SOLUTIONS TO HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT # 4

1. Evaluate the following line integrals using Green’s theorem:

I
(a) ydx−xdy, where C is the circle x2 +y 2 = a2 oriented in the clockwise direction.
C
I
(b) (y + x)dx + (x + sin y)dy, where C is any simple closed smooth curve joining
C
the origin to itself.
I
y
(c) (y − ln(x2 + y 2 ))dx + (2 arctan )dy, where C is the positively oriented circle
C x
(x − 2)2 + (y − 3)2 = 1.
Solution: Let D be the region bounded by C.
I Z Z
(a) ydx − xdy = − −2dA = 2πa2 .
IC D
Z Z
(b) (y + x)dx + (x + sin y)dy = 0 dA = 0.
C D
(c)
I
y
(y − ln(x2 + y 2 ))dx + (2 arctan )dy
C x
Z Z  −2
 
−yx 2y
= 2 − 1− 2 dA = −area(D) = −π
D 1 + (y/x)2 x + y2
I
2. Evaluate (x2 − xy)dx + (xy − y 2 )dy, where C is the positively oriented triangle with
vertices (0, 0), (1, 1), (0, 2).
Solution:
I Z Z Z x=1 Z y=−x+2
2 2
(x − xy)dx + (xy − y )dy = (y + x)dA = (y + x)dydx
D x=0 y=x
Z x=1
(−x + 2)2 /2 − x2 /2 + x(−2x + 2) dx


=
Zx=0
x=1
2 4
= (−2x2 + 2)dx = − + 2 =
x=0 3 3
3. A paticle starts at (−2, 0) and moves along the x-axis to (2, 0). Then it moves along
the upper part of the circle x2 + y 2 = 4 back to (−2, 0). Compute the work done on
this particle by the force field F(x, y) =< x, x3 + 3xy 2 > .
Solution: The work done is
I I Z Z
3 2
W = F•dr = xdx + (x + 3xy )dy = (3x2 + 3y 2 )dA
C D
Z θ=π Z r=2
= 3r3 drdθ = 12π
θ=0 r=0

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 I
4. Show that (−ydx + xdy) = x1 y2 − x2 y1 , where C is the line segment joining (x1 , y1 )
C
to (x2 , y2 )
Solution: Parametrize the straight line C by x = x1 + t(x2 − x1 ), y = y1 + t(y2 − y1 ),
where t goes from t = 0 to t = 1. Therefore
I Z t=1
−ydx + xdy = −(y1 + t(y2 − y1 ))(x2 − x1 )dt
C t=0
Z t=1
+ (x1 + t(x2 − x1 ))(y2 − y1 )dt
t=0
(y2 − y1 )(x2 − x1 )
= −y1 (x2 − x1 ) −
2
(x2 − x1 )(y2 − y1 )
+ x1 (y2 − y1 ) +
2
= −y1 (x2 − x1 ) + x1 (y2 − y1 ) = x1 y2 − x2 y1

5. Find the area of the pentagon with vertices (0, 0), (2, 1), (2, 3), (1, 4), (−1, 1)
Solution: Let C be the positively oriented piecewise smooth curve comprised of the 5
straight line segments C1 , C2 , . . . , C5 , around the boundary of the pentagon, where C1
joins (0, 0) to (2, 1), C2 joins (2, 1) to (2, 3), etc. If D is the interior of C, then
Z Z Z
2 × area(D) = (−ydx + xdy) + (−ydx + xdy) + (−ydx + xdy) +
C1 C2 C3
Z Z
(−ydx + xdy) + (−ydx + xdy) = 14 (arithmetic)
C4 C5
=⇒ area(D) = 7

6. Compute the area under one arch of the cycloid x = t − sin t, y = 1 − cos t by using
Green’s theorem.
Solution: The area is bounded by the x-axis on the bottom, from x = 0 to x = 2π, and
by the cycloid on the top. Let C be the bounding curve, that is the curve consisting of
the x-axis traversed from x = 0 to x = 2π, followed by the cycloid going from t = 2π
to t = 0. Let C1 be the x-axis part of C and let C2 be the cycloid part. Then
I Z Z
2 × area(D) = −ydx + xdy = −ydx + xdy + −ydx + xdy
C C1 C2
Z
= −ydx + xdy (since y = 0 and dy = 0 on C1 )
C2
Z t=0
= (−(1 − cos t)(1 − cos t) + (t − sin t) sin t) dt
t=2π
Z t=0 t=0 Z t=0
= (−2 + 2 cos t + t sin t)dt = 4π − t cos t  + cos tdt = 6π

t=2π t=2π t=2π
=⇒ area(D) = 3π

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7. Let C be a positively oriented smooth simple closed curve that does not go through
the origin, and let D be the region it bounds. Show that

−ydx
I
xdy 0 if the origin is outside of D
+ 2 =
C x 2 + y2 x + y 2 2π if the origin is interior to D

Solution: The region D is simply connected. First suppose the origin is outside D. The
−y x
vector field F = P i + Qj = 2 2
i+ 2 j is defined throughout D and satisfies
x +y x + y2
−ydx
I
∂P ∂Q xdy
= in D. Therefore F is conservative on D and 2 2
+ 2 = 0.
∂y ∂x C x +y x + y2
Next suppose the origin is interior to D. Then ∃  > 0 such that {(x, y) | x2 + y 2 < 2 }
is completely in D. Let C be the circle x2 + y 2 = 2 oriented in the positive direction.
Then
I I
P dx + Qdy = P dx + Qdy = 2π (this calculation was done in class)
C C

8. Compute the curl of the vector field F = P i + Qj + Rk, where

(a) F(x, y, z) = cos xz j − sin xy k

x y z
(b) F(x, y, z) = 2 2 2
i+ 2 2 2
j+ 2 k.
x +y +z x +y +z x + y2 + z2
Solution: The curl of a vector field F = P i + Qj + Rk is
 
i j k      
 ∂ ∂ ∂  ∂R ∂Q ∂P ∂R ∂Q ∂P
curl F = det 
  = − i+ − j+ − k
∂x ∂y ∂z  ∂y ∂z ∂z ∂x ∂x ∂y
P Q R

(a) curl F = (−x cos xy + x sin xz)i + y cos xyj − z sin xzk
(b) By calculation curl F = 0.
x y z
9. Let F = F(x, y, z) = i+ 2 j+ 2 k.
(x2 2 2
+y +z )p 2 2
(x + y + z )p (x + y 2 + z 2 )p

(a) Compute the divergence of F.

(b) Find that value of p such that ∇•F = 0.

∂P ∂Q ∂R
Solution: The divergence of a vector field F = P i+Qj+Rk is div F = + + .
∂x ∂y ∂z
3(x2 + y 2 + z 2 )p − 2p(x2 + y 2 + z 2 )p 3 − 2p
(a) div F = 2 2 2 2p
= 2
(x + y + z ) (x + y 2 + z 2 )p
(b) p = 3/2.

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 10. Let F = P i + Qj + Rk be a vector field on R3 such thar P, Q, R have continuous second
order partials. Then prove that div(curl F) = 0.

Solution:
     
∂ ∂R ∂Q ∂ ∂P ∂R ∂ ∂Q ∂P
div(curl F) = − + − + − =0
∂x ∂y ∂z ∂y ∂z ∂x ∂z ∂x ∂y

since the mixed partials cancel.