[Math] How to change the limits of a double integral to polar coordinates limits

multivariable-calculus

Problem:

Use polar coordinates to evaluate the following integral:

$$\int_{0}^{2}\int_{0}^{\sqrt{2x-x^{2}}}xdydy$$

Solution:

First, this is the graph I manually plotted to define the new limits:

\sqrt{2x-x^{2}}

So I set up the new integral with these new limits in polar coordinates:

$$1\leqslant r\leqslant 2$$

$$0\leqslant \theta\leqslant\pi$$

But the integral gives me $0$ as a result. This is the integral to evaluate:

$$\int_{0}^{\pi}\int_{1}^{2}r\cos(\theta)rdrd\theta$$

Best Answer

The problem is your range for $r$. In this case, the circle has equation $$(x-1)^2+y^2=1,$$from where you take $$x^2-2x+1+y^2=1 \Leftrightarrow (x^2+y^2)=2x \Leftrightarrow r^2=2r\cos(\theta) \Leftrightarrow r=2\cos(\theta)$$ so actually $r\in[0,2\cos(\theta)]$.

Related Question