How Do You Solve This Elliptical Integral with a Coordinate Transformation?

-=nobody=-
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
2c\int_{x=-a}^a\int_{y=-b\sqrt{1-\frac{x^2}{a^2}}}^{b\sqrt{1-\frac{x^2}{a^2}}}\sqrt{1-\frac{x^2}{a^2}-\frac{y^2}{b^2}}dydx
Can you help me with this integral?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
You have already been advised to do a change of variables, rather than do this in Cartesian variables.
 
Well, how would you go about proving that the unit ball has volume \frac{4}{3}\pi ?
 
Well, the idea is probably good, but it doesn't help me with the integral
 
Well, the idea is just to use spherical coordinates. Have you sketched the region over which that integral is taken? Looks to me like there is a heckuvalot of symmetry there!
 
Won't it be much more complicated, or is it the only way?
r=(x^2+y^2+z^2)^1/2.
 
Last edited:
It's clear that there is symmtry, but if r=(x^2+y^2+z^2)^1/2 everything will be much more complicated. How should it be solved then?
 
Sorry for this post, I had some problems with my internet browser.
 
  • #10
-=nobody=-, as everyone has already said on this thread, transform your coordinates. ie, set

x= a r \cos\theta

y = b r\sin \theta

Now, find the Jacobian and limits of integration of \theta and r. Can you take it from here?
 
Last edited:
Back
Top