0 0

2
3 − 𝑥+2
= ∫ (12𝑥𝑦 − 4𝑥 2 𝑦 − 3𝑥𝑦 2 ) | 3 𝑑𝑥
0
0
3
4𝑥 3
=∫ ( − 8𝑥 2 + 12𝑥) 𝑑𝑥
0 3
 𝑥 4 8𝑥 3 3
=( − + 6𝑥 2 ) |
3 3
0
=9

Example 2:
Determine the volume of the region that lies behind the plane 𝑥 + 𝑦 + 𝑧 = 8 and in front of the region in
3 3
the 𝑦𝑧-plane that is bounded by 𝑧 = √𝑦 and 𝑧 = 𝑦.
2 4

Solution:
In this case we’ve been given D and so we won’t have to really work to find that. Here is a sketch of the
region D as well as a quick sketch of the plane and the curves defining D projected out past the plane so
we can get an idea of what the region we’re dealing with looks like.

Now, the graph of the region above is all okay, but it doesn’t really show us what the region is. So, here
is a sketch of the region itself.

Here are the limits for each of the variables

0≤𝑦≤4

3 3
𝑦 ≤ 𝑧 ≤ √𝑦
4 2

0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 8−𝑦−𝑧
The volume is then,
 𝑆 𝑛
8−𝑦−𝑧
𝑉 = ∭ 𝑑𝑉 = ∬ [∫ 𝑑𝑥 ] 𝑑𝐴
0
𝐸 𝐷

3√𝑦
4 2
=∫ ∫ (8 − 𝑦 − 𝑧)𝑑𝑧𝑑𝑦
3𝑦
0 4
3√𝑦
4
𝑧2 | 2
= ∫ (8𝑧 − 𝑦𝑧 − ) 𝑑𝑦
0 2 |
3𝑦
4
4
57 3 3 33 2
= ∫ (12𝑦 1/2 − 𝑦 − 𝑦 2 + 𝑦 ) 𝑑𝑦
0 8 2 32

57 2 3 5 11 3 4
= (8𝑦 3/2 − 𝑦 − 𝑦2 + 𝑦 ) |
16 5 32
0

49
=
5