Solutions To Homework Assignment # 4
Solutions To Homework Assignment # 4
Solutions To Homework Assignment # 4
1
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
2
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
(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
∂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.
3
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