Topic 19

Triple Integrals in Cylindrical Coordinates

Cylindrical coordinates are polar coordinates in the xyxy-plane with zz kept: x=rcos⁡θx = r\cos\theta, y=rsin⁡θy = r\sin\theta, z=zz = z. Use them when the solid is symmetric around the zz-axis, or the contains x2+y2x^2 + y^2, which is r2r^2. Never forget the rr in dV=r dz dr dθdV = r\,dz\,dr\,d\theta.

5 kinds of question. Open the one you are stuck on.

1

Convert a point between Cartesian and cylindrical coordinates

e.g. “Convert from cylindrical to Cartesian coordinates”
  1. 1
    Keep zz: it is the same in both systems
  2. 2
    Use x=rcos⁡θx = r\cos\theta, y=rsin⁡θy = r\sin\theta, r=x2+y2r = \sqrt{x^2 + y^2}

    To Cartesian: plug in. To cylindrical: find rr, then use tan⁡θ=yx\tan\theta = \dfrac{y}{x}.

  3. 3
    Check θ\theta against the signs of xx and yy

    arctan⁡\arctan only gives angles between −π2-\tfrac{\pi}{2} and π2\tfrac{\pi}{2}. Add π\pi when x<0x < 0. If θ\theta is negative, add 2π2\pi to get 0≤θ<2π0 \le \theta < 2\pi. On the zz-axis, r=0r = 0 and any θ\theta works.

Remember: z stays; x and y go polar.

See it in a problem3 worked examples

Convert (r,θ,z)=(4,2π3,−1)(r, \theta, z) = \left(4, \tfrac{2\pi}{3}, -1\right) to Cartesian coordinates.

  1. 1
    Keep zz: it is the same in both systems

    z=−1z = -1.

  2. 2
    Use x=rcos⁡θx = r\cos\theta, y=rsin⁡θy = r\sin\theta, r=x2+y2r = \sqrt{x^2 + y^2}

    x=4cos⁡2π3=−2x = 4\cos\tfrac{2\pi}{3} = -2 and y=4sin⁡2π3=23y = 4\sin\tfrac{2\pi}{3} = 2\sqrt{3}.

  3. 3
    Check θ\theta against the signs of xx and yy

    2π3\tfrac{2\pi}{3} is in quadrant II, and x<0x < 0, y>0y > 0 agree.

Answer:

(x,y,z)=(−2,23,−1)(x, y, z) = (-2, 2\sqrt{3}, -1)

Common mistakes2
  • Trusting arctan⁡yx\arctan\dfrac{y}{x} blindly: (−3,−33)(-3, -3\sqrt{3}) is at θ=4π3\theta = \tfrac{4\pi}{3}, not π3\tfrac{\pi}{3}.
  • Putting zz into rr. r=x2+y2r = \sqrt{x^2 + y^2} is the distance to the zz-axis, not to the origin.
2

Rewrite an equation in cylindrical coordinates

e.g. “Rewrite the following equations in cylindrical coordinates”
  1. 1
    Replace every x2+y2x^2 + y^2 by r2r^2
  2. 2
    Replace any remaining xx, yy by rcos⁡θr\cos\theta, rsin⁡θr\sin\theta
  3. 3
    Simplify, dividing by rr if every term has one

    Dividing by rr can only lose the zz-axis, r=0r = 0.

Remember: Group x² + y² first.

See it in a problem3 worked examples

Rewrite z=9−x2−y2z = 9 - x^2 - y^2 in cylindrical coordinates.

  1. 1
    Replace every x2+y2x^2 + y^2 by r2r^2

    z=9−(x2+y2)=9−r2z = 9 - (x^2 + y^2) = 9 - r^2.

  2. 2
    Replace any remaining xx, yy by rcos⁡θr\cos\theta, rsin⁡θr\sin\theta

    No xx or yy is left.

  3. 3
    Simplify, dividing by rr if every term has one

    z=9−r2z = 9 - r^2, a paraboloid opening down.

Answer:

z=9−r2z = 9 - r^2

Common mistakes2
  • Substituting before grouping x2+y2x^2 + y^2: you then have to clean up cos⁡2θ+sin⁡2θ\cos^2\theta + \sin^2\theta yourself.
  • Calling r=3r = 3 a circle. In 3D it is the cylinder x2+y2=9x^2 + y^2 = 9.
3

Find a volume or evaluate a triple integral in cylindrical coordinates

e.g. “Use cylindrical coordinates to evaluate the volumes of …”
  1. 1
    Write the bottom and top surfaces as zz in terms of rr, θ\theta
  2. 2
    Describe the shadow in the xyxy-plane in polar form

    Its edge is where the two surfaces meet, or a cylinder. A circle through the origin, centered on an axis, is r=2acos⁡θr = 2a\cos\theta or r=2asin⁡θr = 2a\sin\theta.

  3. 3
    Convert the integrand; use dV=r dz dr dθdV = r\,dz\,dr\,d\theta
  4. 4
    Integrate zz, then rr, then θ\theta

Remember: z between surfaces, shadow in polar, one extra r.

See it in a problem4 worked examples

Find the volume of the solid between the z=x2+y2z = x^2 + y^2 and z=8−x2−y2z = 8 - x^2 - y^2.

  1. 1
    Write the bottom and top surfaces as zz in terms of rr, θ\theta

    r2≤z≤8−r2r^2 \le z \le 8 - r^2.

  2. 2
    Describe the shadow in the xyxy-plane in polar form

    They meet where r2=8−r2r^2 = 8 - r^2, so r=2r = 2: 0≤r≤20 \le r \le 2, 0≤θ≤2π0 \le \theta \le 2\pi.

  3. 3
    Convert the integrand; use dV=r dz dr dθdV = r\,dz\,dr\,d\theta

    f=1f = 1: V=∫02π∫02∫r28−r2r dz dr dθV = \displaystyle\int_0^{2\pi}\int_0^2\int_{r^2}^{8 - r^2} r\,dz\,dr\,d\theta.

  4. 4
    Integrate zz, then rr, then θ\theta

    ∫02π∫02(8−2r2) r dr dθ=2π(16−8)=16π\displaystyle\int_0^{2\pi}\int_0^2 (8 - 2r^2)\,r\,dr\,d\theta = 2\pi(16 - 8) = 16\pi.

Answer:

V=16πV = 16\pi

Common mistakes3
  • Forgetting the rr in dVdV.
  • A tilted top like z=xz = x is above z=0z = 0 only where x≥0x \ge 0: restrict θ\theta.
  • For r=2cos⁡θr = 2\cos\theta, θ\theta runs from −π2-\tfrac{\pi}{2} to π2\tfrac{\pi}{2}, not over a full turn.
4

Find the mass or centroid of a solid in cylindrical coordinates

e.g. “Find the centroid of EE”
  1. 1
    Write the solid's limits in rr, θ\theta, zz
  2. 2
    Get xˉ=yˉ=0\bar x = \bar y = 0 from symmetry about the zz-axis

    This works when neither the solid nor the density depends on θ\theta.

  3. 3
    Find the mass M=∭ρ r dz dr dθM = \iiint \rho\,r\,dz\,dr\,d\theta

    Constant density, as for a : use the volume for MM.

  4. 4
    Compute zˉ=1M∭zρ dV\bar z = \frac{1}{M}\iiint z\rho\,dV

Remember: Symmetry for x and y, work for z.

See it in a problem3 worked examples

Find the centroid of the solid under z=4−x2−y2z = 4 - x^2 - y^2 and above z=0z = 0.

  1. 1
    Write the solid's limits in rr, θ\theta, zz

    0≤z≤4−r20 \le z \le 4 - r^2, 0≤r≤20 \le r \le 2, 0≤θ≤2π0 \le \theta \le 2\pi.

  2. 2
    Get xˉ=yˉ=0\bar x = \bar y = 0 from symmetry about the zz-axis

    Symmetric around the zz-axis, constant density: xˉ=yˉ=0\bar x = \bar y = 0.

  3. 3
    Find the mass M=∭ρ r dz dr dθM = \iiint \rho\,r\,dz\,dr\,d\theta

    V=∫02π∫02(4−r2) r dr dθ=2π(8−4)=8πV = \displaystyle\int_0^{2\pi}\int_0^2 (4 - r^2)\,r\,dr\,d\theta = 2\pi(8 - 4) = 8\pi.

  4. 4
    Compute zˉ=1M∭zρ dV\bar z = \frac{1}{M}\iiint z\rho\,dV

    ∭z dV=2π∫02(4−r2)22 r dr=32π3\displaystyle\iiint z\,dV = 2\pi\int_0^2 \tfrac{(4 - r^2)^2}{2}\,r\,dr = \tfrac{32\pi}{3}, so zˉ=32π/38π=43\bar z = \dfrac{32\pi/3}{8\pi} = \dfrac{4}{3}.

Answer:

(xˉ,yˉ,zˉ)=(0,0,43)(\bar x, \bar y, \bar z) = \left(0, 0, \dfrac{4}{3}\right)

Common mistakes3
  • Using the diameter as the radius. A hole of diameter dd leaves r≥d2r \ge \tfrac{d}{2}.
  • Using symmetry when the density breaks it.
  • Dropping the rr in dVdV, in the mass or in the moment.
5

Convert a triple integral from Cartesian to cylindrical coordinates

e.g. “Write II as an iterated integral in cylindrical coordinates”
  1. 1
    Read the zz-limits: they are the bottom and top surfaces
  2. 2
    Read the shadow from the xx, yy limits; describe it in polar

    y=±a2−x2y = \pm\sqrt{a^2 - x^2} is the circle of radius aa. The signs of the limits pick the quadrants.

  3. 3
    Substitute x2+y2=r2x^2 + y^2 = r^2; dz dy dxdz\,dy\,dx becomes r dz dr dθr\,dz\,dr\,d\theta
  4. 4
    Evaluate

Remember: Same solid, polar shadow.

See it in a problem2 worked examples

Evaluate ∫−22∫−4−x24−x2∫04−x2−y2x2+y2 dz dy dx\displaystyle\int_{-2}^{2}\int_{-\sqrt{4 - x^2}}^{\sqrt{4 - x^2}}\int_0^{4 - x^2 - y^2}\sqrt{x^2 + y^2}\,dz\,dy\,dx by converting to cylindrical coordinates.

  1. 1
    Read the zz-limits: they are the bottom and top surfaces

    0≤z≤4−(x2+y2)=4−r20 \le z \le 4 - (x^2 + y^2) = 4 - r^2.

  2. 2
    Read the shadow from the xx, yy limits; describe it in polar

    −2≤x≤2-2 \le x \le 2 with ∣y∣≤4−x2|y| \le \sqrt{4 - x^2} is the whole disk of radius 22: 0≤r≤20 \le r \le 2, 0≤θ≤2π0 \le \theta \le 2\pi.

  3. 3
    Substitute x2+y2=r2x^2 + y^2 = r^2; dz dy dxdz\,dy\,dx becomes r dz dr dθr\,dz\,dr\,d\theta

    ∫02π∫02∫04−r2r⋅r dz dr dθ\displaystyle\int_0^{2\pi}\int_0^2\int_0^{4 - r^2} r \cdot r\,dz\,dr\,d\theta.

  4. 4
    Evaluate

    2π∫02r2(4−r2) dr=2π(323−325)=128π152\pi\displaystyle\int_0^2 r^2(4 - r^2)\,dr = 2\pi\left(\tfrac{32}{3} - \tfrac{32}{5}\right) = \tfrac{128\pi}{15}.

Answer:

128π15\dfrac{128\pi}{15}

Common mistakes2
  • Writing dz dr dθdz\,dr\,d\theta without the rr.
  • Using 0≤θ≤2π0 \le \theta \le 2\pi when the limits only cover part of the disk, such as 0≤y≤1−x20 \le y \le \sqrt{1 - x^2}.

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