[Math] Help to change the orders of this triple integral

multivariable-calculus

In the page 1950 of the Stewart's multivariable calculus book (section 15.7) he asks to rewrite an integral in the other orders, I'm having troubles particularly with the order $dxdydz$:

My solution is

$$\int^1_0\int^1_0\int^{\sqrt{1-z}}_0f(x,y,z)dxdydz$$

The solutions manual gives me other solution:

Following my reasoning, the graph is a rectangle in the $zy-$ plane, that's why I chose the limits $1$ and $0$ in the integral in the middle. I didn't understand why I'm wrong and why the limits he has chosen are the correct ones.

Best Answer

The region of integration is given by the inequalities $0\le x\le1$, $0\le y\le1-x$ and $0\le z\le1-x^2$. The latter two are equivalent to $x\le 1-y\le 1$ and $x^2\le1-z\le1$ (which is equivalent to $x\le\sqrt{1-z}\le1$).

Your integral is over the region defined by $0\le y\le1$, $0\le z\le1$ and $0\le x \le\sqrt{1-z}$. This is not the same as the original region. There are points like $(x,y,z)=(3/5,1,16/25)$ in your region which are not in the original region. You have neglected the condition that $0\le y\le 1-x$.

As you say, we must have $0\le y\le 1$ and $0\le z\le1$. Then the condition on $x$ is that $0\le x\le\min(1-y,\sqrt{1-z})$. When $0\le y\le1-\sqrt{1-z}$ that amounts to $0\le x\le \sqrt{1-z}$ and when $1-\sqrt{1-z}\le y\le 1$ it amounts to to $0\le x\le1-y$. So we get Stewart's limits.

By the way, is Stewart's book really 1,950+ pages?

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