Triple Integral

Consider a function f ( x, y, z ) defined at every point of a region V in the space. To define

the triple integral of f(x, y, z ) over the region R, divide V into n elementary regions having
volumes V1 ,V2 ,..., Vn . Let ( xr , yr , zr ) be any point within the rth sub-division  Vr . Then
n
the limit of the sum  f ( x , y , z )V , if it exists, as n   and maximum of V
r 1
r r r r r 0

is called the triple integral of f ( x, y, z ) over the region V and is denoted by

 V
f ( x, y, z )dV .

n
Thus  V
f ( x, y, z )dV =
n
lim  f ( xr , yr , zr )Vr
Max Vr 0 r 1

Volume as triple integral:

Divide the given solid by planes parallel to the co-ordinate planes into rectangular
parallelepipeds of volume  x y z .

Therefore, the total volume is Lt  x y z    dxdydz with

 x , y , z 0
appropriate

limits of integration.

Properties of the Triple integrals

1) If f ( x, y, z ) and g ( x, y, z) are functions of x ,y and z defined over V , c1 and c2 are

constants, then
 (c f ( x, y, z)  c g ( x, y, z)) dV  c 
V 1 2 1 V
f ( x, y, z )dV  c2  g ( x, y, z )dV
V

2) If the region V is the union of two non-overlapping regions V1 and V2 i.e. V  V1 V2 ,

then

 V
f ( x, y, z )dV   f ( x, y, z )dV1   f ( x, y, z )dV2
V1 V2
 3) Volume of the region V =  V
dV

4)  V
f ( x, y, z )dxdydz   f (  cos ,  sin  , z ) d  d dz
V

where (  ,  , z ) are the cylindrical polar coordinates of (x,y,z).


V
f ( x, y, z)dxdydz   f (r sin cos ,  sin sin  , r cos )r 2 sin drd d
V

where (r , ,  ) are the spherical polar coordinates of (x,y,z).

Evaluation of triple integrals

Let the elementary volume dV be the area of a rectangular parallelepiped with sides
dx dy and dz parallel to the co-ordinate planes.

 dV  dxdydz

  f ( x, y, z )dV   f ( x, y, z )dxdydz

v V

A triple integral can be considered as an iterated integral.

   
 f ( x, y, z )dxdydz       f ( x, y, z )dz  dy dx
i.e. ,
   
V
  inner int egral  
middle integral

outer integral

In the inner integral the variable of middle and outer integrals are treated as conststants

and in the middle integral the variable of outer integral is treated as a constant.
 If R is the projection of V in the xy-plane, the region V is bounded by the surfaces z =

g1(x, y) and z = g2(x, y) in the vertical direction then

 g2 ( x , y ) 
 f ( x, y, z )dxdydz     f ( x, y, z )dz dydx
R  
V  g1 ( x , y )

1 z x z
Example 1. Evaluate    ( x  y  z)dxdydz .
1 0 x  z

Soln: Integrating first w.r.to y treating x and z constant, we get

1 z 1

  (2(x  z) z  2 xz)dxdz  2  2 z dz  0 .
3

1 0 1

1 1 x 2 1 x  y
2 2

Example 2.Evaluate  
0 0

0
xyzdxdydz .

Soln: Integrating first w.r.to z treating x and y constant, we get

1 1 x 2 1
1 1 1
2 0  xy (1  x  y )dydx   ( x  2 x3  x5 )dx  .
2 2

0
80 48

Exercise.
a a a
1.  ( xy  yz  zx)dxdydz .
0 0 0

1 1 x 2 1 x  y
2 2
1
2.  
0 0

0 1  x2  y 2  z 2
dxdydz .
 1 1 1 x
3.    xdxdydz
0 y2 0
a x x y

  e
x y  z
4. dxdydz .
0 0 0

Volume as Triple Integral

The volume V of a 3-dimensional region is given by  dxdydz .
V
The order of integration may be changed with a suitable change in the limits of integration.
In cylindrical co-ordinates the volume is given by  rdrd dz .
V

 r sin  drd d .

2
In spherical polar co-ordinates, we have
V

Example 1. Find by triple integration, the volume of the solid bounded by the planes
x  0, y  0, x  y  z  1and z  0 .
1 1 x 1 x  y
Soln: Required volume =  
0 0 0
dzdydz .

1 1 x 1
1 1
= 
0 0
(1  x  y )dydx   (1  x) 2dx  .
20 6

Example 2. Find by triple integration, the volume of the region bounded by the paraboloid
az  x 2  y 2 and the cylinder x 2  y 2  R 2 .

Solution: Changing to cylindrical co-ordinates by putting x  r cos , y  r sin  the

equation of the paraboloid becomes z  r / a and the equation of the cylinder becomes
2

r  R . On account of symmetry, the required volume is four times the volume in the positive
octant.

Thus in the common region, z varies from 0 to r / a , r varies from 0to R and
2
 varies

from 0 to .
2
 r2  
2 R a
r 12 4  R4 2 R 3
Required volume = 4    rdzdrd = 4   drd   R d  .
0 0 0 0 0
a a 0
2 a

Example 3. Find by triple integration, the volume of a sphere of radius a.

Soln: Changing to spherical polar co-ordinates by putting x  r sin  cos , y  r sin  sin 
the equation of the sphere becomes r  a . On account of symmetry, the required volume is 8
times the volume of the sphere in the positive octant for which r varies from 0 toa ,  varies
 
from 0 to and and  varies from 0 to .
2 2
    
2 2 a
a 2 2 3
8a 3 2
4 a3
Required volume = 8   r sin  drd d = 8  sin  d d   d 
2
.
0 0 0 0 0
3 3 0
3

Exercise:

1. Find by triple integration, the volume in the positive octant bounded by the co-
ordinate planes and the plane x  2 y  3z  4 .
2. Find the volume of the portion of the sphere x  y  z  a lying inside the
2 2 2 2

cylinder x  y  ax .
2 2

3. Find the volume bounded above by the sphere x  y  z  2a and below by the
2 2 2 2

paraboloid x  y  az .
2 2

4. Find by triple integration, the volume of the paraboloid of revolution x  y  4 z

2 2

cut off by the plane z  4 .