Math 2.0

Measure and integration Proof

Proof of Cavalieri's principle for Jordan measurable solids

Builds on Jordan measureUpper and lower Darboux sumsUpper and lower Darboux integralsDarboux and Riemann integrals agreeLinearity of the integralPartition of an interval

Proof

We prove the formula first for simple sets, and then squeeze EE between simple sets.

  1. Let EE, a≤ba \le b, EzE_z and A(z)A(z) be as in the statement. We use the boxes, simple sets and measure mm of the definition of Jordan measure, in ℝ3\R^3 and in ℝ2\R^2. So vol⁡(E)=m(E)\operatorname{vol}(E) = m(E) and A(z)=m(Ez)A(z) = m(E_z).
  2. Case a=ba = b. The set EE is bounded, so E⊆[−r,r)×[−r,r)×[a,a+ε)E \subseteq [-r, r) \times [-r, r) \times [a, a + \varepsilon) for some r>0r > 0 and every ε>0\varepsilon > 0. Hence m(E)≤m∗(E)≤4r2εm(E) \le m^*(E) \le 4 r^2 \varepsilon for every ε>0\varepsilon > 0. So vol⁡(E)=0=∫aaA(z) dz\operatorname{vol}(E) = 0 = \int_a^a A(z) \, dz. From now on, let a<ba < b.
  3. Lemma 1: let JJ be an interval with endpoints c≤dc \le d in [a,b][a, b], and let χ\chi be its indicator function on [a,b][a, b]. Then χ\chi is integrable and ∫abχ dz=d−c\int_a^b \chi \, dz = d - c.
  4. Proof of Lemma 1. Let η>0\eta > 0. Take the partition of [a,b][a, b] whose points are aa, bb and those of c±ηc \pm \eta, d±ηd \pm \eta that lie in (a,b)(a, b).
  5. Outside [c−η,d+η][c - \eta, d + \eta] we have χ=0\chi = 0, so the upper Darboux sum is at most d−c+2ηd - c + 2\eta. On [c+η,d−η][c + \eta, d - \eta] we have χ=1\chi = 1, so the lower Darboux sum is at least d−c−2ηd - c - 2\eta.
  6. Since η\eta is arbitrary, the upper and lower Darboux integrals of χ\chi are both d−cd - c. By the agreement of Darboux and Riemann integrals, Lemma 1 follows.
  7. Lemma 2: let SS be a simple set in ℝ3\R^3. Write SS as a disjoint union of nonempty boxes Ql=Pl×IlQ_l = P_l \times I_l, where PlP_l is a half-open rectangle in ℝ2\R^2 and Il=[cl,dl)I_l = [c_l, d_l), for l=1,…,pl = 1, \dots, p. Then for each z∈ℝz \in \R, Sz={(x,y):(x,y,z)∈S}S_z = \set{(x, y) : (x, y, z) \in S} is a simple set and m(Sz)=∑l∣Pl∣χl(z)m(S_z) = \sum_l \abs{P_l} \chi_l(z), where χl\chi_l is the indicator function of IlI_l.
  8. Proof of Lemma 2. We have Sz=⋃l:z∈IlPlS_z = \bigcup_{l : z \in I_l} P_l. These PlP_l are pairwise disjoint: a common point (x,y)(x, y) of two of them would give a common point (x,y,z)(x, y, z) of two boxes QlQ_l. So m(Sz)=∑l:z∈Il∣Pl∣m(S_z) = \sum_{l : z \in I_l} \abs{P_l}, which is the claim.
  9. Also m(S)=∑l∣Ql∣=∑l∣Pl∣(dl−cl)m(S) = \sum_l \abs{Q_l} = \sum_l \abs{P_l} (d_l - c_l), by the definition of the volume of a box.
  10. Let S⊆ES \subseteq E be a simple set, written as in Lemma 2. Each QlQ_l is nonempty and lies in EE, so Il⊆[a,b]I_l \subseteq [a, b]. By Lemma 1 and linearity of the integral, z↦m(Sz)z \mapsto m(S_z) is integrable on [a,b][a, b] with integral ∑l∣Pl∣(dl−cl)=m(S)\sum_l \abs{P_l} (d_l - c_l) = m(S).
  11. Let T⊇ET \supseteq E be a simple set, written as a disjoint union of nonempty boxes Pl′×[cl′,dl′)P'_l \times [c'_l, d'_l). On [a,b][a, b], the indicator of [cl′,dl′)[c'_l, d'_l) equals the indicator of the interval [cl′,dl′)∩[a,b][c'_l, d'_l) \cap [a, b], whose length is at most dl′−cl′d'_l - c'_l.
  12. By Lemma 1, Lemma 2 and linearity, z↦m(Tz)z \mapsto m(T_z) is integrable on [a,b][a, b], with ∫abm(Tz) dz≤∑l∣Pl′∣(dl′−cl′)=m(T)\int_a^b m(T_z) \, dz \le \sum_l \abs{P'_l} (d'_l - c'_l) = m(T).
  13. Let z∈[a,b]z \in [a, b]. Since Sz⊆Ez⊆TzS_z \subseteq E_z \subseteq T_z and Sz,TzS_z, T_z are simple, the definitions of inner and outer measure give m(Sz)≤m∗(Ez)=A(z)m(S_z) \le m_*(E_z) = A(z) and A(z)=m∗(Ez)≤m(Tz)A(z) = m^*(E_z) \le m(T_z).
  14. Simple sets S⊆E⊆TS \subseteq E \subseteq T exist, since EE is bounded. Fix one such TT. By step 13, 0≤A(z)≤m(Tz)≤∑l∣Pl′∣0 \le A(z) \le m(T_z) \le \sum_l \abs{P'_l}, so AA is bounded on [a,b][a, b].
  15. Let J‾\underline{J} and J‾\overline{J} be the lower and upper Darboux integrals of AA on [a,b][a, b]. Let φ≤A≤ψ\varphi \le A \le \psi with φ,ψ\varphi, \psi integrable. Then each lower sum of AA is at least that of φ\varphi, and each upper sum of AA is at most that of ψ\psi. So ∫abφ≤J‾\int_a^b \varphi \le \underline{J} and J‾≤∫abψ\overline{J} \le \int_a^b \psi.
  16. By steps 10, 13 and 15, m(S)≤J‾m(S) \le \underline{J} for every simple S⊆ES \subseteq E. Taking the supremum, m∗(E)≤J‾m_*(E) \le \underline{J}.
  17. By steps 12, 13 and 15, J‾≤m(T)\overline{J} \le m(T) for every simple T⊇ET \supseteq E. Taking the infimum, J‾≤m∗(E)\overline{J} \le m^*(E).
  18. Every lower sum is at most every upper sum, so J‾≤J‾\underline{J} \le \overline{J}. Since EE is Jordan measurable, m∗(E)=m∗(E)=m(E)m_*(E) = m^*(E) = m(E). Steps 16 and 17 give m(E)≤J‾≤J‾≤m(E)m(E) \le \underline{J} \le \overline{J} \le m(E).
  19. So J‾=J‾=m(E)\underline{J} = \overline{J} = m(E). By the agreement of Darboux and Riemann integrals, AA is integrable on [a,b][a, b] and vol⁡(E)=∫abA(z) dz\operatorname{vol}(E) = \int_a^b A(z) \, dz.
  20. If two such solids have A(z)A(z) equal for each z∈[a,b]z \in [a, b], the right sides agree. So the two solids have equal volume.

Idea

For a finite union of boxes, the area of the cross-section at height zz is a step function of zz, and its integral adds up the volumes of the boxes. A Jordan measurable solid is squeezed between such unions, from inside and outside. Their cross-sections squeeze the cross-sections of the solid, so the integral of A(z)A(z) is squeezed to the volume.

Reading path

To understand this page from the ground up, read these 63 pages in order. The foundations come first. The path takes the proofs Proof that Darboux and Riemann integrals agree, Proof of the approximation property of the supremum, Proof that the reals form an ordered field, with the Cauchy sequence construction, Proof that the absolute value is multiplicative, Proof of the triangle inequality for real numbers, Proof of the linearity of the integral, Proof that the reals are Archimedean from the completeness axiom.

  1. Construction of the reals from Cauchy sequences concept
  2. Element definition
  3. Euclidean space object
  4. Infimum concept
  5. Integers object
  6. Ordered field definition
  7. Partition of an interval definition
  8. Proposition concept
  9. Rational numbers object
  10. Real numbers object
  11. Sequence definition
  12. Set bounded above definition
  13. Supremum concept
  14. Set definition
  15. Ring of integers statement
  16. Archimedean ordered field definition
  17. Jordan measure definition
  18. Mesh of a partition definition
  19. Refinement of a partition definition
  20. Riemann sum definition
  21. Implication definition
  22. Predicate definition
  23. The reals form a field statement
  24. Real sequence definition
  25. Infimum definition
  26. Supremum definition
  27. Ordered pair definition
  28. The rationals form a field statement
  29. Riemann integrable function definition
  30. Universal quantifier definition
  31. Bounded sequence definition
  32. Completeness axiom statement
  33. Cartesian product definition
  34. Riemann integral definition
  35. Subset definition
  36. The rationals form an ordered field statement
  37. Upper and lower Darboux sums definition
  38. Binary relation definition
  39. Definite integral definition
  40. Order on the reals definition
  41. Upper and lower Darboux integrals definition
  42. Antisymmetric relation definition
  43. Reflexive relation definition
  44. Transitive relation definition
  45. Preorder definition
  46. Partial order definition
  47. Total order definition
  48. Proof that the reals form an ordered field, with the Cauchy sequence construction proof
  49. The reals form an ordered field statement
  50. Absolute value definition
  51. Proof of the approximation property of the supremum proof
  52. Proof of the triangle inequality for real numbers proof
  53. Proof that the absolute value is multiplicative proof
  54. Approximation property of the supremum statement
  55. Triangle inequality statement
  56. Absolute value is multiplicative statement
  57. Proof that the reals are Archimedean from the completeness axiom proof
  58. The reals are Archimedean statement
  59. Proof of the linearity of the integral proof
  60. Linearity of the integral statement
  61. Proof that Darboux and Riemann integrals agree proof
  62. Darboux and Riemann integrals agree statement
  63. Proof of Cavalieri's principle for Jordan measurable solids proof

Where this leads

2 pages build on this one.

Further reading

  1. Web https://terrytao.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/measure-book1.pdf, Section 1.1
  2. Web https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavalieri%27s_principle, Generalisation to measures
About this page
TagCRACJJNRP9
URIm2://CRACJJNRP9
Kindproof
WritingW0 stub
MSC28A75
ProvesCavalieri's principle
UsesJordan measure, Upper and lower Darboux sums, Upper and lower Darboux integrals, Darboux and Riemann integrals agree, Linearity of the integral, Partition of an interval
Changed4 November 2026

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