MTCA4001 | Engineering Mathematics 2

Chapter 4 Multiple Integrals

1 Learning Outcomes
By the end of this topic you will be able to:

o Calculate double integrals o Find areas using single integration o Find volumes
using double integration o Find masses, moments and centres of mass using double
integration calculations.

2 Introduction
Previously you have learned that the area 𝐴 underneath a curve (𝑥) between two points 𝑎 and 𝑏 can
be calculated by taking definite integral of function at those two points. Graphically, this can be
visualised in Figure 1 and, mathematically, it can be written:

where 𝐹(𝑥) is the integral of 𝑓(𝑥).

Figure 1: The definite integral of a function

In summary, the integral of a single variable (𝑥) between two points a and b is the area A under the
curve of (𝑥). The same idea can be used for calculating volumes by calculating the double integral of
a two-variable function 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) on a region R of the(𝑥, 𝑦) plane.

𝑉=∫∫ 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) 𝑑𝐴
𝑅

3 Double Integrals
For a general function (𝑥, 𝑦) the double integral is the volume bounded by the graph 𝑧 = (𝑥, 𝑦) over
the region R.
We can compute ∫ ∫𝑅 (𝑥, 𝑦) 𝑑𝐴 on a region R in the following ways:

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Suppose R lies between the lies 𝑥 = 𝑎 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑥 = 𝑏.

Suppose R lies between the lies 𝑦 = 𝑐 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑥 = 𝑑.

Example 1:

Find the volume of the solid over the rectangle 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 0 ≤ 𝑦 ≤ 3 (Region R is the rectangle)
and bounded by the 𝑥𝑦 plane and the surface 𝑧 = 𝑥 + 1. Calculate the volume using the two ways,
that is by calculating (𝑥) first then the volume and by calculating (𝑦) first then the volume.

Example 2:

Find the volume under the surface 𝑧 = 𝑥 + 2𝑦 + 1 over the triangle bounded by the lines
𝑥 = 0 𝑡𝑜 𝑥 = 1 and 𝑦 = 0 𝑡𝑜 𝑦 = 2𝑥
One by one
syms x y
integeral_y=int(x+2*y+1,y,0,2*x) % integration with respect to y
integeral_x=int(integeral_y,x,0,1)% integration with respect to x

Matlab output is

integeral_y =

2*x*(3*x + 1)

integeral_x =

Or directly
integeral_xy=int(int(x+2*y+1,y,0,2*x),x,0,1) % integration with
respect to y first and then with respect to x
Matlab output is

integeral_xy =
3

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Example 3 - Homework:
2

Find the volume under the surface over the rectangle bounded by the
lines 𝑥 = 0 𝑡𝑜 𝑥 = 300 and 𝑦 = 0 𝑡𝑜 𝑦 = 200

Example 4:

We propose to find the volume under the surface 𝑧 = 10 bounded by the curve 𝑦 = 𝑓1(𝑥)
= 𝑥 + 1 and 𝑦 = 𝑓2(𝑥) = 𝑥2 on the 𝑥𝑦 plane.

Plot the two curve on the 𝑥𝑦 plane and find the two intersection points
(𝑥1, 𝑦1) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 (𝑥2, 𝑦2).

Calculate the surface area .

Calculate the volume .

4 Mass
A thin plate covering a region R in the plane is called a lamina. We suppose the lamina is filled with
some inhomogeneous material, whose density over the point (𝑥, 𝑦) is (𝑥, 𝑦). Then the total mass of
the plate is

𝑚 = ∫ ∫ 𝜌(𝑥, 𝑦) 𝑑𝐴
𝑅

Example 4:

Suppose the rectangle R: 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 3, 0 ≤ 𝑦 ≤ 4 is filled with an inhomogeneous fluid whose density

at the point . Find the total mass.

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syms x y
integeral_y=int(x*y/6,y,0,4) % integration with respect to y

integeral_x=int(integeral_y,x,0,3) % integration with respect to x

integeral_y =

(4*x)/3

integeral_x =

5 Moments and Centre of Mass

Given a mass m at a point P, its moment about an axis Z is dZ m, where dZ is the distance of P to the
axis Z. Archimedes’ principle states that moments are additive, so if we have a lamina covering a
region R, we can approximate its total moment about an axis Z by covering it with a grid of small
rectangles, and adding up the moments of each of the rectangles. In the limit this becomes a double
integral: the moment of the lamina R about the axis Z is:

𝑀𝑜𝑚𝑍 = ∫ ∫𝑅 𝑑𝑍 𝜌 where 𝜌 is the density and 𝑑𝑍 is the distance from the axis Z.

The lamina is balanced along the axis Z if MomZ = 0. The centre of mass of R is a point 𝑃̅(𝑥, 𝑦) such
that R is balanced along every axis through 𝑃̅. To calculate these, use the following:

Centre of mass 𝑃̅(𝑥, 𝑦):

𝑀𝑜𝑚𝑥=0 𝑀𝑜𝑚𝑦=0
𝑥= , 𝑦̅ = ,
𝑚 𝑚

To find Moments and Centre of Mass.

clc
clear

syms x y f

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f=(x*y)/6;

Mass=int(int(f,y,0,4),x,0,3)

M_x=int(int(f*y,y,0,4),x,0,3)

M_y=int(int(f*x,y,0,4),x,0,3)

x=M_y/Mass
y=M_x/Mass

Matlab OutPut

Mass =
6
M_x =
16

M_y =
12
x =
2
y =

8/3

Example 5:

For the example 4 find 𝑀𝑜𝑚𝑥=0, 𝑦=0 and then the centre of mass coordinates (𝑥, 𝑦).

Example 6:

Consider a lamina bound by the curves 𝑦 = 𝑥2 and 𝑦 = 1. The density of the material in the
lamina is 𝜌 = 𝑥2𝑦.

Plot the two curves on the same graph and find the intersection points.

Calculate the mass of the lamina and the two moments 𝑀𝑜𝑚𝑥=0 and 𝑦=0.

Find the coordinates (𝑥, 𝑦) of the centre of mass.

Example 7:

Consider a lamina of a region R bound by the curves 𝑦 = 𝑥2 and 𝑦 = 1 − 𝑥2. The density of the
material in the lamina is 𝜌 = 10.

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Plot the two curves on the same graph, shade the area of the lamina and find the intersection
points.

Calculate the mass of the lamina and the two moments 𝑀𝑜𝑚𝑥=0 and 𝑦=0.

Find the coordinates (𝑥, 𝑦) of the centre of mass.

Example 8:

Consider a lamina of a region R bound by the curves 𝑦 = 𝑥2 and 𝑦 = 2𝑥. The density of the
material in the lamina is 𝜌 = 2𝑦.

Plot the two curves on the same graph, shade the area of the lamina and find the intersection
points.

Calculate the mass of the lamina and the two moments 𝑀𝑜𝑚𝑥=0 and 𝑦=0.

Find the coordinates (𝑥, 𝑦) of the centre of mass.