Thread: integrals

hi,

i just started learning on surface integrals and am very confused with the many different types of formulas that one can use.

may i know when do we know we need to convert the integrands using polar coordinates, or spherical cordinates or not convert at all?


thanks

You 'need' to do it when it makes the integral simpler! Typically, that means that you use cylindrical coordinates when there is some kind of circular symmetry you can take advantage of and spherical coordinates when there is some kind of spherical symmetry.