The Fundamental Theorem of Line Integrals

and Greens Theorem

Math 55 -Elementary Analysis III
Institute of Mathematics
University of the Philippines
Diliman

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FTLI and Greens Theorem

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Recall: FTOC

Recall from Math 53:

Theorem
Let f (x) be a function that is continuous on [a, b]. Then
Z

f (x) dx = F (b) F (a)

a

where F 0 (x) = f (x).

Question: Is there an analog of this theorem for line integrals?

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FTLI and Greens Theorem

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An analog of FTOC for Line Integrals

Theorem
~
Let C be a smooth curve given by a vector function R(t),
a t b and f be a differentiable function whose gradient
vector f is continuous on C. Then
Z
~ = f (R(b))
~
~
f dR
f (R(a))
C

Proof. By the definition of line integrals,

Z

~
f dR

~
~ 0 (t) dt
f (R(t))
R

=
a

f dx f dy f dz
+
+
x dt
y dt
z dt


dt

d ~
f (R(t)) dt
(by the Chain Rule)
dt
a
~
~
= f (R(b))
f (R(a))
(by FTOC)
=

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FTLI and Greens Theorem


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Notation
If f is a function of two variables and C is a plane curve with
initial point A(x1 , y1 ) and terminal point B(x2 , y2 ), then
Z
~ = f (x2 , y2 ) f (x1 , y1 ).
f dR
C

If f is a function of three variables and C is a plane curve with

initial point A(x1 , y1 , z1 ) and terminal point B(x2 , y2 , z2 ), then
Z
~ = f (x2 , y2 , z2 ) f (x1 , y1 , z1 ).
f dR
C

In other words, we evaluate f at the endpoints.

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FTLI and Greens Theorem

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Independence of Path

Suppose C1 and C2 are two curves (paths) having the same

initial and terminal points. We know in general that
Z
Z
~
~
~
F dR 6=
F~ dR
C1

C2

If the equality holds for any two paths C1 and C2 having

the
Z
~ is
F~ dR
same initial and terminal points, then we say that
C

independent of path.

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FTLI and Greens Theorem

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Independence of Path
Theorem
Let F~ beZa continuous vector field with domain D. The line
~ is independent of path in D if and only if
integral
F~ dR
C
Z
~
~
F dR = 0 for every closed path C in D.
C

Z
Proof. Let

~ be independent of path and consider a

F~ dR

closed path C in D. We can regard C = C1 C2 . Note that C1

and C2 have the same initial and terminal points. Hence,
Z

~
F~ dR

Z
=

~
C2 F~ dR

~
F~ dR

~
F~ dR

C1

Z
=
C1

=
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~+
F~ dR

C2

FTLI and Greens Theorem


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Fundamental Theorem of Line Integrals

Z
We have seen that

~ is independent of path.
f dR

If we let F~ = f , i.e., F~ is a conservative vector field with

potential function f , then we have the following theorem:
Theorem (FTLI)
The line integral of a conservative vector field F~ is independent
~
of path. That is, if C is a smooth curve given by R(t),
atb
with initial point A(x1 , y1 , z1 ) and terminal point B(x2 , y2 , z2 )
and F~ is a conservative vector field which is continuous on C,
then
Z
~ = f (x2 , y2 , z2 ) f (x1 , y1 , z1 )
F~ dR
C

where f is a potential function for F~ .

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FTLI and Greens Theorem

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Fundamental Theorem of Line Integrals

The following follows immediately from the previous theorem.

Corollary
Let F~ be a conservative vector field with domain D. Then
Z
~ =0
F~ dR
C

for any closed curve C in D.

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FTLI and Greens Theorem

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Fundamental Theorem of Line Integrals

Example


Show that theZ vector field F~ (x, y) = y 2 , 2xy is conservative
~ where C is the unit circle.
and evaluate
F~ dR
C

Solution. Recall that F~ = hP, Qi is conservative iff Py = Qx .

Since
2

y = 2y =
2xy,
y
x


F (x, y) = y 2 , 2xy is conservative.
Now, C is a closed curve so by the previous corollary,
Z
~ = 0.
F~ dR
C

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FTLI and Greens Theorem

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Fundamental Theorem of Line Integrals

Example
Z


~ where F~ (x, y) = 4x3 y 4 + 2x, 4x4 y 3 + 2y
F~ dR
C



~
and C is given by R(t)
= t cos t 1, sin 2t , 0 t .

Evaluate

Solution. We can use the definition of line integrals but that

would give a nasty solution.
Instead, we can show that F~ is conservative with potential
function
f (x, y) = x4 y 4 + x2 + y 2 + c.
To use FTLI, we find the endpoints of C. Note that
~
R(0)
= h1, 0i
Z
Hence,

and

~
R()
= h2, 1i .

~ = f (2, 1) f (1, 0) = 21 1 = 20.

F~ dR

C
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FTLI and Greens Theorem

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Exercises

Given F~ (x, y) =


y2
1
, 2y tan x ,
1 + x2

a. Show thatZ F~ is conservative and find a potential function.

~ for any path C from (0, 0) to (1, 2).
b. Evaluate
F~ dR
C

Z
2

Evaluate
x2 + xy +

sin y dx + x cos y dy, where C is the ellipse

C
y2

= 1.

Find the work done by the force field

F~ (x, y) = hey , xey i in moving an object from the point
A(0, 1) to the point B(2, 0).

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FTLI and Greens Theorem

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Orientation of a Curve
Let C be a simple closed curve. The positive orientation of
C refers to the single counterclockwise traversal of C.

Figure: positive orienation

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Figure: negative orienation

FTLI and Greens Theorem

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Greens Theorem

Theorem
Let C be a positively oriented, piecewise-smooth, simple closed
curve in the plane and let D be the region bounded by C. If P
and Q have continuous partial derivatives on an open region
that contains D, then

Z
ZZ 
Q P

dA
P dx + Q dy =
x
y
C
D

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FTLI and Greens Theorem

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Remarks and Notation

1

The Greens Theorem relates a line integral along a curve

C and the double integral over the plane region D bounded
by C.
I
The notation
P dx + Q dy is sometimes used to indicate
C

that the line integral is calculated using the positive

orientation of C.
3

Other texts denote the positively oriented boundary curve

of D as D and hence

ZZ 
Z
Q P

dA =
P dx + Q dy
x
y
D
D

The Greens Theorem can be regarded, in some sense, as

the analog of FTOC for double integrals.
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Greens Theorem
Greens Theorem will also hold if the region D is not simply
connected, i.e, the boundary of D is C = C1 C2 (assume they
are positively oriented).

ZZ 

Q P

x
y

ZZ 


dA =

Q P

x
y

ZZ 


dA +

D0

D 00

Z
=

Q P

x
y

Z
P dx + Q dy +

D 0

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P dx + Q dy
D 00

FTLI and Greens Theorem

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dA

Greens Theorem

The line integrals along each of the common boundary points

are on opposite directions, hence they cancel and we get

ZZ 
Z
Z
Q P

dA =
P dx + Q dy +
P dx + Q dy
x
y
C1
C2
D
Z
=
P dx + Q dy
C

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FTLI and Greens Theorem

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Greens Theorem
Example
Z
Evaluate

x2 y dx + xy 2 dy where C is the boundary of the

region D between the circles x2 + y 2 = 4 and x2 + y 2 = 1.

Solution. Note that the region D can be expressed
conveniently in polar coordinates, i.e.,
D = {(r, ) : 1 r 2, 0 2} .
Hence, by Greens Theorem,
Z

x2 y dx + xy 2 dy

(xy 2 ) (x2 y)

x
y

ZZ 
=


dA

ZZ
=

y 2 x2 dA

=
0
Math 55

r3 (sin2 cos2 ) dr d = 0

1
FTLI and Greens Theorem

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Exercises
Z

cos y dx + x2 sin y dy where C is the rectangle

Evaluate

from (0, 0) to (0, ) to (2, ) to (2, 0) to (0, 0).

Z
Evaluate
x2 y dx + xy 2 dy where C is the positively

oriented triangle with vertices at (0, 0), (1, 0) and (0, 1).
Z

Evaluate
(y + e x ) dx + (2x + cos y 2 ) dy, where C is the

positively oriented boundary of the region enclosed by the

parabolas y = x2 and x = y 2 .
Z
~ where
Use Greens Theorem to evaluate
F~ dR
C


F~ (x, y) =
x + y 3 , x2 + y and C consists of the curve
y = sin x from (0, 0) to (, 0) and the line segment from
(, 0) to (0, 0).
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FTLI and Greens Theorem

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References

Stewart, J., Calculus, Early Transcendentals, 6 ed., Thomson

Brooks/Cole, 2008

Dawkins, P., Calculus 3, online notes available at

http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/

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FTLI and Greens Theorem

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