AMATH 231

ASSIGNMENT # 5: Greens Theorem

Fall 2014

Due Monday, October 20, 2014 at 2pm in box 7, slot 11 (A-M) and 12 (N-Z), located across
from MC4066. Late assignments or assignments submitted to the incorrect dropbox will
receive a grade of zero. Write your solutions clearly and concisely. Marks will be deducted
for poor presentation and incorrect notation.
1. Given the fact that F(x, y, z) = (yz, xz 1, xy) is a conservative vector field, find the
potential function, (x, y, z). [3 marks]
Since F is a conservative vector field, then we know F = . It follows that

= yz
x

= xz 1
y

= xy.
z

(1a)
(1b)
(1c)

Integrating (1b) with respect to x leads to

(x, y, z) = xyz + K(y, z)

(2)

where K is a constant of integration that depends on y and z. The goal is now to

determine K(y, z). Differentiate (2) with respect to y and compare to (1b),
xz +

K(y, z)
= xz 1
y

which implies
K(y, z)
= 1
y
and solving gives K(y, z) = y + K(z) where K(z) is a constant of integration that
depends on z. It follows that
(x, y, z) = xyz y + K(z)
and differentiating this with respect to z and comparing to (1c) leads to
xy +
and hence

K(z)
= xy
z

K(z)
= 0.
z
This means K(z) = K0 where K0 is a constant function (that is, K0 no longer depends
on x, y, or z.) Therefore, for any K0 a real number, (x, y, z) = xyz y + K0 is a
potential function of F. Check that satisfies F = .

2. Decide and justify whether Greens Theorem can be used to evaluate the line integral
Z
Z 

p
F dx =
ln(x + x2 + y 2 ), 0 dx
D

where D is the boundary of [3 marks]

(i) D is the closed disk x2 + y 2 1
(ii) D is the closed disk (x 2)2 + y 2 1
(iii) D is the closed disk (x + 2)2 + y 2 1.
p
p
Hint: the identity (x + x2 + y 2 )(x + x2 + y 2 ) = y 2 maybe of use.
Each boundary of D is a simple closed curve; therefore, the only way Greens Theorem
can fail is if F does not satisfy
F is C 1 on D D.
So we must determine the domain of F. Because of the ln, x and y must satisfy
p
x + x2 + y 2 > 0.

(3)

We need to solve this inequality and determine for which values of x and y are such
that (3) holds.
p
Case 1: if x > 0, then clearly x + x2 + y 2 > 0 for any y.
p
p
Case 2: if x = 0, then x + x2 + y 2 = y 2 = |y| > 0 if y 6= 0.
Case 3: if x < 0, then consider the following identity
p
p
(4)
(x + x2 + y 2 )(x + x2 + y 2 ) = y 2 .
p
2 + y 2 is always positive since x < 0. It follows from this and (4)
The factor x + xp
that the sign of x + x2 + y 2 is the same sign as y 2 . That is,
p
Case 3a: if y 2 > 0, then x + x2 + y 2 > 0 and
p
Case 3b: if y = 0, then x + x2 + y 2 = 0.
p
Therefore, ln(x + x2 + y 2 ) is not definedpwhen x = 0, y = 0 (case 2) and x < 0, y = 0
(case 3b). Putting this together, ln(x + x2 + y 2 ) is not defined when x 0, y = 0,
which is all of the points on the xaxis for which x 0 (that is, the nonpositive xaxis).
The regions described in (i) and (iii) contain portions of the nonpositive xaxis and
hence F1 is not C 1 in these two domains; however, the region described in (ii) does not
contain any part of the nonpositive xaxis. It follows that Greens Theorem cannot
be applied to the regions described in (i) and (iii) but can be applied to the region
described in (ii).

3. State whether or not the following sets are (i) connected (ii) simplyconnected.
(a) U1 = R2 {(x, y)| y = 0, x 1}

U1

Figure 1: Consider the square as all of R2 . The set U1 = R2 {(x, y)| y = 0, x 1} is

described by the gray region.
The set U1 is shown in Figure 1. It is clear form the figure that U1 is connected.
Since any simple closed curve in U1 can be drawn around the x-axis and then
shrunken continuously, U1 is simplyconnected. (Example 2.17b from class is
similar to U1 .)
(b) U2 = R2 {(x, y)| y = 0, |x| 1}

U2

Figure 2: Consider the square as all of R2 . The set U2 = R2 {(x, y)| y = 0, |x| 1} is
described by the gray region.
The set U2 is show in Figure 2. The set U2 is connected but since it has a hole
(on R2 ), then it is not simplyconnected. (Example 2.17a from class is similar to
U2 .)
(c) U3 = {(x, y)| x2 + y 2 < 4} {(x, y)|x2 + 4y 2 > 4}
The set {(x, y)| x2 + y 2 < 4} is an open disk centred at the origin with radius 2.
The set {x2 + 4y 2 4} is an ellipse centred at the origin with vertical radius 1

U3
Figure 3: The region U3 = {(x, y)| x2 + y 2 < 4} {(x, y)|x2 + 4y 2 > 4} is shaded in gray.
and horizontal radius 2 since
x2 + 4y 2 = 4

 x 2
2

+ y 2 = 1;

therefore {x2 + 4y 2 > 4} is everything outside of the ellipse. The intersection of

both sets is U3 , which is not connected (see Figure 3). Since U3 is not connected,
it is not simplyconnected.
4. Let F be a C 1 vector field with path independent line integrals in a simply connected
region U R2 . Let f be a C 1 scalar field on U . Prove that the vector field H = f F
also has path independent line integrals in U , or find a counterexample to show that
it doesnt. [3 marks]
The claim is false. Consider the following counterexample (other examples are of course
possible): let U = R2 , and
F(x, y) = (F1 (x, y), F2 (x, y)) = (x, y)

and

f (x, y) = x.

Since U is simply connected we can apply the test for conservative fields; that is,
F2 F1

=0
x
y
and hence, F is conservative and thus has path independent line integrals on U (by
the second Fundamental Theorem of Calculus for Line Integrals). Now consider
H = f F = (x2 , xy)
and applying the test for conservative fields again, we obtain
H2 H1

=y0=y
x
y
which means H is not a conservative vector field on U (see Remark 2.20 in the notes).
Therefore, by the contrapositive of the first Fundamental Theorem of Calculus for Line
Integrals, H does not have path independent line integrals on U .

5. Determine whether F(x, y) = (3x2 y, x3 ) is conservative or not. If conservative, find the

corresponding potential, (x, y). [0 marks]
The test for conservative vector fields can be applied since F is C 1 on R2 , which is a
simplyconnected set, and
F2 F1

= 3x2 3x2 = 0.
x
y
It follows that F is a conservative vector field. To find the potential, set = F which
leads to

= 3x2 y
x

= x3 .
y

(5a)
(5b)

Solving (5a) yields (x, y) = x3 y + K(y) where K(y) is a function that depends on y
only and then differentiating this solution with respect to y leads to

dK
= x3 +
.
y
dy
Comparing with (5b) implies
dK
=0
dy
and solving, leads to K(y) = K0 where K0 is a constant. Therefore, the potential is
(x, y) = x3 y + K0 .
R
6. Compute ~g F~ d~x using Greens Theorem:
a) F~ = (2y, x) and ~g = (2 cos t, sin t) for 0 t 2. [2 marks]
b) F~ = (0, (x2 + 1)1 ) and ~g is the boundary of the rectangle [0, 2] [0, 3], orientated
counterclockwise. [2 marks]
Note: feel free to use clever tricks to avoid integration if you like.
Solution:
a) By Greens Theorem we have

Z
ZZ 
ZZ

(2y, x) d~x =
(x)
(2y) dxdy = 3
dxdy
x
y
~g
D
D
But the area of the ellipse is 2. Therefore, the answer is 6.

b) Solution:
Use Greens Theorem
Z
ZZ
2
1
(0, (x + 1) ) d~x =
~g

2
(x + 1)1 dxdy,
x

D
3Z 2

2
(x + 1)1 dx dy,
x
Z0 3 0
2
 2
(x + 1)1 0 dy,
=
=

12
.
5

R
7. Compute ~g F~ d~x with F~ = (y, x)/(x2 + y 2 ) on the circle described by (x 1)2 +
(y + 1)2 = 1 orientated counter clockwise. Is it easier to evaluate this using Greens
function or not? How does this compare with the result we found in class?
Solution:
To compute the line integral requires parameterizing the unit sphere shifted to the
right. I personally think thats harder. Either method is fine to evaluate this question.
Using Greens theorem we get,



ZZ  
Z

x
y

(y, x)
d~x =
+
dxdy,
2
2
x x2 + y 2
y x2 + y 2
D
~g x + y
ZZ
0,
=
D

= 0.
The calculation above we did in class and therefore not repeated here.