75]
ON THE ATTRACTION OF AN ELLIPSOID.
443
where it will be remembered that p, q,... are linear functions (with constant terms)
of (n — 1) variables y, these last mentioned quantities being themselves functions
of (n — 2) variables 0, &c. such that 1 — y 2 — £ 2 — ... = 0 identically. If besides we suppose
1 'ff'
that <E> = Ip 2 + mq 2 + ... reduces itself to the form p~ q~ &c., we have, by the formula
of the paper “ On the Simultaneous Transformation of two Homogeneous Equations of
the Second Order,” [74],
(to 2 + 18 — IX) ((ù 2 + m8 — mX) ... f 1
which is true, whatever be the value of X.
Pa 2
m 2 b 2
It seems difficult to proceed further with the general formula, and I shall suppose
71 = 3, i = 0, h = 1, (x, y...) h =x, or write
y f xdxdy dz
J (nr? 4- nfl 4-
(x 2 +y~ + z 2 )
the equation of the limits being
l(x — a) 2 + m(y — b) 2 + n (z — cf = k.
Here we may assume y = cos 6, £ = sin 0, (values which give S = 1). And we have
V=2
aPd(o f (a + a! cos 0 + a" sin 0) d0
K* J 1 cos 2 0 sin 2 0
p--
Q R
from 0 = 0 to 0 = 27t ; or, what comes to the same thing.
aPdœ i ocd0
si
V=8
from 0 — 0 to 0 = ¿7T. Hence
V = 477
] 1 cos 2 0 sin 2 0 ’
p Q~
ouo 2 P\/(QR) do)
\/{{P - Q) (P-R)} ’
we have from the formulae of the paper before quoted,
„ QR (B- mP) (G-nP) - F 2
K (P-Q)(P-B) '
B, C, F, being the coefficients of y 2 , z 2 , yz in yfr (x, y, z), viz.
B = (o 2 + m8 — m 2 b 2 , G = a» 2 + n8 — n 2 c 2 , F = mnbc ;
and consequently
V — 477 I co 2 da>
PQR \(B- mP) (G - nP) - F 2 }*
(P — Q)(P — R)
56—2