Double Integrals in Polar Coordinates

CHANGE TO POLAR COORDINATES IN A DOUBLE INTEGRAL: If f is continuous on a polar

rectangle R given by 0 ≤ a ≤ r ≤ b, α ≤ θ ≤ β, where 0 ≤ β − α ≤ 2π, then

ZZ Zβ Zb
f (x, y)dA = f (r cos θ, r sin θ)rdrdθ
R α a

ZZ
EXAMPLE: Find dA, where R is the region bounded by the circle x2 + y 2 = 1.
R

Solution: The region is given in polar coordinates by 0 ≤ r ≤ 1, 0 ≤ θ ≤ 2π. Therefore

ZZ ZZ Z2π Z1
dA = 1dA = 1 · rdrdθ
R R 0 0

Z2π Z1
= rdrdθ
0 0

Z2π Z1
 

=  rdr dθ
0 0

Z2π " 1
#
1 2
= r dθ
2 0
0

Z2π  
1 2
1
= r dθ
2 0
0

Z2π
1
= (12 − 02 )dθ
2
0

Z2π
1
= 1dθ
2
0

1 2π
= θ
2 0
1
= (2π − 0)
2
=π

1
 ZZ
EXAMPLE: Find (2x−3y)dA, where R is the region bounded by the circles x2 +y 2 = 1 and x2 +y 2 = 4.
R

Solution: The region is given in polar coordinates by 1 ≤ r ≤ 2, 0 ≤ θ ≤ 2π. Therefore

ZZ Z2π Z2
(2x − 3y)dA = (2r cos θ − 3r sin θ)rdrdθ
R 0 1

Z2π Z2
 

=  (2r cos θ − 3r sin θ)rdr dθ

0 1

Z2π Z2
 

=  (2 cos θ − 3 sin θ)r2 dr dθ

0 1

Z2π
 2 
Z
= (2 cos θ − 3 sin θ)  r2 dr dθ
0 1

Z2π "
2
#
1 3
= (2 cos θ − 3 sin θ) r dθ
3 1
0

Z2π
1 h
3 2
i
= (2 cos θ − 3 sin θ) r 1 dθ
3
0

Z2π
1
= (2 cos θ − 3 sin θ)(23 − 13 )dθ
3
0

Z2π
1
= (2 cos θ − 3 sin θ)(7)dθ
3
0

Z2π
7
= (2 cos θ − 3 sin θ)dθ
3
0
 
7 2π
= 2 sin θ + 3 cos θ
3 0

7h i
= (2 sin 2π + 3 cos 2π) − (2 sin 0 + 3 cos 0)
3
7 h   i
= 2(0) + 3(1) − 2(0) + 3(1)
3
=0

2
 ZZ
EXAMPLE: Find (x2 + y 2 )dA, where R is the region bounded by the circle x2 + y 2 = 4.
R

Solution: The region is given in polar coordinates by 0 ≤ r ≤ 2, 0 ≤ θ ≤ 2π. Therefore

ZZ Z2π Z2 Z2π Z2
(x2 + y 2 )dA = (r2 cos2 θ + r2 sin2 θ)rdrdθ = (cos2 θ + sin2 θ)r3 drdθ
R 0 0 0 0

Z2π Z2
= (1)r3 drdθ
0 0

Z2π Z2
= r3 drdθ
0 0

Z2π Z2
 

=  r3 dr dθ
0 0

Z2π " 2
#
1 4
= r dθ
4 0
0

Z2π  
1 4
2
= r dθ
4 0
0

Z2π
1
= (24 − 04 )dθ
4
0

Z2π
1
= 16dθ
4
0

Z2π
16
= 1dθ
4
0

Z2π
=4 1dθ
0

2π
=4 θ
0

= 4(2π − 0)
= 8π

3
If f is continuous on a polar region of the form
D = {(r, θ) | α ≤ θ ≤ β, h1 (θ) ≤ r ≤ h2 (θ)}
then
ZZ Zβ hZ2 (θ)
f (x, y)dA = f (r cos θ, r sin θ)rdrdθ
D α h1 (θ)

EXAMPLE: Find the area enclosed by the cardioid r = 1 + sin θ.

Solution: The cardioid is given by the region
D = {(r, θ) | 0 ≤ θ ≤ 2π, 0 ≤ r ≤ 1 + sin θ}
Therefore
ZZ Z2π 1+sin
Z θ Z2π 1+sin
Z θ
A= 1dA = 1 · rdrdθ = rdrdθ
D 0 0 0 0

Z2π 1+sin
 
Z θ
=  rdr dθ
0 0

Z2π " 1+sin θ

#
1 2
= r dθ
2 0
0

Z2π  
1 2
1+sin θ
= r dθ
2 0
0

Z2π
1
= ((1 + sin θ)2 − 02 )dθ
2
0

Z2π
1
= (1 + 2 sin θ + sin2 θ)dθ
2
0

Z2π  
1 1
= 1 + 2 sin θ + (1 − cos 2θ) dθ
2 2
0

Z2π  
1 1 1
= 1 + 2 sin θ + − cos 2θ dθ
2 2 2
0

Z2π  
1 3 1
= + 2 sin θ − cos 2θ dθ
2 2 2
0

4
   2π
1 3 1
= θ − 2 cos θ − sin 2θ
2 2 4 0
   
1 3 1 3 1
= (2π) − 2 cos 2π − sin 4π − (0) − 2 cos 0 − sin 0
2 2 4 2 4
   
1 1 3 1
= 3π − 2(1) − (0) − (0) − 2(1) − (0)
2 4 2 4
1
= (3π − 2 + 2)
2
3
= π
2