Unit 3 Introduction

This unit starts our study of integration of functions of several variables. To keep the visualization difficulties to a minimum we will only look at functions of two variables. (We will look at functions of three variables in the next unit.)

Our main objects of study will be two types of integrals:

1. Double integrals, which are integrals over planar regions.
2. Line or path integrals, which are integrals over curves.

All integrals can be thought of as a sum, technically a limit of Riemann sums, and these will be no exception. If you make sure you master this simple idea then you will find the applications and proofs involving these integrals to be straightforward.

We will conclude the unit by learning Green's theorem which relates the two types of integrals and is a generalization of the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. Along the way we will introduce the concepts of work and two dimensional flux and also two types of derivatives of vector valued functions of two variables, the curl and the divergence.

Part A

In part A, we will learn about double integration over regions in the plane. Conceptually an integral is a sum. We will apply this idea to computing the mass, center of mass and moment of inertia of a two dimensional body and the volume of a region bounded by surfaces.

In order to compute double integrals we will have to describe regions in the plane in terms of the equations describing their boundary curves. After that, the computation just becomes two single variable integrations done iteratively.

» Session 47: Definition of Double Integration
» Session 48: Examples of Double Integration
» Session 49: Exchanging the Order of Integration
» Session 50: Double Integrals in Polar Coordinates
» Session 51: Applications: Mass and Average Value
» Session 52: Applications: Moment of Inertia
» Session 53: Change of Variables
» Session 54: Example: Polar Coordinates
» Session 55: Example
» Problem Set 7