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I have to prove that $$\int_D xy\; dxdy=\frac{3}{8}$$ with $D=\{(x,y)\in \mathbb{R}^2: x^2+y^2 \geq 1,\ \frac{x^2}{4}+y^2 \leq 1,\ x \geq 0,\ y \geq 0 \}$. So I have the intersection of ellipse $\frac{x^2}{4}+y^2 \leq 1$ and the ball $x^2+y^2 \leq 1$. If I use the sets $$\begin{eqnarray} P&=&\{(x,y)\in\mathbb{R}^2: x^2+y^2 \leq 1,\ x \geq 0,\ y \geq 0 \}\\ E&=&\Big\{(x,y)\in\mathbb{R}^2: \frac{x^2}{4}+y^2 \leq 1,\ x \geq 0,\ y \geq 0 \Big\} \end{eqnarray}$$ I obtain that $\displaystyle \int_D xy\; dxdy=\int_E xy\; dxdy - \int_P xy\; dxdy$.

The integral $\int_E xy\; dxdy$ can be calculated whith the elliptic coordinates $x=2\rho\cos\theta$, $y=\rho \sin \theta$ and the set E became $$\Big\{\rho \leq 1,\ \theta \in \Big[0,\frac{\pi}{2}\Big]\Big\}.$$ So $\displaystyle\int_E xy\; dxdy =\int_0^1 2\rho^3\; d\rho \int_0^{\frac{\pi}{2}}\cos\theta\sin\theta\;d\theta =\left.2\frac{\rho^4}{4}\right|^1_0 \cdot \left.\Big(-\frac{1}{2}\cos^2\theta\Big)\right|_0^{\pi/2} =\frac{1}{4}\cdot$

In the same way we can use the coordinate $x=\rho \cos\theta$, $y=\rho \sin \theta$ and the set P became $$\Big\{\rho\leq 1,\ \theta\in\Big[0,\frac{\pi}{2}\Big]\Big\}.$$ So $\displaystyle\int_P xy\; dxdy=\int_0^1 \rho^\; d\rho \int_0^{\frac{\pi}{2}}\cos\theta\sin\theta\; d\theta =\left.\frac{\rho^4}{4}\right|^1_0 \cdot \left.\Big(-\frac{1}{2}\cos^2\theta\Big)\right|_0^{\pi/2} =\frac{1}{8}\cdot$

Then $\displaystyle\int_D xy\; dxdy=\frac{1}{4}-\frac{1}{8}=\frac{1}{8}\cdot$ Where am I doing wrong?

Mario
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  • Hint: What is the Jacobian of the elliptical change of coordinates? – Catalin Zara Jan 15 '23 at 18:59
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    It's best to call the parameter for an ellipse $t$ or something, because it's not the polar angle $\theta$. – J.G. Jan 15 '23 at 19:48
  • Your proof is correct, except that you forgot a factor 2 when calculating $\int_E ! xy,\mathrm{d}x\mathrm{d}y$; its value should be $\frac12$ and not $\frac14\cdot$ – jp boucheron Jan 15 '23 at 22:11

1 Answers1

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It's better do the integral in Cartesian anyway

$$\int_0^1 \int_{\sqrt{1-y^2}}^{2\sqrt{1-y^2}}xy\:dxdy = \int_0^1\frac{3}{2}\left(y-y^3\right)\:dy = \frac{3}{4} - \frac{3}{8} = \frac{3}{8}$$

Don't always immediately go to polar coordinates whenever you see conic sections. The integrand made this nice since we had odd powers of $x$ and $y$ which, when integrated, will cancel out the square roots and give us nice polynomials.

Ninad Munshi
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