MATH 2023 Tutorial 11 (T1A)

Line integrals
27/4/2023

0 Modifications
• In Problem 6 in section Problems:
– Changed “path starting from (2, 0) to (1, 𝜋)”.
– Changed integral to
∫ sin 𝑦 d𝑥 + (𝑥 cos 𝑦 − sin 𝑦) d𝑦.
𝐶

• In Problem 4 in section Solutions:

– Dot product changed to 2𝑒 −𝑡 . In turns answers changed to 2(𝑒 − 𝑒 −1 ).

1 Recap
• Most formulae are written in ℝ2 , but can be generalized to ℝ3 .

Introduction to vector field

• A vector field is a (subset of) ℝ𝑛 → ℝ𝑛 function.
• Notation (for ℝ2 ):
#»
𝐹(𝑥, 𝑦) = ⟨𝑃(𝑥, 𝑦), 𝑄(𝑥, 𝑦)⟩ = ⟨𝑃, 𝑄⟩ = 𝑃 ı ⃗ + 𝑄 ȷ,⃗

where 𝑃, 𝑄 ∶ ℝ2 → ℝ.
• E.g. gradients, for 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧),

∇𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧) = ⟨𝑓𝑥 (𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧), 𝑓𝑦 (𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧), 𝑓𝑧 (𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧)⟩.

Review on paths (curves)

• Parametrized paths (curves): #»
𝑟 ∶ [𝑎, 𝑏] → ℝ𝑛 functions, e.g.
#»
𝑟 (𝑡) = ⟨𝑥(𝑡), 𝑦(𝑡)⟩, 𝑎 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 𝑏.

– 𝑡 is increasing.
– The path 𝐶 is the image of #»
𝑟.
• Tangent vectors:
#»
𝑟 ′ (𝑡)
#»
𝑟 ′ (𝑡) = ⟨𝑥′ (𝑡), 𝑦′ (𝑡)⟩. Unit tangent vector ∶ ‖ #»′ ‖ .
‖ 𝑟 (𝑡)‖

1
• Arc length of path:
𝑏
𝑠=∫ ‖ #»′
‖ 𝑟 (𝑡)‖
‖ d𝑡 .
𝑎

• E.g. line segment from 𝑃1 to 𝑃2 :

# » # »
(1 − 𝑡)𝑂𝑃1 + 𝑡𝑂𝑃2 , 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 1,

i.e. (1 − 𝑡)× start + 𝑡× end.

• Orientation: positive when counterclockwise (according to right-hand rule).
• Types of paths:
#»
– Smooth paths: #»
𝑟 ∈ 𝐶 1 and #»
𝑟 ′ (𝑡) ≠ 0 .
– Piecewise-smooth paths: can be decomposed into finitely many smooth curves.
– Simple paths: no self-intersection except possibly at end points,
– Closed paths: same end points, i.e. #»
𝑟 (𝑎) = #»
𝑟 (𝑏).

Line integrals of scalar functions (w.r.t arc length)

• Interpretation: area of surface (graph) along a curve other than the horizontals or verticals.
• Curve 𝐶 = 𝐶 (𝑡) is a (single variable) parametric equation,

𝑥 = 𝑥(𝑡), 𝑦 = 𝑦(𝑡), 𝑎 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 𝑏.

• Formula:

‖ #»′ ‖ d𝑥 2 d𝑦 2
∫ 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) d𝑠 = ∫ 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) ‖ 𝑟 (𝑡)‖ d𝑡 = ∫ 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) √( d𝑡 ) + ( d𝑡 ) d𝑡 .
𝐶 𝐶 𝐶

• Does not change sign if orientation of 𝐶 is reversed,

∫ 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) d𝑠 = ∫ 𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) d𝑠 .
𝐶 −𝐶

Line integrals of vector fields

#»
• Let 𝐹 be a continuous vector field.
• 𝐶 a smooth curve given by #»
𝑟 (𝑡), 𝑎 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 𝑏.
#»
• The integral of 𝐹 along 𝐶:
𝑏
#» #» #» #» #» #» #»
∫ 𝐹 ⋅ d 𝑟 = ∫ 𝐹( 𝑟 (𝑡)) ⋅ 𝑟 ′ (𝑡) d𝑡 = ∫ 𝐹 ⋅ 𝑇 d𝑠 .
𝐶 𝑎 𝐶

• Change sign if orientation of 𝐶 is reversed,

#» #» #» #»
∫ 𝐹 ⋅ d 𝑟 = −∫ 𝐹 ⋅ d 𝑟 .
−𝐶 𝐶

2
Differential form of line integral
• Line integral in differential form:

∫ [𝑃 d𝑥 + 𝑄 d𝑦].
𝐶

• Represents both:
– Line integrals for vector fields.
– Line integrals for scalar functions w.r.t. 𝑥 and 𝑦.
• Does not mean integrating w.r.t. 𝑥 and 𝑦, then apply the bound.
• Need to express everything in 𝑡, e.g. find d𝑥 from

𝑥 = 𝑥(𝑡) ⟹ d𝑥 = 𝑥′ (𝑡) d𝑡 .

• Change sign if orientation of 𝐶 is reversed.

Line integral Scalar function Scalar function Vector field

type w.r.t. arc length w.r.t. 𝑥, 𝑦 w.r.t. #»
𝑟
Formula #» #»
∫ 𝑓 d𝑠 ∫ 𝑓 d𝑥 + 𝑔 d𝑦 ∫ 𝐹⋅d𝑟
𝐶 𝐶 𝐶
Integration
𝑡 𝑡 𝑡
variable
Integral d𝑥 2 d𝑦 2 d𝑥 = 𝑥′ (𝑡) d𝑡 d #»
𝑟 = #»
𝑟 ′ (𝑡) d𝑡
element d𝑠 = √( ) + ( ) d𝑡
d𝑡 d𝑦 d𝑦 = 𝑦′ (𝑡) d𝑡
Integral over
+ − −
−𝐶
Differential
/ ∫ 𝑃 d𝑥 + 𝑄 d𝑦
form 𝐶

Table 1: Comparisons on different types of line integrals

Fundamental theorem of line integrals

• Works for line integrals of vector fields in ℝ𝑛 .
• Fundamental theorem of line integrals
– Let 𝐶 ∶ #»
𝑟 (𝑡), 𝑎 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 𝑏 be a smooth curve.
– 𝑓 has gradient ∇𝑓 ∈ 𝐶 (𝐶 ) (continuous on 𝐶).
– Then
#» #» #»
∫ ∇𝑓 ⋅ d 𝑟 = 𝑓( 𝑟 (𝑏)) − 𝑓( 𝑟 (𝑎)).
𝐶

• Terminologies:

3
 #» #»
– Conservative vector field 𝐹 : there is 𝑓 ∶ ℝ𝑛 → ℝ such that 𝐹 = ∇𝑓.
– Simply connected region: every “rubber band” can be shrinked to any point on itself.
• Theorem:
#»
– Let 𝐹 = ⟨𝑃, 𝑄⟩ be on an open, simply connected domin 𝐷.
– 𝑃, 𝑄 ∈ 𝐶 1 (𝐷).
– And
𝜕𝑄 𝜕𝑃
= in 𝐷.
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦
#»
– Then 𝐹 is conservative.
• Def (Path independence):
#» #» #» #»
∫ 𝐹⋅d𝑟 =∫ 𝐹⋅d𝑟 ,
𝐶1 𝐶2

for any two paths 𝐶1 , 𝐶2 with the same end points.

• Theorem:
#» #»
∫ 𝐹⋅d𝑟
𝐶
is independent of path if and only if
#» #»
∮ 𝐹⋅d𝑟 =0
𝐶

for all closed loop 𝐶 in 𝐷.

#»
• Two consequences of conservative 𝐹 :
#»
– There is ∇𝑓 such that 𝐹 = ∇𝑓, so that
#» #» #» #»
∫ 𝐹 ⋅ d 𝑟 = 𝑓( 𝑟 (𝑏)) − 𝑓( 𝑟 (𝑎)).
𝐶

#»
– The line integral of 𝐹 is path independent, since for any closed loop with #»
𝑟 (𝑏) = #»
𝑟 (𝑎),
#» #» #» #»
∮ 𝐹 ⋅ d 𝑟 = 𝑓( 𝑟 (𝑏)) − 𝑓( 𝑟 (𝑎)) = 0.
𝐶

4
2 Problems
1 (Ex 16.2, Q 10). Evaluate
∫ 𝑦2 𝑧 d𝑠 ,
𝐶
where 𝐶 is the line segment from (3, 1, 2) to (1, 2, 5).

2 (Ex 16.2, Q 8). Evaluate

∫ 𝑥2 d𝑥 + 𝑦2 d𝑦 ,
𝐶

where 𝐶 is given below in Fig. 1. Also, evaluate

∫ 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 d𝑠 .
𝐶1

𝑦
(0, 2)
𝐶2

𝐶1 ∶ 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 = 4
(−1, 1)

𝑥
0 (2, 0)

Figure 1: Integration paths

3 (Fitzpatrick, Ex 20.1, Q 6). Evaluate

𝑥 𝑦
∫ 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 d𝑥 + 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 d𝑦 ,
𝐶

where 𝐶 is given by
#»
𝑟 (𝑡) = ⟨𝑒 𝑡 cos 𝑡, 𝑒 𝑡 sin 𝑡⟩, 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 2𝜋.

4 (Ex 16.2, Q 24). Evaluate

#» #»
∫ 𝐹⋅d𝑟 ,
𝐶
where
#»
𝐹(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧) = 𝑥𝑧 ı ⃗ + 𝑧3 ȷ ⃗ + 𝑦 k,⃗
#»
𝑟 (𝑡) = 𝑒 𝑡 ı ⃗ + 𝑒 2𝑡 ȷ ⃗ + 𝑒 −𝑡 k,⃗ −1 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 1.

5
5 (Ex 16.3, Q 14). Suppose
#»
𝐹 = ⟨sin 𝑦 + 𝑒 𝑥 , 𝑥 cos 𝑦⟩ and 𝐶 ∶ 𝑥 = 𝑡, 𝑦 = 𝑡(3 − 𝑡), 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 3.
#»
(a). Show that 𝐹 is conservative and find a potential function 𝑓.
#»
(b). Using the fundamental theorem for line integrals, find ∫𝐶 𝐹 ⋅ d #»
𝑟.
#»
(c). Find ∫𝐶 𝐹 ⋅ d #»
𝑟 by replacing 𝐶 with a line segment that has the same end points.

6 (Ex 16.3, Q 26). Show that the line integral

∫ sin 𝑦 d𝑥 + (𝑥 cos 𝑦 − sin 𝑦) d𝑦

𝐶

is independent of path, and evaluate along 𝐶, which is any path starting from (2, 0) to (1, 𝜋).

6
3 Solutions
1. The line integral is defined with respect to arc length.
Step 1: Write down the integration path
The path is not explicitly given, but we are told it is the line segment from (3, 1, 2) to (1, 2, 5).
It is not difficult to write down a formula for such path

𝐶 ∶ 𝑟(𝑡) = (1 − 𝑡)⟨3, 1, 2⟩ + 𝑡⟨1, 2, 5⟩ = ⟨3 − 2𝑡, 1 + 𝑡, 2 + 3𝑡⟩, 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 1.

Step 2: Express the integrand in terms of 𝑡

According to our path,

𝑥(𝑡) = 3 − 2𝑡, 𝑦(𝑡) = 1 + 𝑡, 𝑧(𝑡) = 2 + 3𝑡.

Recall that

d𝑥 2 d𝑦 2 d𝑧 2
d𝑠 = √( ) + ( ) + ( ) d𝑡 = √(−2)2 + 12 + 32 d𝑡 = √14 d𝑡 .
d𝑡 d𝑡 d𝑡

Moreover, the integrand, written in terms of 𝑡 is

𝑦2 𝑧 = (1 + 𝑡)2 (2 + 3𝑡) = 3𝑡 3 + 8𝑡 2 + 7𝑡 + 2.

Step 3: Evaluate the integral

The path starts from 0 and ends at 1, so

1 1
𝑦2 𝑧 d𝑠 = (3𝑡 3 + 8𝑡 2 + 7𝑡 + 2)√14 d𝑡 = √14 3 𝑡 4 + 8 𝑡 3 + 7 𝑡 2 + 2𝑡 = 107√14 .
∫ ∫ [4 3 2 ]0 12
𝐶 0

Remark 1. If we reverse the orientation of the path, i.e.

𝐶1 ∶ (1 − 𝑡)⟨1, 2, 5⟩ + 𝑡⟨3, 1, 2⟩ = ⟨1 + 2𝑡 , 2 − 𝑡, 5 − 3𝑡⟩, 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 1.

Remember, the reverse orientation is not 𝐶 with 1 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 0, as we require 𝑡 to be increasing.

Then under path 𝐶2 ,
d𝑠 = √14 d𝑡 ,
and
1
∫ 𝑦2 𝑧 d𝑠 = √14 ∫ (2 − 𝑡)2 (5 − 3𝑡) d𝑡
𝐶 0
1
= √14 ∫ −3𝑡 3 + 17𝑡 2 − 32𝑡 + 20 d𝑡
0

107√14
= .
12
Thus the integral is not changed when the orientation of the path is flipped.

7
2. We first handle the integral in differential form, i.e.

∫ 𝑥2 d𝑥 + 𝑦2 d𝑦 .
𝐶

Notice that here, 𝐶 is piecewise smooth, so we divide the integral into that along 𝐶1 and 𝐶2 ,
then add it back, i.e.

∫ 𝑥2 d𝑥 + 𝑦2 d𝑦 = ∫ 𝑥2 d𝑥 + 𝑦2 d𝑦 + ∫ 𝑥2 d𝑥 + 𝑦2 d𝑦 .
𝐶 𝐶1 𝐶2

Step 1: Write down the integration path

The first path 𝐶1 is given implicity by 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 = 4, so we need a parametrization for it. Since
this is a circle, an easy choice would be
𝜋
𝐶1 ∶ #»
𝑟 (𝑡) = ⟨2 cos 𝑡, 2 sin 𝑡⟩, 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ .
2
#»
𝑟 ′ (𝑡) = ⟨−2 sin 𝑡, 2 cos 𝑡⟩.
Again, 𝐶2 is a line segment joining two points, so we can take
𝐶2 ∶ #»
𝑟 (𝑡) = (1 − 𝑡)⟨0, 2⟩ + 𝑡⟨−1, 1⟩ = ⟨−𝑡, 2 − 𝑡⟩, 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 1.
#»
𝑟 ′ (𝑡) = ⟨−1, −1⟩.

Step 2: Express and evaluate the integrand in terms of 𝑡

Remember that the differential form really means that

∫ 𝑥2 d𝑥 + 𝑦2 d𝑦 = ∫ 𝑥2 ⋅ 𝑥′ (𝑡) + 𝑦2 ⋅ 𝑦′ (𝑡) d𝑡 .
𝐶 𝐶

Thus for 𝐶1 ,
𝜋/2
∫ 𝑥2 d𝑥 + 𝑦2 d𝑦 = ∫ 4 cos2 𝑡 ⋅ (−2 sin 𝑡) + 4 sin2 𝑡 ⋅ (2 cos 𝑡) d𝑡
𝐶1 0
𝜋/2
= 8∫ sin2 𝑡 cos 𝑡 − cos2 𝑡 sin 𝑡 d𝑡
0
1 1
= 8 ∫ 𝑢2 d𝑢 − 8 ∫ 𝑣 2 d𝑣 (𝑢 = sin 𝑡, 𝑣 = cos 𝑡)
0 0
= 0.

For 𝐶2 ,
1
∫ 𝑥2 d𝑥 + 𝑦2 d𝑦 = ∫ 𝑡 2 ⋅ (−1) + (2 − 𝑡)2 ⋅ (−1) d𝑡
𝐶1 0
1
= − ∫ 2𝑡 2 − 4𝑡 + 4 d𝑡
0
1
2
= −[ 𝑡 3 − 2𝑡 2 + 4𝑡]
3 0
2
= − +2−4
3
8
=− .
3

8
Therefore
8
∫ 𝑥2 d𝑥 + 𝑦2 d𝑦 = ∫ 𝑥2 d𝑥 + 𝑦2 d𝑦 + ∫ 𝑥2 d𝑥 + 𝑦2 d𝑦 = − 3 .
𝐶 𝐶1 𝐶2

For the second part, as we have established

𝜋
𝐶1 ∶ #»
𝑟 (𝑡) = ⟨2 cos 𝑡, 2 sin 𝑡⟩, 0≤𝑡≤ ,
2
so
d𝑥 2 d𝑦 2
d𝑠 = √( ) + ( ) = 2.
d𝑡 d𝑡
Hence
𝜋/2
∫ 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 d𝑠 = 2 ∫ 4 d𝑡 = 4𝜋.
𝐶1 0

Remark 2. From the above calculation, we can see that

∫ 𝑥2 d𝑥 + 𝑦2 d𝑦 ≠ ∫ 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 d𝑠 .
𝐶1 𝐶1

This suggests they are indeed two different quantities, despite the line integrals of very
similar functions.

Remark 3. If we flip the orientation of 𝐶2 , i.e. integrate over

𝐶3 ∶ #»
𝑟 (𝑡) = (1 − 𝑡)⟨−1, 1⟩ + 𝑡⟨0, 2⟩ = ⟨𝑡 − 1, 𝑡 + 1⟩, 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 1,

then the integral becomes

1
∫ 𝑥2 d𝑥 + 𝑦2 d𝑦 = ∫ (𝑡 − 1)2 + (𝑡 + 1)2 d𝑡
𝐶2 0
1
= ∫ 2𝑡 2 + 2 d𝑡
0
1
2
= [ 𝑡 3 + 2𝑡]
3 0
8
= .
3
So indeed, flipping the orientation of 𝐶2 introduces a factor of −1.

3. This line integral is given in differential form.

Step 1: Write down the integration path
This is already given as

𝐶 ∶ #»
𝑟 (𝑡) = ⟨𝑒 𝑡 cos 𝑡, 𝑒 𝑡 sin 𝑡⟩, 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 2𝜋,
#»
𝑟 ′ (𝑡) = ⟨𝑒 𝑡 (cos 𝑡 − sin 𝑡), 𝑒 𝑡 (sin 𝑡 + cos 𝑡)⟩.

9
Step 2: Express the integrand in terms of 𝑡
Again, along 𝐶
𝑥 𝑦 𝑒 𝑡 cos 𝑡 𝑡
𝑡 (cos 𝑡 − sin 𝑡) + 𝑒 sin 𝑡 ⋅ 𝑒 𝑡 (sin 𝑡 + cos 𝑡)
d𝑥 + d𝑦 = ⋅ [ 𝑒 ] [ ]
𝑥 2 + 𝑦2 𝑥 2 + 𝑦2 𝑒 2𝑡 𝑒 2𝑡
= cos2 𝑡 − cos 𝑡 sin 𝑡 + sin2 𝑡 + sin 𝑡 cos 𝑡
= 1.

Step 3: Evaluate the integral

The integral becomes
2𝜋
𝑥 𝑦
∫ 𝑥 2 + 𝑦2 d𝑥 + d𝑦 = ∫ 1 d𝑡 = 2𝜋.
𝐶 𝑥 2 + 𝑦2 0

4. This is the line integral of a vector field.

Step 1: Write down the integration path
This is already given
#»
𝑟 (𝑡) = ⟨𝑒 𝑡 , 𝑒 2𝑡 , 𝑒 −𝑡 ⟩, −1 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 1,
#»
𝑟 ′ (𝑡) = ⟨𝑒 𝑡 , 2𝑒 2𝑡 , −𝑒 −𝑡 ⟩.

Step 2: Express the integrand in terms of 𝑡

Recall that for the line integrals of a vector field,
#» #»
𝐹 ⋅ d #»
𝑟 = 𝐹( #»
𝑟 (𝑡)) ⋅ #»
𝑟 ′ (𝑡) = ⟨1, 𝑒 −3𝑡 , 𝑒 2𝑡 ⟩ ⋅ ⟨𝑒 𝑡 , 2𝑒 2𝑡 , −𝑒 −𝑡 ⟩ = 𝑒 𝑡 + 2𝑒 −𝑡 − 𝑒 𝑡 = 2𝑒 −𝑡 .

Step 3: Evaluate the integral

We have
1 1 1
#» #»
𝐹 ⋅ d 𝑟 =
#» #»
𝐹 ⋅ d 𝑟 d𝑡 = 2 𝑒 −𝑡 d𝑡 = −2 𝑒 −𝑡 || = 2(𝑒 − 1 ).
∫ ∫ ∫ | 𝑒
𝐶 −1 −1 −1

#»
5. (a). One of the theorems tells us that on a simply connected domain 𝐷, for 𝐹 = ⟨𝑃, 𝑄⟩
and 𝑃, 𝑄 ∈ 𝐶 1 (𝐷), if
𝜕𝑄 𝜕𝑃
= ,
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦
#»
then 𝐹 is conservative.
Thus there are three things we need to show:
#»
• The domain of 𝐹 , 𝐷 is open and simply connected,
• 𝑃, 𝑄 ∈ 𝐶 1 (𝐷),
𝜕𝑄
• 𝜕𝑥
= 𝜕𝑃
𝜕𝑦
.
#»
The first two are simple. The domain of 𝐹 is ℝ which is open and simply connected, and
obviously for
𝑃 = sin 𝑦 + 𝑒 𝑦 and 𝑄 = 𝑥 cos 𝑦

10
are 𝐶 1 . It remains to check that
𝜕𝑄 𝜕𝑃
= cos 𝑦 = .
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦
#»
Thus all criteria are met, and we can conclude that 𝐹 is conservative.
#»
A consequent of conservativeness is that there exists 𝑓 such that ∇𝑓 = 𝐹 . To find the formula
of 𝑓 it is common to “guess” by solving a system of differential equations. By assumption

𝑓𝑥 = 𝑃 = sin 𝑦 + 𝑒 𝑥 and 𝑓𝑦 = 𝑄 = 𝑥 cos 𝑦.

Integrating 𝑓𝑥 w.r.t. 𝑥 gives

𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) = 𝑥 sin 𝑦 + 𝑒 𝑥 + 𝑔(𝑦).
Normally we add an integration constant at the end, but since 𝑓 is a function of 𝑥, 𝑦, and
function solely depends on 𝑦 vanishes after differentiating w.r.t. 𝑥, so we have an integration
function depending only on 𝑦.
Next, differentiating 𝑓 and compare it with 𝑄 gives

𝑓𝑦 = 𝑥 cos 𝑦 + 𝑔 ′ (𝑦) = 𝑥 cos 𝑦

⟹ 𝑔 ′ (𝑦) = 0
⟹ 𝑔(𝑦) = 𝐶

for some constant 𝐶. This time it is really a constant since 𝑔 depends only on 𝑥. Hence all
function of the form
𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) = 𝑥 sin 𝑦 + 𝑒 𝑥 + 𝐶
#»
satisfies ∇𝑓 = 𝐹 . But since we are only asked to find one, for simplicity we can just take

𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) = 𝑥 sin 𝑦 + 𝑒 𝑥 ,

i.e. 𝐶 = 0.
(b). The fundamental theorem of line integral states that if ∇𝑓 is continuous on 𝐶 then

#» #» #»
∫ ∇𝑓 ⋅ d 𝑟 = 𝑓( 𝑟 (𝑏)) − 𝑓( 𝑟 (𝑎)).
𝐶

Since we require ∇𝑓 = ⟨𝑃, 𝑄⟩, 𝑃, 𝑄 ∈ 𝐶 1 (𝐷), this hypothesis is satisfied.As

𝐶 ∶ #»
𝑟 (𝑡) = ⟨𝑡, 𝑡(3 − 𝑡)⟩, 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 3,
⟹ 𝑟 (0) = ⟨0, 0⟩ and #»
#» 𝑟 (3) = ⟨3, 0⟩,

we have
#» #» #»
∫ ∇𝑓 ⋅ d 𝑟 = 𝑓( 𝑟 (3)) − 𝑓( 𝑟 (0)) = 𝑒 3 − 1.
𝐶

(c). Another consequence for conservativeness is that for any closed loop Γ ∶ 𝛾(𝑡), 𝑎 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 𝑏
with 𝛾(𝑎) = 𝛾(𝑏),
#» #» #»
∮ ∇𝑓 ⋅ d 𝑟 = 𝑓( 𝛾 (𝑏)) − 𝑓( 𝛾 (𝑎)) = 0.
𝐶
Thus the line integral of a conservative field is independent of path. As a result, instead of
the given path, we can opt for an easier one to get the integral.

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The obvious choice here is off course the line segment joining the end points (0, 0) and (3, 0),
for instance
𝐶1 ∶ #»
𝑟 1 (𝑡) = ⟨𝑡, 0⟩, 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 3.
Then
#» #» #» #»
∫ 𝐹 ⋅ d 𝑟 = ∫ 𝐹 ⋅ d 𝑟1
𝐶 𝐶1
3
= ∫ ⟨𝑒 𝑡 , 𝑡⟩ ⋅ ⟨1, 0⟩ d𝑡
0
3
= ∫ 𝑒 𝑡 d𝑡
0
3
|
= 𝑒𝑡|
|0
= 𝑒 3 − 1.

Remark 4. The first method, i.e. find ∇𝑓 then substituting the end points is more commonly
used for such problems. Nonetheless, you should keep in mind the second method, as it
can be handy if you cannont find ∇𝑓.

6. This problem is virtually the same as the last one, except it is in differential form. Still,
we can extract the integrand vector field,
𝑡1
∫ sin 𝑦 d𝑥 + (𝑥 cos 𝑦 − sin 𝑦) d𝑦 = ∫ sin 𝑦 ⋅ 𝑥′ (𝑡) + (𝑥 cos 𝑦 − sin 𝑦) ⋅ 𝑦′ (𝑡) d𝑡
𝐶 𝑡0
𝑡1
= ∫ ⟨sin 𝑦, 𝑥 cos 𝑦 − sin 𝑦⟩ ⋅ #»
𝑟 ′ (𝑡) d𝑡 .
𝑡0

Thus
#»
𝐹(𝑥, 𝑦) = ⟨𝑃, 𝑄⟩ = ⟨sin 𝑦 , 𝑥 cos 𝑦 − sin 𝑦⟩
is the vector field to be integrated.
#» #»
To show that the integral of 𝐹 is path independent, it suffices to show that 𝐹 is conservative.
The starting point is the equality
𝜕𝑄 𝜕𝑃
= cos 𝑦 = ,
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦
#»
which gives us an idea that 𝐹 should be conservative. We still need to justify the remaining
#»
conditions, but in this case the domain of 𝐹 is ℝ2 which is open and simply connected,
#»
and 𝑃, 𝑄 are clearly 𝐶 1 . Therefore, we can conclude that 𝐹 is conservative, in turns has its
integral independent of path.
#»
To evaluate the line integral knowing 𝐹 is conservative, it is often easier to apply the funda-
#»
mental theorem of line integrals. We know there is 𝑓 such that ∇𝑓 = 𝐹 , in particular

𝑓𝑥 = sin 𝑦 and 𝑓𝑦 = 𝑥 cos 𝑥 − sin 𝑦.

Integrating 𝑓𝑥 w.r.t. 𝑥 gives

𝑓 = 𝑥 sin 𝑦 + 𝑔(𝑦).

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Differentiating 𝑓 w.r.t. 𝑦 and comparing with 𝑓𝑦 gives

𝑓𝑦 = 𝑥 cos 𝑦 + 𝑔 ′ (𝑦) = 𝑥 cos 𝑦 − sin 𝑦

⟹ 𝑔 ′ (𝑦) = − sin 𝑦
⟹ 𝑔(𝑦) = cos 𝑦 + 𝐶 ,

where 𝐶 is constant. Thus we can take

𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) = 𝑥 sin 𝑦 + cos 𝑦.

The given path has end points (2, 0) and (1, 𝜋). So, by the fundamental theorem of line
integrals,
#» #» #»
∫ 𝐹 ⋅ d 𝑟 = ∫ ∇𝑓 ⋅ d 𝑟 = 𝑓(1, 𝜋) − 𝑓(2, 0) = −1 − 1 = −2.
𝐶 𝐶

13