
These properties are used in the evaluation of double integrals, as we will see later. ∬ R f ( x, y ) d A = ( ∫ a b g ( x ) d x ) ( ∫ c d h ( y ) d y ). Property 6 is used if f ( x, y ) f ( x, y ) is a product of two functions g ( x ) g ( x ) and h ( y ). Properties 1 and 2 are referred to as the linearity of the integral, property 3 is the additivity of the integral, property 4 is the monotonicity of the integral, and property 5 is used to find the bounds of the integral. We list here six properties of double integrals. The properties of double integrals are very helpful when computing them or otherwise working with them. Now let’s list some of the properties that can be helpful to compute double integrals. This means that, when we are using rectangular coordinates, the double integral over a region R R denoted by ∬ R f ( x, y ) d A ∬ R f ( x, y ) d A can be written as ∬ R f ( x, y ) d x d y ∬ R f ( x, y ) d x d y or ∬ R f ( x, y ) d y d x. Since Δ A = Δ x Δ y = Δ y Δ x, Δ A = Δ x Δ y = Δ y Δ x, we can express d A d A as d x d y d x d y or d y d x.

If the function is bounded and continuous over R except on a finite number of smooth curves, then the double integral exists and we say that f f is integrable over R. Also, the double integral of the function z = f ( x, y ) z = f ( x, y ) exists provided that the function f f is not too discontinuous. However, the errors on the sides and the height where the pieces may not fit perfectly within the solid S approach 0 as m and n approach infinity.

Also, the heights may not be exact if the surface z = f ( x, y ) z = f ( x, y ) is curved. We examine this situation in more detail in the next section, where we study regions that are not always rectangular and subrectangles may not fit perfectly in the region R. However, when a region is not rectangular, the subrectangles may not all fit perfectly into R, particularly if the base area is curved. This concept can be extended to any general region. Note that we developed the concept of double integral using a rectangular region R. ĭivide R into the same four squares with m = n = 2, m = n = 2, and choose the sample points as the upper left corner point of each square ( 0, 1 ), ( 1, 1 ), ( 0, 2 ), ( 0, 1 ), ( 1, 1 ), ( 0, 2 ), and ( 1, 2 ) ( 1, 2 ) ( Figure 5.6) to approximate the signed volume of the solid S that lies above R R and “under” the graph of f. Use the same function z = f ( x, y ) = 3 x 2 − y z = f ( x, y ) = 3 x 2 − y over the rectangular region R = ×.

