Can anyone help me understand double integrals involving intersecting cylinders?

In summary, the question is asking to find the volume of the region where two intersecting cylinders with the equations x^2 + y^2 = a^2 and x^2 + z^2 = a^2 overlap. The solution involves using the limits of integration and a factor of 8 to calculate the volume of the first octant. Viewing pictures helped to understand the concept.
  • #1
FeDeX_LaTeX
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Homework Statement



Find the volume of the region common to the intersecting cylinders ##x^2 + y^2 = a^2## and ##x^2 + z^2 = a^2##.

The Attempt at a Solution



I am totally stuck here. What do they mean when they say 'intersecting cylinders'? I've drawn graphs of circles of radius a, centred at the origin, in the x-y plane and the x-z plane. I've put them together and ended up with two identical circles cutting each other at right angles, and I don't see any cylinders... can anyone help me visualise this?

They have ended up with

[tex]8 \int_{x=0}^{a} \int_{y=0}^{\sqrt{a^2 - x^2}} z dy dx[/tex]

I can understand where the limits of integration come from, but not the factor of 8, nor what is actually going on here...
 
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  • #2
Look here for some pictures:

http://www.math.tamu.edu/~tkiffe/calc3/newcylinder/2cylinder.html

The 8 is because you are only calculating the first octant volume.
 
  • #3
Thanks -- a picture really helped. I found it impossible to visualise.
 

Related to Can anyone help me understand double integrals involving intersecting cylinders?

1. What is a double integral?

A double integral is a mathematical operation that calculates the volume under a surface in a three-dimensional space. It is an extension of a single integral, which calculates the area under a curve in a two-dimensional space.

2. How is a double integral different from a single integral?

A double integral involves integrating over a region in a two-dimensional space, while a single integral integrates over a curve in a one-dimensional space. Double integrals also involve an additional variable, making it a more complex mathematical operation.

3. What is the purpose of a double integral in scientific research?

Double integrals are used to solve a variety of problems in physics, engineering, economics, and other fields. They are particularly useful in calculating the area, volume, and mass of complex shapes and objects.

4. How is a double integral evaluated?

A double integral is evaluated by dividing the region of integration into smaller rectangles and using a mathematical formula to calculate the area of each rectangle. These areas are then added together to get an approximation of the total volume under the surface. As the number of rectangles increases, the approximation becomes more accurate.

5. What are some real-world applications of double integrals?

Double integrals are used in a wide range of scientific and engineering applications, such as calculating the electric field between two charged plates, determining the center of mass of an object, and finding the volume of a three-dimensional object. They are also used in economics to model supply and demand curves and in computer graphics to create realistic 3D images.

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