TITLE: Split up a double integral
QUESTION [6 upvotes]: Is it true that  
$\int_a^b \int_c^d f(x)g(y)dydx = \int_a^b f(x)dx \cdot \int_c^dg(y)dy $ 
My intuition says it is true, but I also have the feeling that I am missing something, but I cannot prove it. In my application $a,b,c,d$ are length variables. $f(x)$ and $g(y)$ are sinusoidal functions.  
I would like to prove the general case, can somebody help me out?

REPLY [7 votes]: Note that for any integrable $f \colon \def\R{\mathbb R}\R \to \R$ and any $\zeta \in \R$ we have
$$ \int_\R \zeta f(x)\, dx = \zeta \int_\R f(x) \, dx $$
Now note that with $\zeta := \int_\R f(y)\, dy$ which depends on $f$, but since $f$ is a constant this gives
$$ \int_\R  \left(\int_\R f(y)\, dy\right)\, f(x)\, dx = \int_\R f(y)\, dy  \cdot \int_\R f(x)\, dx $$
Now, for every fixed $x \in \R$, just apply the above result, now for $\zeta = f(x)$ (not dependent on $y$):
$$  \left(\int_\R f(y)\, dy\right)\, f(x) =  \int_\R f(x)f(y)\, dy $$
Thus
$$ \int_\R  \int_\R f(y)f(x)\, dy\, dx = \int_\R f(y)\, dy  \cdot \int_\R f(x)\, dx $$

REPLY [5 votes]: The integral is linear so for any constant $K$ you have:
$$\int_a^b K \, f(x)\,\mbox{d}x=K\int_a^b f(x)\,\mbox{d}x$$
and with respect to $y$, $f(x)=K_1$ is a constant and likewise the expression $\int_c^d g(y)\,\mbox{d}y = K_2$ is a constant:
$$\int_a^b \int_c^d \overbrace{f(x)}^{K_1} g(y)\,\mbox{d}y\,\mbox{d}x =\int_a^b \left( \overbrace{f(x)}^{K_1}\underbrace{\int_c^d g(y)\,\mbox{d}y}_{K_2} \right)\,\mbox{d}x=\underbrace{\int_c^d g(y)\,\mbox{d}y}_{K_2}\int_a^b f(x)\,\mbox{d}x$$

REPLY [4 votes]: Here is a try:
$$I=\int_a^b\int_c^df(x)g(y)dxdy$$
where $\int f(x)dx=F(x)$ and $\int g(y)dy=G(y)$
we can start by saying:
$$I=\int_a^b\int_c^df(x)g(y)dxdy=\int_c^d\left[F(x)\right]_a^b g(y)dy=\left[F(x)\right]_a^b \left[G(x)\right]_c^d$$
as $\left[F(x)\right]_a^b$ is a constant. They are separable