Triple Integrals

Math 55 - Elementary Analysis III

Institute of Mathematics
University of the Philippines
Diliman

Math 55

Triple Integrals

1/ 12

Triple Integral over a Box

Suppose f (x, y, z) is defined on a rectangular box
B = {(x, y, z) : a x b, c y d, r z s}.
By dividing the interval [a, b] into l subintervals of equal width
x, dividing [c, d] into m subintervals of width y, and
dividing [r, s] into n subintervals of width z, we form smaller
boxes Bijk for 0 i l, 0 j m, 0 k n, as shown.

Math 55

Triple Integrals

2/ 12

Triple integrals over a Box

Take a point (xi , yj , zk ) in each small box Bijk . Note that each
small box has volume V = xyz. Then we form the triple
Riemann sum
n X
m X
l
X
f (xi , yj , zk )V
k=1 j=1 i=1

and therefore we have the following:

Definition
If f (x, y, z) be a function defined over a rectangular box
B = {(x, y, z) : a x b, c y d, r z s}, then the triple
integral of f over B is

f (x, y, z) dV =

lim

l,m,n

Math 55

n X
m X
l
X

f (xi , yj , zk )V

k=1 j=1 i=1

Triple Integrals

3/ 12

Triple integrals over a Box

How do we evaluate the triple integral?
We write the double integral as an iterated integral:
Theorem (Fubinis Theorem)
If f (x, y, z) is continuous on the rectangular box
B = {(x, y, z) : a x b, c y d, r z s}, then

s d b

f (x, y, z)dV =
B

f (x, y, z) dx dy dz
r

Remark. Since the limits of integration are constants, we can

interchange the order of integration and obtain the same value.
Math 55

Triple Integrals

4/ 12

Triple integrals over a Box

Example

xyz 2 dV where B = [0, 2] [0, 1] [1, 1].

Evaluate
B

Solution.

xyz 2 dV

xyz 2 dx dy dz

=
1

1
1

0
1

x=2
x2 yz 2 
dy dz
2 x=0

2yz 2 dy dz

=
1
1

=
1

y=1

y 2 z 2  dz
y=0

z 2 dz =

=
1
Math 55

1
z 3 
2
=
3 1
3

Triple Integrals

5/ 12

Triple Integrals over General Regions

How do we define triple integrals over a general bounded region?
Type 1. The solid region E lies between the graphs of two
continuous functions of x and y, that is
E = {(x, y, z) : (x, y) D, u1 (x, y) z u2 (x, y)}
where D is the projection of onto the xy-plane.

It can be shown that

"

f (x, y)dV =
E

u2 (x,y)

f (x, y, z) dz dA
D

Math 55

u1 (x,y)
Triple Integrals

6/ 12

Triple Integrals over General Regions

Type 2. E = {(x, y, z) : (y, z) D, u1 (y, z) x u2 (y, z)
It can be shown that
"

f (x, y, z) dx dA
D

u2 (y,z)

f (x, y, z) dV =
u1 (y,z)

Type 3. E = {(x, y, z) : (x, z) D, u1 (x, z) y u2 (x, z)

It can be shown that

"
f (x, y, z) dV =

f (x, y, z) dy dA
D

Math 55

u2 (x,z)

u1 (x,z)

Triple Integrals

7/ 12

Triple Integrals over General Regions

Example

x dV where E is the tetrahedron bounded by

Evaluate
E

x + y + z = 1 and the coordinate planes.

Solution. If we consider E as a Type 1 region, then
E = {(x, y, z) : 0 z 1 x y, (x, y) D} where D is the
projection of E on the xy-plane. So we have


 1xy
x dV =
x dz dA

=
D

1xy

dA
xz 
0

(x x2 xy) dA

=
x+y =1

D
1 1x

(x x2 xy) dy dx =

=
0
Math 55

Triple Integrals

8/ 12

1
24

Triple Integrals over General Regions

Example

p
Evaluate
x2 + z 2 dV where E is the region bounded by
E

y = x2 + z 2 and y = 4.
Solution. If we consider E as a Type 1 region,

p
p
E = {(x, y, z) : y x2 z y x2 , x2 y 4, 2 x 2}
p
2 4 yx2 p
x2 + z 2 dV =
x2 + z 2 dx dy dz

2
2
E

Math 55

yx

Triple Integrals

9/ 12

Triple Integrals over General Regions

Example

p
Evaluate
x2 + z 2 dV where E is the region bounded by
E

y = x2 + z 2 and y = 4.
Solution. If instead we consider E as a Type 3 region,

E = {(x, y, z) : x2 + z 2 y 4, x2 + z 2 4} and thus


p
 4
p
x2 + z 2 dV =
x2 + z 2 dy dA
E

Math 55

x2 +z 2

Triple
2 Integrals
2

10/ 12

Exercises
1

Write five
iterated integrals that are equal to the iterated
other
1 1 y
integral
f (x, y, z) dz dx dy.
0

x2 dV where T is the tetrahedron with vertices

Exaluate

(0, 0, 0), (1, 0, 0), (1, 1, 0) and (1, 0, 1).

Evaluate
xy dV where E is solid region bounded by the

parabolic cylinders y = x2 and x = y 2 and the plane z = 0 and

z = x + y.

Evaluate
dV , where G is bounded by the planes 2x + z = 2,

y + 2z = 4 and the coordinate planes.

5

Use triple integrals to find the volume of the solid enclosed by

the cylinder 4x2 + z 2 = 4 and the planes y = 0 and y z = 2.
Math 55

Triple Integrals

11/ 12

References

Stewart, J., Calculus, Early Transcendentals, 6 ed., Thomson

Brooks/Cole, 2008

Leithold, L., The Calculus 7, Harper Collins College Div., 1995

Dawkins, P., Calculus 3, online notes available at

http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/

Math 55

Triple Integrals

12/ 12