S E C T I O N 15.

3 Triple Integrals 885

60. The domain D between the circles of radii 5 and 5.2 in the y
first quadrant in Figure 31 is divided into six subdomains of angu-
π , and the values of a function f (x, y) at sample 1.5
lar width θ = 12 1.7
points are given. Compute the area of the subdomains and estimate 2

2.2
f (x, y) dA.
D
 2.4
61. According to Eq. (3), the area of a domain D is equal to 1 dA.
D 2.5
Prove that if D is the region between two curves y = g1 (x) and x
y = g2 (x) with g2 (x) ≤ g1 (x) for a ≤ x ≤ b, then θ = π 5 5.2
12
  b
FIGURE 31
1 dA = (g1 (x) − g2 (x)) dx
D a

Further Insights and Challenges

62. Let D be a closed connected domain and let P , Q ∈ D. The Inter- Then use the IVT in Exercise 62 to prove the Mean Value Theorem for
mediate Value Theorem (IVT) states that if f is continuous on D, then Double Integrals.
f (x, y) takes on every value between f (P ) and f (Q) at some point
in D. 64.
 t Let f (y) be a function of y alone and set G(t) =
x
(a) Show, by constructing a counterexample, that the IVT is false if D f (y) dy dx.
is not connected. 0 0
(b) Prove the IVT as follows: Let c(t) be a path such that c(0) = P (a) Use the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus to prove that G (t) =
and c(1) = Q (such a path exists because D is connected). Apply the f (t).
IVT in one variable to the composite function f (c(t)).
 t Show, by changing the order in the double integral, that G(t) =
(b)
63. Use the fact that a continuous function on a closed domain D at-
tains both a minimum value m and a maximum value M, together with (t − y)f (y) dy. This shows that the “second antiderivative” of f (y)
0
Theorem 3, to prove that the average value f lies between m and M. can be expressed as a single integral.

15.3 Triple Integrals

Triple integrals of functions f (x, y, z) of three variables are a fairly straightforward gen-
eralization of double integrals. Instead of a rectangle in the plane, our domain is a box
(Figure 1)

B = [a, b] × [c, d] × [p, q]

consisting of all points (x, y, z) in R 3 such that

a ≤ x ≤ b, c ≤ y ≤ d, p≤z≤q

To integrate over this box, we subdivide the box (as usual) into “sub”-boxes

Bij k = [xi−1 , xi ] × [yj −1 , yj ] × [zk−1 , zk ]

by choosing partitions of the three intervals

a = x0 < x1 < · · · < xN = b

c = y0 < y1 < · · · < yM = d
FIGURE 1 The box p = z0 < z1 < · · · < zL = q
B = [a, b] × [c, d] × [p, q] decomposed
into smaller boxes. Here N, M, and L are positive integers. The volume of Bij k is Vij k = xi yj zk
where

xi = xi − xi−1 , yj = yj − yj −1 , zk = zk − zk−1

886 C H A P T E R 15 MULTIPLE INTEGRATION

Then, we choose a sample point Pij k in each box Bij k and form the Riemann sum


N 
M 
L
SN,M,L = f (Pij k ) Vij k
i=1 j =1 k=1

As in the previous section, we write P = {{xi }, {yj }, {zk }} for the partition and let P
be the maximum of the widths xi , yj , zk . If the sums SN,M,L approach a limit as
P → 0 for arbitrary choices of sample points, we say that f is integrable over B. The
limit value is denoted

f (x, y, z) dV = lim SN,M,L
B P →0

Triple integrals have many of the same properties as double and single integrals.
The linear properties are satisfied, and continuous functions are integrable over a box B.
Furthermore, triple integrals can be evaluated as iterated integrals.

THEOREM 1 Fubini’s Theorem for Triple Integrals The triple integral of a continuous
function f (x, y, z) over a box B = [a, b] × [c, d] × [p, q] is equal to the iterated
integral:
The notation dA, used in the previous
section, suggests area and occurs in double   b  d  q
integrals over domains in the plane. f (x, y, z) dV = f (x, y, z) dz dy dx
Similarly, dV suggests volume and is used B x=a y=c z=p
in the notation for triple integrals.
Furthermore, the iterated integral may be evaluated in any order.

As noted in the theorem, we are free to evaluate the iterated integral in any order
(there are six different orders). For instance,
 b  d  q  q  d  b
f (x, y, z) dz dy dx = f (x, y, z) dx dy dz
x=a y=c z=p z=p y=c x=a


E X A M P L E 1 Integration over a Box Calculate the integral x 2 ey+3z dV , where
B
B = [1, 4] × [0, 3] × [2, 6].
Solution We write this triple integral as an iterated integral:
  4 3 6
x 2 ey+3z dV = x 2 ey+3z dz dy dx
B 1 0 2

Step 1. Evaluate the inner integral with respect to z, holding x and y constant.
 6 6
1  1 1 1
x 2 ey+3z dz = x 2 ey+3z  = x 2 ey+18 − x 2 ey+6 = (e18 − e6 )x 2 ey
z=2 3 2 3 3 3
Step 2. Evaluate the middle integral with respect to y, holding x constant.
 3  3
1 18 1 1
(e − e6 )x 2 ey dy = (e18 − e6 )x 2 ey dy = (e18 − e6 )(e3 − 1)x 2
y=0 3 3 y=0 3
Step 3. Evaluate the outer integral with respect to x.
  4
2 y+3z 1 18
(x e ) dV = (e − e )(e − 1)
6 3
x 2 dx = 7(e18 − e6 )(e3 − 1)
B 3 x=1
 S E C T I O N 15.3 Triple Integrals 887

Note that in the previous example, the integrand factors as a product of three functions
f (x, y, z) = g(x)h(y)k(z)—namely,
f (x, y, z) = x 2 ey+3z = x 2 ey e3z
Because of this, the triple integral can be evaluated simply as the product of three single
integrals:
      
4 3 6
x 2 ey e3z dV = x 2 dx ey dy e3z dz
B 1 0 2
z e18 − e
z = z 2 (x, y)
P = (x, y, z)
Region W
z = z 1(x, y)
y
x where B is a box containing W, and f˜ is the function that is equal to f on W and equal
D
(x, y)
FIGURE 2 The point P = (x, y, z) in the
simple region W if (x, y) ∈ D and
z1 (x, y) ≤ z ≤ z2 (x, y).
More generally, integrals of functions of n
variables (for any n) arise naturally in many
different contexts. For example, the average
distance between two points in a ball is
expressed as a six-fold integral because we
integrate over all possible coordinates of
the two points. Each point has three
coordinates for a total of six variables.
 6
= (21)(e3 − 1) = 7(e18 − e6 )(e3 − 1)
3
Next, instead of a box, we integrate over a solid region W that is simple as in Figure
2. In other words, W is the region between two surfaces z = z1 (x, y) and z = z2 (x, y)
over a domain D in the xy-plane. In this case,
W = {(x, y, z) : (x, y) ∈ D and z1 (x, y) ≤ z ≤ z2 (x, y)} 1
The domain D is the projection of W onto the xy-plane.
As a formal matter, as in the case of double integrals, we define the triple integral of
f (x, y, z) over W by
 
f (x, y, z) dV = f˜(x, y, z) dV
W B
to zero outside of W. The triple integral exists, assuming that z1 (x, y), z2 (x, y), and the
integrand f are continuous. In practice, however, we evaluate triple integrals as iterated
integrals. This is justified by the following theorem, whose proof is similar to that of
Theorem 2 in Section 15.2.
THEOREM 2 The triple integral of a continuous function f over the region
W : (x, y) ∈ D, z1 (x, y) ≤ z ≤ z2 (x, y)
is equal to the iterated integral
   
z2 (x,y)
f (x, y, z) dV = f (x, y, z) dz dA
W D z=z1 (x,y)
One thing missing from our discussion so far is a geometric interpretation of triple
integrals. A double integral represents the signed volume of the three-dimensional region
between a graph z = f (x, y) and the xy-plane. The graph of a function f (x, y, z) of
three variables lives in four-dimensional space, and thus a triple integral represents a
four-dimensional volume. This volume is hard or impossible to visualize. On the other
hand, triple integrals represent many other types of quantities. Some examples are total
mass, average value, probabilities, and centers of mass (see Section 15.5).
Furthermore, the volume V of a region W is defined as the triple integral of the
constant function f (x, y, z) = 1:

V = 1 dV
W
888 C H A P T E R 15 MULTIPLE INTEGRATION

In particular, if W is a simple region between z = z1 (x, y) and z = z2 (x, y), then

    
z2 (x,y) 
1 dV = 1 dz dA = (z2 (x, y) − z1 (x, y)) dA
W D z=z1 (x,y) D

Thus, the triple integral is equal to the double integral defining the volume of the region
between the two surfaces.

E X A M P L E 2 Solid Region with a Rectangular Base Evaluate z dV , where W
W
is the region between the planes z = x + y and z = 3x + 5y lying over the rectangle
D = [0, 3] × [0, 2] (Figure 3).
Solution Apply Theorem 2 with z1 (x, y) = x + y and z2 (x, y) = 3x + 5y:
    3x+5y   3  2  3x+5y
z dV = z dz dA = z dz dy dx
W D z=x+y x=0 y=0 z=x+y

Step 1. Evaluate the inner integral with respect to z.

 3x+5y 
1 3x+5y 1 1
z dz = z2  = (3x + 5y)2 − (x + y)2 = 4x 2 + 14xy + 12y 2
z=x+y 2 z=x+y 2 2
FIGURE 3 Region W between the planes
2
z = x + y and z = 3x + 5y lying over
D = [0, 3] × [0, 2]. Step 2. Evaluate the result with respect to y.
 2
2 
(4x 2 + 14xy + 12y 2 ) dy = (4x 2 y + 7xy 2 + 4y 3 ) = 8x 2 + 28x + 32
y=0 y=0

Step 3. Evaluate the result with respect to x.

   3
3 8 3 
z dV = (8x 2 + 28x + 32) dx = x + 14x 2 + 32x 
W x=0 3 0

= 72 + 126 + 96 = 294

E X A M P L E 3 Solid Region with a Triangular Base Evaluate z dV , where W
W
is the region in Figure 4.
Solution This is similar to the previous example, but now W lies over the triangle D in
the xy-plane defined by

0 ≤ x ≤ 1, 0≤y ≤1−x

Thus, the triple integral is equal to the iterated integral:

    3x+5y   1  1−x  3x+5y
z dV = z dz dA = z dz dy dx
W D z=x+y x=0 y=0 z=x+y
  
Integral
over triangle

We computed the inner integral in the previous example [see Eq. (2)]:
FIGURE 4 Region W between the planes  3x+5y 
z = x + y and z = 3x + 5y lying over the 1 3x+5y
triangle D.
z dz = z2  = 4x 2 + 14xy + 12y 2
z=x+y 2 x+y
 S E C T I O N 15.3 Triple Integrals 889

Next, we integrate with respect to y:

 1−x 1−x

3 
(4x + 14xy + 12y ) dy = (4x y + 7xy + 4y )
2 2 2 2
y=0 y=0

= 4x (1 − x) + 7x(1 − x)2 + 4(1 − x)3

2

= 4 − 5x + 2x 2 − x 3

And finally,
  1
z dV = (4 − 5x + 2x 2 − x 3 ) dx
W x=0
5 2 1 23
=4− + − =
2 3 4 12

E X A M P L E 4 Region between Intersecting Surfaces Integrate f (x, y, z) = x over the

region W bounded above by z = 4 − x 2 − y 2 and below by z = x 2 + 3y 2 in the octant
x ≥ 0, y ≥ 0, z ≥ 0.
Solution The region W is simple, so
   4−x 2 −y 2
x dV = x dz dA
W D z=x 2 +3y 2

where D is the projection of W onto the xy-plane. To evaluate the integral over D, we
must find the equation of the curved part of the boundary of D.
Step 1. Find the boundary of D.
The upper and lower surfaces intersect where they have the same height:

z = x 2 + 3y 2 = 4 − x 2 − y 2 or x 2 + 2y 2 = 2

Therefore, as we see in Figure 5, W projects onto the domain D consisting of the

quarter
√ of the ellipse x 2 + 2y 2 = 2 in the first quadrant. This ellipse hits the axes at
( 2, 0) and (0, 1).

z z

z = x 2 + 3y2 z = x 2 + 3y2

Curve where surfaces 2

intersect lies above
boundary of D. W

z = 4 − x 2 − y2 z = 4 − x 2 − y2

D
x x 2 2 1

y x 2 + 2y 2 = 2 2 y
FIGURE 5 Region
x 2 + 3y 2 ≤ z ≤ 4 − x 2 − y 2 . (A) (B)
890 C H A P T E R 15 MULTIPLE INTEGRATION

Step 2. Express D as a simple domain.

We can integrate in either the order dy dx or dx dy. If we choose dx dy, then y varies
from 0 to 1 and the domain is described by

D : 0 ≤ y ≤ 1, 0 ≤ x ≤ 2 − 2y 2

Step 3. Write the triple integral as an iterated integral.

  1  √2−2y 2  4−x 2 −y 2

x dV = x dz dx dy
W y=0 x=0 z=x 2 +3y 2

Step 4. Evaluate.
Here are the results of evaluating the integrals in order:
 4−x 2 −y 2 4−x 2 −y 2

Inner integral: x dz = xz = 4x − 2x 3 − 4y 2 x
z=x 2 +y 2 z=x 2 +3y 2

z
Middle integral:
 √  √2−2y 2
2−2y 2 1 
(4x − 2x 3 − 4y 2 x) dx = 2x 2 − x 4 − 2x 2 y 2 
x=0 2 x=0

= 2 − 4y 2 + 2y 4
  1 4 2 16
Triple integral: x dV = (2 − 4y 2 + 2y 4 ) dy = 2 − + =
W 0 3 5 15

y So far, we have evaluated triple integrals by projecting the region W onto a domain
x = x1(y, z)
D in the xy-plane. We can integrate equally well by projecting onto domains in the xz- or
Region W yz-plane. For example, if W is the simple region between the graphs of x = x1 (y, z) and
x = x2 (y, z) lying over a domain D in the yz-plane (Figure 6), then
x
x = x2(y, z)
    
x2 (y,z)
FIGURE 6 D is the projection of W onto the f (x, y, z) dV = f (x, y, z) dx dA
yz-plane. W D x=x1 (y,z)

E X A M P L E 5 Writing a Triple Integral in Three Ways The region W in Figure 7 is

bounded by

z = 4 − y2, y = 2x, z = 0, x=0


Express xyz dV as an iterated integral in three ways, by projecting onto each of
W
the three coordinate planes (but do not evaluate).
Solution We consider each coordinate plane separately.
Step 1. The xy-plane.
The upper face z = 4 − y 2 intersects the first quadrant of the xy-plane (z = 0) in the
line y = 2 [Figure 7(A)]. Therefore, the projection of W onto the xy-plane is a triangle
D defined by 0 ≤ x ≤ 1, 2x ≤ y ≤ 2, and
You can check that all three ways of writing
the triple integral in Example 5 yield the
W : 0 ≤ x ≤ 1, 2x ≤ y ≤ 2, 0 ≤ z ≤ 4 − y2
same answer:
   1  2  4−y 2
2 xyz dV = xyz dz dy dx 3
xyz dV =
W 3 W x=0 y=2x z=0
 S E C T I O N 15.3 Triple Integrals 891

z z z z

4 Upper face z = 4 − y2 Q = (x, 2x, 4 − 4x2)

z = 4 − y2 P = (x, 0, 4 − 4x2 ) 2x ≤ y ≤ 4−z
y
0≤x≤ S S
2
(x, 0, z)

T
x x
D
1 2 y 2 y 1 2 y 1 2 y
x x Left face x x
y
x= (x, 2x)
2 y
y=2 y = 2x x=
2
(A) Projection to xy-plane (B) Projection to yz-plane (C) Projection to xz-plane (D) The y-coordinates of points in
the solid satisfy 2x ≤ y ≤ 4 − z.
FIGURE 7

Step 2. The yz-plane.

The projection of W onto the yz-plane is the domain T [Figure 7(B)]:
T : 0 ≤ y ≤ 2, 0 ≤ z ≤ 4 − y2
The region W consists of all points lying between T and the “left face” x = 12 y. In
other words, the x-coordinate must satisfy 0 ≤ x ≤ 12 y. Thus,
1
W : 0 ≤ y ≤ 2, 0 ≤ z ≤ 4 − y2, 0≤x≤ y
2
  2  4−y 2  y/2
xyz dV = xyz dx dz dy
W y=0 z=0 x=0

Step 3. The xz-plane.

The challenge in this case is to determine the projection of W onto the xz-plane, that
is, the region S in Figure 7(C). We need to find the equation of the boundary curve of
S. A point P on this curve is the projection of a point Q = (x, y, z) on the boundary
of the left face. Since Q lies on both the plane y = 2x and the surface z = 4 − y 2 ,
Q = (x, 2x, 4 − 4x 2 ). The projection of Q is P = (x, 0, 4 − 4x 2 ). We see that the
projection of W onto the xz-plane is the domain
S : 0 ≤ x ≤ 1, 0 ≤ z ≤ 4 − 4x 2
This gives us limits for x and z variables, so the triple integral can be written
  1  4−4x 2  ??
xyz dV = xyz dy dz dx
W x=0 z=0 y=??

What√are the limits for y? The equation of the upper face z = 4 − y 2 can be written
y = 4 − z. Referring to Figure √ 7(D), we see that W is bounded by the left face
y = 2x and the upper face y = 4 − z. In other words, the y-coordinate of a point in
W satisfies
√
2x ≤ y ≤ 4 − z
Now we can write the triple integral as the following iterated integral:
  1  4−4x 2  √4−z
xyz dV = xyz dy dz dx
W x=0 z=0 y=2x