Triple Integration

Let solid V be bounded by surfaces z=f1(x,y), z = f2(x, y), y = g1(x) , y = g2(x), x=a and x=b.
then triple integration is given by

b g2 ( x ) f 2 ( x , y )
I a g ( x) f (x, y ) f ( x, y, z) dz dy dx
1 1

To evaluate first f(x,y,z) is integrated w.r.t. z between the limits z=f1(x,y) to

z = f2(x, y), keeping x and y constant. The resulting expression is integrated w.r.t .y between the limits
y = g1(x) to y = g2(x). The result obtained is finally integrated w.r.t. x from x = a to x = b.
To evaluate triple integration take parallel strip to z axis to find limits of z and taking
projection on xy plane, we can find limits of x and y either taking horizontal strip or vertical
strip.

1 2 3
1. Evaluate    dx dy dz
1 2 3

Soln.:
1 2 1 2 1 1
I=   [x]33 dy dz = 6   dy dz = 6  [y]22 dz = 24  dz = 24[z]11 =48
1 2 1 2 1 1
 1 2 2
2. Evaluate  dx  dy  x 2 yzdz .
0 0 0

Soln.:
2
1
 z2 
2
I =  dx  x y dy   2

0 0  2 0
2
 y2 
1 1
= 2 x   dx = 4 x 2 dx
2

0  2 0 0

1
 x3  4
= 4  =
 3 0 3
2 2
1 1 x2 1 x y
dx dy dz
3. Evaluate 0 0 0 1  x 2  y 2  z2
.

Soln.:

1 x 2  y2
1 1 x2  z 
I =  sin1   dx dy
0 0  1 x 2  y2  0

1 x 2
1
2 0 0
= dy dx

1

2
= [y]01 x dx
20

1
2 0
= 1  x 2 dx

1
 1 1 
=   x 1 x 2  sin1 x 
2 2 2 0

 1  
=   =
2 2 2 8
2 x 2(x  y)
4. Evaluate   
0 0 0
ex  y z dz dy dx .

Soln :
2 x 2(x  y) 2 x
x  y  z 2(x  y)
  
0 0 0
ex  y z dz dy dx = 0 0 e 
0
dydx
 2 x

  e 
x  y  2(x  y)
=  ex  y  0 dydx
0 0

2 x

0 0 e  e  dydx
3(x  y) xy
=

x
 e3(x  y)
2

=   ex  y  dx
0 0
3

2
 e3(x  x) 
=   e(x  x)  e3(x  0)  ex  0  dx
0 
3

2
 e6x 
=  e2x  e3x  ex  dx
0 
3

2
 e6x e2x e3x 
=     ex 
 18 2 3 0

 e12 e4 e6  1 1 1 
=    e2       1
 18 2 3  18 2 3 

 e12 e6 e4   1 9  6  18 
=    e2    
 18 3 2   18 

e12 e6 e4 4
=    e2 
18 3 2 18

e12 e6 e4 2
=    e2 
18 3 2 9

log2 x x  y

e
x  y z
5. Evaluate dx dy dz .
0 0 0

Soln.:
log2 x
x  y z x  y
I = 0 0 e  dx dy
0

log2 x

  e  ex  y  dy dx
2x  2y
=
0 0

x
log2
 e2x 2y 
= 0

 2
 ex  y  dx
0
 log2
 e4x e2x 
= 
0

 2
 e2x 
2
 ex  dx

log2
 e4x 3 2x 
= 
0

 2 2
 e  ex  dx

log2
 e4x 3 2x  16 3  4 1 3 5
=  e  ex  =   2   1 =
 8 4 0 8 4 8 4 8

dx dy dz
6. Evaluate 
V (x  y  z  1)3
where V is the volume enclosed by three coordinate planes and plane

x + y + z = 1.
z

Soln.:
Consider an elementary strip parallel strip to z- C
axis. The lower end of the strip is touching the XY B
plane (z = 0) and the upper end is touching the A y
plane x + y + z = 1 or z = 1 – x – y. These are the z=0
innermost limits w.r.t. z. Then taking projection on
xy plane and taking vertical strip, x
The lower end touching the line y = 0 and the upper end is touching the line x + y = 1 or y = 1 – x. Then
the strip is moved from x = 0 to x = 1.

1 1 x 1 x  y
1 
I = 0 0  0 (x  y  z  1)3 dz dy dx
 
1 1 x 1 x  y
 (x  y  z  1)2  B (0, 1)
= 
0 0

 2

0
dy dx

1 1 1 x 2 A (1, 0)
2 0 0 
= – 2  (x  y  1)2  dy dx O
Base
1 1 x
1 1
1
(x  y  1) 
2 0  4
=–  y  dy dx
1 0
111
2 0 4
=– (1 x)  21  (x  1)1 dx

1
11 1 x2 1 
=–  x  x  log(1 x)
2 4 4 2 2 0
11 1 1 
=–    log 2
2  4 8 2 
1 3 1  1 5
=–    log 2 = log2 
2 4 8  2 16


2
7. Evaluate x yz dx dy dz throughout the volume bounded x=0, y=0, z=0 and
V
x + y + z = 1.

Soln.:
 Consider an elementary strip parallel to Z–axis. The lower end of the strip is touching the XOY plane
(z = 0) and the upper end is touching the plane x + y + z = 1 or z = 1 – x – y.
z
 I  x yz dx dy dz
2
=
V
(0, 0, 1)
1 x  y
=  
R Z 0
x 2 yzdzdx dy
O y
(0, 1, 0)
1 x  y
2 z 
2
= R  2 
x y dx dy (1, 0, 0)
0
x
1
 x 2 y 1  x  y  dx y
2
=
2R

Here, R is projection of V on XY plane i.e. a region bounded by a lines x = 0, y = 0 and x + y = 1.

Here strip is taken parallel to y axis. The lower end touching the line
y = 0 and the upper end is touching the line x + y = 1 or y = 1 – x.
Then the strip is moved from x = 0 to x = 1.
1 1 1 x 2 y
x y 1  x  y  dydx
2 0 0
 I
2
= (0, 1)

1 x
1 1 2  1 x  y  1 x  y   x
3 4

2 0 
= x   y   dx O (1, 0)

3 12 
0

1 1 1 x 
4
1 1 2
=  x2  x 1 x  dx
4
dx =
20 12 24 0

1 1 35
=   3, 5  = 
24 24 8

1 2  4! 1
=  = .
24 7! 2520

8. Evaluate  x 2 yz dx dy dz , when V is the volume bounded by the planes x = 0, y = 0,

x y z
z = 0 and    1.
a b c

Soln.:

Consider an elementary by strip parallel to zaxis. The lower end of the strip is touching
z plane z = 0
x y z
and upper end is touching the plane    1.
a b c (0, 0, c) x=0

y=0
O
y
(0, b, 0)

(a, 0, 0)
x
  x y
i.e. z = c 1  
 a b

 
2
I = x yz dx dy dz
V

 x y
c  1  
 a b
=  
R z 0
x 2 yz dz dx dy

 x y
c 1  
 z2   a b

R  2 
2
= x y dx dy
0
y
2 (0, b)
c2 2  x y
=
2 R x y 1 a  b  dx dy

x=0

Here R is the projection of V on xy plane. i.e. a

region bounded by the linear x = 0, y = 0 and
0 (a, 0) x
x y y=0
  1.
a b

Now, we take a strip parallel to yaxis. The lower end is touching the line y = 0 and upper end is
x y
touching the line   1.
a b

Then the strip is moved parallel to itself from x = 0 to x = a.

 x
b 1 
a  a 2
c2  x y
 I =
2  
0 0
x 2 y 1    dy dx
 a b

 x
4  b 1 
c2 a 2  b  x y  b2  x y   
3 a

2 0  3  a b  12  a b  
= x  y 1   1   dx
0

4
b2c2 a 2  x 
24 0  a 
= x 1 dx

b2 c2 a 2
x  a  x  dx
24a4 0
4
=
x 0 a

t 0 1
 Put x = at

dx = a dt

b2 c2 1 2 2
a t  a  at  a dt
24a4 0
 I
4
=

a2b2 c2 1 2 a 2b2 c 2
 t 1 t  dt =   3,5 
4
=
24 0 24

a2b2c2 3 5 a2b2c2 2! 4! a2b2c2

= = 
24 8 24 7! 2520 z
P(x, y, z)
Spherical Polar co-ordinates :
To change rectangular co–ordinates (x, y, z) (r, , )
to spherical polar co–ordinates (r, , ) 
P(x, y, z)  Rectangular co–ordinates r
P(r, , )  Spherical polar co–ordinates y
take x = r sin  cos O
y = r sin  sin  
z = r cos  M
x2 + y2 + z2 = r2 x
dx dy dz = r2 sin  dr d d
0 <  < , 0 <  < 2
 is an angle from positive z-axis to negative z-axis and  is an angle

in xy plane.

9. Evaluate  xyz dx dy dz over the positive octant of the sphere x2 + y2 + z2 = a2.
Soln.:
Changing to spherical coordinates by taking
x = r sin  cos 
y = r sin  sin 
z = r cos 
x2 + y2 z2 = r2
x dy dz = r2 sin  dr d d
Over positive octant of the sphere, 0 < r < a, 0 < a < /2 & 0 <  < /2

I = 
V
xyz dx dy dz

2 2 a

   r sin  sin   r sin  sin   r cos   r sin drdd

2
=
0 0 r 0

2 2 a

 cos  sin d  sin  cos d r 5 dr

3
=
0 0 0
 a
 1 2 1 r 6  1 1 a6 a 6
=   =   = .
2 2 2 3  6 0 2 4 6 48

 x2 y2 z2 3/ 2 dV throughout the volume of the unit sphere.

10. Evaluate  e

Soln. :

Changing to spherical co-ordinates as above, we get, the integral over the first octant as,

 /2  /2 1  2 3/2 2
I = 0 0 0 er r sindrdd

 /2  1 r3
= 0 0 0 e r2 sindrdd

1
 /2  /2  e 
r3
= 0 0   sindd
 3 0

 /2  /2 1
 I = 0 0 3
 e1sin d d 

 e1  /2
3 0
=  cos0 /2 d

(e1)  /2 (e1) 
3 0
= 1 d =  .
3 2

4
 The required integral = 8I = (e1)
3

 xyz(x  y  z )dxdydz over the first octant of the sphere x2 + y2 + z2 = a2.
2 2 2
11. Evaluate
V
Soln.:
Changing to spherical coordinates by taking
x = r sin  cos 
y = r sin  sin 
z = r cos 
x2 + y2 + z2 = r2
dx dy dz = r2 sin  dr d d
 /2  /2 a
    (rsincos)(rsinsin)(rcos)(r sin drdd)
2

0 0 0
  /2  /2
a 
=  
0 0
(sin3 cos)(sincos)  r 7 dr dd
0 
a8  /2  /2
8 0 0
=  (sin3 cos) (sincos)dd

a8  /2   /2 
=   sincos   sin3 cosd d
8 0 0 
a 8  /2
  /2 3 
=   sincos2  sin cosd d
16 0  0 
a8  /2 sin 2
16 0
=  (2, 1)d
2
/ 2
a8 (2, 1)   cos 2  a8 2 1 1
=    =  [1 (1)]
16 2  2 0 32 3 2
a8  1 1 a8
= = .
32  2  1 64

z2dx dydz
12. Evaluate  over the volume of the sphere x2 + y2 + z2 = 2.
x2  y2  z2

Soln.:

Changing to spherical coordinates by taking

x = r sin  cos 

y = r sin  sin 

z = r cos 

x2 + y2 + z2 = r2

dx dy dz = r2 sin  dr d d

Over the volume of sphere

0<r< 2

0<<

0 <  < 2

z2dx dydz
 I = 
V x2  y2  z2

2  2
r 2 cos2  r 2 sin dr d d 2  2

    0
     r dr
2
= = d cos sin d
 0  0 r 0 r2  0 r 0
 2 2
r3  8 2 3 2 1
=2  2  cos2  sin d   =
0
3  0 3 25 2

8 2 3 2 8 2
= = .
3 2 3 3 2 9
2

dxdydz
13. Evaluate  (x 2
 y 2  z2 )
throughout the volume of the sphere x2  y2  z2  a2 .

Soln :

dxdydz
Let I = 
(x 2  y2  z2 )

In spherical polars,

x=r sin  cos 

y=r sin  sin 

z=r cos 

0 

0ra
 2  2
r 2 sin drdd
a a
I=    =  sin d  d  dr
0 0 r 0 r2 0  0 r 0

=  cos 0 0 r 0a

 2
=2 . 2 . a=4a

VOLUME OF THE SOLID

Using Triple integration volume of a solid is

V   dzdxdy

In spherical coordinates V   r 2 sin drd d  .

14. Using Triple Integration, find the volume of the sphere x2 + y2 + z2 = a2.

Soln.:
Changing to spherical polars by taking
x = r sin  cos , y = r sin  sin , z = r cos 
x2 + y2 + z2 = r2
dx dy dz = r2 sin  dr d d
Throughout the sphere, by symmetry, volume of the sphere
  2 a  2 a

V =    r 2 sin  dr d  d  = 
 0
sin d   d   r 2 dr
 0 r 0
 0 r  0
a
 r3 
=   cos 0   


 3 0

4 3
a
=
3
15. Find the volume bounded by the cylinder x2 + y2=4 and the planes y+z = 4 and
z = 0.

Soln.:

Required volume,

V =  dx dy dz
V

V  x2 + y 2 = 4 ; y + z = 4 ; z = 0
4 y
  y
V =   dz dz dy      
R z 0  V R Z  r=2

=  (4  y) dx dy
x
R O
where R is projection of V on xyplane.

R  x2 + y 2 = 4

In polar co-ordinates,
/ 2  /2 2
2
 42 r 2 r 3 
= 4 
 0
r 0 (4  r sin )r dr d (by symmetry) = 40  2  3 sin  d
0

/ 2  /2
 8   8 
= 4 0 8  3 sin  d = 4 8  3 cos 0

 8 8   8
= 4   = 4 4  
 2 3  3