**Polar coordinates** offer a useful alternative to Cartesian coordinates, especially when dealing with circular or radial symmetries. They express points in terms of radial distance \(r\) and angle \(\theta\). Often, switching to polar coordinates simplifies the limits of integration and the integrand itself.
In our exercise, while not directly necessary, using polar coordinates could help visualize the semicircles described by \(x = \pm 2\sqrt{1-y^2}\). These semicircles correspond to circles in polar coordinates, offering symmetry that's sometimes easier to handle:
- Transform \(x\) and \(y\) using \(x = r\cos\theta\) and \(y = r\sin\theta\).
- Re-express \(x^2 + y^2 = r^2\) to correspond with boundaries defined by the radius.
- Integrate over \(r\) and \(\theta\) instead of \(x\) and \(y\), sometimes simplifying calculations.
Polar transformations might not simplify every problem but can be particularly powerful with radial symmetries.