Show that the line integral #int_{-1,2}^{3,1}(y^(2)+2xy)dx+(x^(2)+2xy)dy# is independent of path and evaluate it?

2 Answers
Apr 8, 2018

14

Explanation:

The differential

#Mdx+Ndy = (y^2+2xy)dx+(x^2+2xy)dy#
#qquad = y^2dx+2xydy+x^2dy+2xydx#
#qquad = y^2dx+x d(y^2)+x^2dy+yd(x^2)#
#qquad =d(xy^2+x^2y)#

Since this is an exact differential, the integral depends only on the endpoints and not on the path.

Thus

#int_{(-1,2)}^{(3,1)}[y^(2)+2xy]dx+[x^(2)+2xy]dy #
#qquad = int_{(-1,2)}^{(3,1)} d(xy^2+x^2y) = (xy^2+x^2y)_{(-1,2)}^{(3,1)}#
#qquad = (3times1^2+3^2times 1)-((-1)^2times 2+(-1)times 2^2)#
#qquad = 12-(-2) = 14#

Apr 8, 2018

# int_{(-1,2)}^{(3,1)} \ (y^2 + 2xy) \ dx + (x^2+2xy) \ dy = 14#

Explanation:

We wish to show that the line integral:

# S = int_{(-1,2)}^{(3,1)} \ (y^2 + 2xy) \ dx + (x^2+2xy) \ dy#

is independent of path and evaluate it.

We can utilize a fundamental theorem of multivariable calculus:

If #M(xy,y)# and #N(x,y)# have continuous first partial derivatives on a simply connected region #D# then line integral over a path #C#

# int_C \ M(x,y) \ dx + N(x,y) \ dy #

is independent of the path of #C# in #D# if and only if

# (partial M)/(partial y) = (partial N) (/partial x) #

For the given line integral, we can define

# {: (M(x,y) = y^2 + 2xy, => (partial M)/(partial y) = 2y+2x), (N(x,y) = x^2+2xy, => (partial B)/(partial x) = 2x+2y) :} #

Then observing that #M# and #N# satisfy the above conditions we conclude that the line integral is independent of path. QED.

In order to evaluate the line integral we utilize two further theorem:

If #bb(ulF)(x,y) = M(x,y)bb(ul hat i) + N(xy.y) bb(ul hat j)# is continuous on an open connected region then the line integral #int_C bb(ul F) * d bb(ul r)# is independent of path if any only if # bb ul(F)(x,y) = bb( grad)f(x,y)# for some function #f#

and:

If #bb(ulF)(x,y) = M(x,y)bb(ul hat i) + N(x,y) bb(ul hat j)# is continuous on an open connected region #D# and #C# is a piecewise smooth curve in #D# with endpoints #A(x_1,y_1)# and #B(x_2,y_2)# then:

# int_C \ M(x,y) \ dx + N(x,y) \ dy = int_{(x_1,y_1)}^{(x_2,y_2)} bb(ul F) * d bb(ul r)#
# " " = [ f(x,y) ]_{(x_1,y_1)}^{(x_2,y_2)} #
# " " = f(x_2,y_2) -f(x_1,y_1) #

Thus noting that we have established that the line integral is independent of path we apply the first theorem and seek a function #f# such that

# bb( grad)f(x,y) = M(x,y)bb(ul hat i) + N(xy.y) bb(ul hat j) #
# " " = (y^2 + 2xy)bb(ul hat i) + N(x^2+2xy) bb(ul hat j) #

Thus we require (by integrating) that

# (partial f)/(partial x) = y^2 + 2xy => f =xy^2+x^2y + u(y) #
# (partial f)/(partial y) = x^2 + 2xy => f =x^2y+xy^2 + v(x) #

Where #u(y)# is an arbitrary function of #y# alone and #v(x)# is an arbitrary function of #x# alone (the equivalent of the constants of integration for single variable calculus).

And so , as these evaluate to the same function #f#, we require that

# xy^2+x^2y + u(y) =x^2y+xy^2 + v(x) #

# :. color(blue)cancel(xy^2) + color(green)cancel(x^2y) + u(y) = color(green)cancel(x^2y) + color(blue)cancel(xy^2) + v(x) #

# :. u(y) = v(x) #

And so we can arbitrarily choose #u(y) = v(x) = 0#, giving us the desired function, #f#:

# f(x,y) = xy^2+x^2y #

We can now readily evaluate the line integral using the last theorem:

# S = int_{(-1,2)}^{(3,1)} \ (y^2 + 2xy) \ dx + (x^2+2xy) \ dy#

# \ \ = [xy^2+x^2y]_{(-1,2)}^{(3,1)}#

# \ \ = {(3)(1)^2+(3)^2(1)} - {(-1)(2)^2+(-1)^2(2)}#

# \ \ = (3+9)-(-4+2)#
# \ \ = 12-(-2)#
# \ \ = 14#