Changing order of integration (double) in polar coord

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    Integration Polar
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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around changing the order of integration for a double integral expressed in polar coordinates. The original integral is defined over a semicircular region, and participants are exploring the implications of this change on the limits of integration.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to change the order of integration and expresses confusion about the new limits. They also question their approach after receiving hints. Other participants provide hints and corrections, prompting further exploration of the integrand and limits.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants offering hints and corrections. There is an acknowledgment of errors in the original poster's approach, and further clarification is sought regarding the integrand and limits. Multiple interpretations of the problem are being explored.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working within the constraints of a homework assignment, which may limit the information they can use or the methods they can apply. The original poster has expressed a lack of experience with changing limits in polar coordinates.

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Homework Statement



Change the order of the limits of integration of the following double integral and evaluate.

Homework Equations



[itex]\int_{0}^\frac{\pi}{2} \int_{0}^{cos(\theta)} cos(\theta)\,dr\,d\theta[/itex]

The Attempt at a Solution



Evaluating as it is, I arrive an answer of [itex]\frac{\pi}{4}[/itex].

I know the region to be integrated is the semicircle bounded by the polar axis, with corner points at r = 0, and r = 1, with a height of 1/2. I know that normally, in the cartesian case, to change the order of integration requires the limits to be written from y(x) to x(y), with the x or y intervals adjust accordingly.

Thus, for this problem, the original region is bounded by:

[itex]0<r<cos(\theta)[/itex] and [itex]0<\theta<\frac{\pi}{2}[/itex].

Changing the form, I would write,

[itex]0<\theta<cos^{-1}(r)[/itex] and [itex]0<r<1[/itex]

Trying to evaluate in this manner, I end up at

[itex]\int_{0}^1 sin(cos^{-1}(r))\,dr[/itex],

after which I cannot go further. I have very little experience of changing limit orders in the polar case. Any hints would be appreciated!
 
Last edited:
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Hint: note that sin x = sqrt ( 1 - cos^2 x ).
 
Cool, thanks; Using the hint: I get

## \int_{0}^1 \sqrt{1-cos(r)}\,dr ##

Multiplying by a factor of sin(r)/sin(r), I get,

## \int_{0}^1 \frac{sin(r)}{\sqrt{1+cos(r)}}\,dr ##.

I use a substitution of

## u = 1 + cos(r) ## with
## \,du = -sin(r)\,dr ##.

I substitute the limits by using

## u_0 = 1+cos(0) = 2 ##
## u_1 = 1+cos(1) = ~1.5403... ##

Evaluating the new integral, through

## -[2u^{\frac{1}{2}}] ##

between u1=1.5403... and u0 = 2, I get an answer of ~0.173144 which is not quite ##\frac{\pi}{4} ##

Are my limits wrong, or did I blunder somewhere else?
 
Unfortunately the first line is still incorrect.

CompuChip said:
Hint: note that sin x = sqrt ( 1 - cos^2 x ).

What would x be, looking at your integrand (it's not just r, as you seem to have assumed!).
 

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