When can you factor out terms from a double integral

integrationmultiple integralmultivariable-calculus

Consider the following double integral:

$$ \int \int_{S} (x+z) dS$$

Over the region in first octant of plane $ x+y+z=1$

I know the bounds are :

$$ 0 \leq x \leq 1$$
$$ 0 \leq y \leq 1$$
$$ 0 \leq z \leq 1$$

To start, I first rewrite this integral as:

$$ \int \int_{S} (1-y) \sqrt{3} dx dy$$

And,

$$ \sqrt{3} \int \int_S (1-y) dx dy$$

Now here is the part I get confused:

I asked some people and they told I have to do integral with 'y' first (outer integral) and then do the inner integral. This is due to the fact that limits of integral on 'y' depend on 'x'. But, I had this alternative scheme in mind:

Suppose we take the imiplict expression of $ x+y+z=1$ and rewrite it as $ x+z=1-y$ So, suppose we fixed $ 1-y = C$ then we could just vary 'x' and 'z' whilst we integrated and hence factor out the expression from integral.

This gives me:

$$ \sqrt{3} \int (1-y) x dy$$

Similar arguments to keep 'x' constant while I integrate with 'y',

$$ \sqrt{3} x \frac{(1-y)^2}{2}$$

Plugging in the bounds:

$$ 0$$

But, I'm not sure where exactly I went wrong…

Best Answer

Continue with

$$I= \iint_S (1-y) dS =\sqrt{3} \iint_{x>0,y>0,x+y<1}(1-y) dx dy\\ = \sqrt3 \int_0^1\int_0^{1-y} (1-y)dxdy = \sqrt3\int_0^1 (1-y)^2dy = \frac1{\sqrt3}$$