Change the order of integration to get equivalent integrals

definite integralsintegrationmultiple integral

Consider
$$ I_{1} = \int_{0}^{\infty} b(a) e^{\epsilon a} \int_{a}^{\infty} \epsilon e^{(\gamma-\epsilon) z} \int_{z}^{\infty} \tilde{b}(x) \rho e^{-D(x)-qx- \gamma x} dx dz da $$

$$ I_{2} = \int_{0}^{\infty} \tilde{b}(\tilde{a}) \rho e^{-D(\tilde{a})-q \tilde{a} – \gamma \tilde{a}} \int_{0}^{\tilde{a}} \epsilon e^{(\gamma – \epsilon)z} \int_{0}^{z} b(y) e^{\epsilon y} dy dz d \tilde{a}
$$

$I_{1}$ will be equal to $I_{2}$ after changing the order of integration. I started with $I_{1}$ and then I tried to change the order of integration in last two integrals but that really does not help me. I am very curious to know if there is any smart technique to handle this problem.

Best Answer

First, change the dummy variables in each so that they play the same roles. In this case, I'd change $y = a$ in $I_1$ and $x = \tilde a$ in $I_2$:

$$I_1 = \int_0^\infty b(y)e^{\epsilon a} \int_y^\infty \epsilon e^{(\gamma-\epsilon) z} \int_z^\infty \tilde b(x) \rho e^{-D(x)-qx- \gamma x}\,dxdzdy\\ I_2 = \int_0^\infty \tilde{b}(x) \rho e^{-D(x)-qx - \gamma x} \int_0^x \epsilon e^{(\gamma - \epsilon)z} \int_{0}^{z} b(y) e^{\epsilon y}\,dydzdx$$

If we bring all the integrands inside, we see that they are the same function in both $I_1$ and $I_2$.

In $I_1$, we have $0 \le y$ for the first integral, $y \le z$ from the second integral, and $z \le x$ from the third integral. So the region of integration is $\{(x,y,z)\mid 0 \le y \le z \le x\}$.

In $I_2$, we have $0 \le x, y, z$ from the three integrals, $z \le x$ from the second integral, and $y \le z$ from the third integral. So once again, the region of integration is $\{(x,y,z)\mid 0 \le y \le z \le x\}$.

So both integrals are of the same function over the same region. If the volume integral over the region converges, then these two iterated integrals must also converge to the same value (as would any of the other four iterated integrals over that region).

In general, the volume integral need not converge even if both iterated integrals converge (and if the volume integral does not converge, there is no guarantee the iterated integrals will converge to the same value). However in this case the integrand is the product of separate functions for each variable. And if all three of these 1D functions converge when integrated from $0$ to $\infty$, the volume integral can be shown to converge as well.