Lecture Note

Advanced Engineering Mathematics, 7th edition

by
Peter V. O’Neil,
Math 301 (Methods of Applied Mathematics)
Chapter 12 (Vector Integral Calculus)

12.2 Green’s Theorem

Dr T. A. Apalara
IMPORTANT!! These instructor notes are made available for convenience to
reduce the amount of note-taking in class and also in case it is not possible to
attend class due to circumstances beyond control (e.g. illness). These notes are
neither intended as a replacement for class attendance and participation nor as a
substitute for using the textbook. The class presentation may differ from these
notes. Moreover, some other problems not in these notes may be discussed in class.
Math 301 Week #2 12.2 Green’s Theorem Dr T. A. Apalara

§§ 12.2 Green’s Theorem

Objective: In this chapter, you will know, insha Allaah:

☛ Green’s Theorem and how to use it.

Green’s theorem is a relationship between double integrals and line integrals around closed curves
in the plane. Let C be a piecewise smooth curve in the plane, having coordinate functions
x = x(t), y = y(t) for a ≤ t ≤ b. We will be interested in this section in C being a closed
curve, so the initial and terminal points coincide.

Definition − Positively oriented: A closed curve C in the x, y−plane is positively oriented if

a point on the curve moves counterclockwise as the parameter describing C increases. If the point
moves clockwise, then C is negatively oriented.

Remark 1. ☛ C is positively oriented if (x(t), y(t)) moves around C counterclockwise as t varies

from a to b. If (x(t), y(t)) moves clockwise, then we say that C is negatively oriented.
☛ For example, let x(t) = cos(t) and y(t) = sin(t) for 0 ≤ t ≤ 2π. Then (x(t), y(t)) moves
counterclockwise once around the unit circle as t varies from 0 ≤ t ≤ 2π, so C is positively
oriented. If, however, K has coordinate functions x(t) = sin(t) and y(t) = cos(t) for 0 ≤ t ≤ 2π,
then K is negatively oriented, because now (x(t), y(t)) moves in a clockwise sense. However, C
and K have the same graph.
☛ A closed curve in the plane is positively oriented if, as you walk around it, the region it encloses
is over your left shoulder.
☛ A curve is simple if the same point cannot be on the graph for different values of the parameter.
This means that x(tl ) = x(t2 ) and y(tl ) = y(t2 ) can occur only if t1 = t2 but we make an
exception of the initial and terminal points. If we envision the graph of a curve as a train track,
this means that the train does not return to the same location at a later time. The figure below
shows the graph of a curve that is not simple.

Graph of a curve that is not simple.

☛ A simple closed curve C in the plane encloses a region, called the interior of C. The unbounded
region that remains if the interior is cut out is the exterior of C.
☛ The Jordan curve theorem tells us that a simple closed curve C in the plane separates the
plane into two regions having C as common boundary. One region contains points arbitrarily

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Math 301 Week #2 12.2 Green’s Theorem Dr T. A. Apalara

The Jordan curve theorem.

far from the origin, and is called the exterior of C. The other region is called the interior of
C. These regions are displayed for a typical closed curve in the figure below.
☛ The interior of C has finite area, while the exterior does not.
☛ Finally, we will use the term path for a piecewiseIsmooth curve.ZWhen a line integral is taken
around a closed curve, we often use the symbol in place of . This notation is optional,
C C
and is simply a reminder that C is closed. It does not alter in any way the meaning of the
integral.
We are now ready to state the first fundamental theorem of vector integral calculus. Recall that a
path is a piecewise smooth curve (having a continuous tangent at all but finitely many points).

Theorem (Green’s Theorem): Let C be a simple closed positively oriented path in the plane.
Let D consist of all points on C and in its interior. Let f, g, ∂g/∂x and ∂g/∂x be continuous on
D. Then
I ZZ  
∂g ∂f
f (x, y)dx + g(x, y)dy = − dA.
C D ∂x ∂y

Remark 2.
☛ The significance of Green’s theorem is that it relates an object that deals with a curve, which
is one-dimensional, to an object related to a planar region, which is two-dimensional. This
will have important implications when we discuss independence of path of line integrals in the
next section, and later when we develop partial differential equations and complex analysis.
Green’s theorem will also lead shortly to Stokes’s theorem and Gauss’s theorem, which are its
generalizations to 3-space.
☛ Sometimes we use Green’s theorem as a computational aid to convert one kind of integral into
another, possibly simpler, one. In other words, we sometimes use Green’s theorem to simplify
an integration.

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Math 301 Week #2 12.2 Green’s Theorem Dr T. A. Apalara

Example 1. A particle moves once counterclockwise about the rectangle path C having vertices
(0, 1), (1, 1), (1, 3) and (0, 3), under the influence of the force F = (y − x2 ex )i + (cos(2y 2 ) − x)j.
Calculate the work done.
Solution The rectangular path is drawn below.

Here f (x, y) = y − x2 ex and g(x, y) = cos(2y 2 ) − x. So, using Green’s theorem, we obtain
I I
y − x2 ex dx + cos(2y 2 ) − x dy



work done = F · dR =
C
ZCZ  
∂ 2 ∂ 2 x
= (cos(2y ) − x) − (y − x e ) dA
D ∂x ∂y
ZZ
=−2 dA = −2(area of D) = −2 · 2 = −4.
D

Example 2. Compute the work done by the force F = x2 yi − xy 2 j moving counterclockwise an

object along the boundary of the region x2 + y 2 ≤ 16, x ≥ 0, y ≥ 0.

Solution Here f (x, y) = x2 y and g(x, y) = −xy 2 . So, using Green’s theorem, we obtain
I I
work done = F · dR = x2 ydx − xy 2 dy
C C
ZZ   ZZ
∂ 2 ∂ 2
x2 + y 2 dA


= (−xy ) − (x y) dA = −
D ∂x ∂y D

Using polar coordinates, we have

Z πZ 4 4
π r4 
ZZ
2 2
dA = − 2 r2 rdrdθ = −


work done = − x +y = −32π.
D 0 0 2 4 0
✍

Example 3. Compute the work done by the force F = xy 2 i − x2 yj moving counterclockwise an

object along the boundary of the region x2 + y 2 ≤ 4, x ≥ 0, y ≥ 0.

Solution Here f (x, y) = xy 2 and g(x, y) = −x2 y. So, using Green’s theorem, we obtain
I I
work done = F · dR = xy 2 dx − x2 ydy
C C
ZZ   ZZ
∂ 2 ∂ 2
= (−x y) − (xy ) dA = −4 xydA
D ∂x ∂y D

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Math 301 Week #2 12.2 Green’s Theorem Dr T. A. Apalara

Using polar coordinates, we have

ZZ Z πZ 2
work done = −4 r cos θ · r sin θ · rdrdθ = −4 2 r3 cos θ sin θdrdθ
D 0 0
Z πZ 2 Z π 4 2 Z π π
r  2
= −2 2 3
r sin 2θdrdθ = −2 2 sin 2θdθ = −8 2 sin 2θdθ = 4 cos 2θ = −8.
0 0 0 4 0
0 0

I
Example 4. Evaluate 2x cos(2y)dx − 2x2 sin(2y)dy
C

Solution f (x, y) = 2x cos(2y) and g(x, y) = −2x2 sin(2y). So, using Green’s theorem, we get
I ZZ  
2 ∂ 2 ∂
2x cos(2y)dx − 2x sin(2y)dy = (−2x sin(2y)) − (2x cos(2y)) = 0.
C D ∂x ∂y
✍

Example 5. Given Ithat F = xyi + (x − ecos y ) j and C is the trinagle with vertices (0, 0), (2, 0),
and (0, 4). Evaluate F · dR.
C

Solution f (x, y) = xy and g(x, y) = x − ecos y . So, using Green’s theorem, we get
I I
F · dR = xydx + (x − ecos y ) dy
C C
ZZ  
∂ cos y ∂
= (x − e )− (xy) dA
D ∂x ∂y
ZZ Z 2 Z 4−2x Z 2
= (1 − x) dA = (1 − x) dydx = 2 (2 − x) (1 − x) dx
D 0 0 0
Z 2
4
x2 − 3x + 2 dx =


=2 .
0 3
✍

END

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376 CHAPTER 12 Vector Integral Calculus

SECTION 12.2 PROBLEMS

1. A particle moves once counterclockwise about the tri- (c) Show that the area of D equals
angle with vertices (0, 0), (4, 0) and (1, 6), under the 
influence of the force F = x yi + xj. Calculate the work 1
−yd x + xdy.
done by this force. 2 C
2. A particle moves once counterclockwise around the 13. Let u(x, y) be continuous with continuous first and
circle of radius 6 about the origin, under the influence second partial derivatives on a simple closed path C
of the force F = (e x − y + x cosh(x))i + (y 3/2 + x)j. and throughout the interior D of C. Show that
Calculate the work done.    2 
∂u ∂u ∂ u ∂ 2u
3. A particle moves once counterclockwise about the − dx + dy = + d A.
C ∂y ∂x D ∂x
2 ∂ y2
rectangle with vertices (1, 1), (1, 7), (3, 1) and (3, 7),
under the influence of the force F = (− cosh(4x 4 ) + 14. Fill in the details of the following argument to prove
x y)i + (e−y + x)j. Calculate the work done. Green’s theorem under special conditions. Assume
that D can be described in two ways. First, D con-
In each of sists of all (x, y) with q(x) ≤ y ≤ p(x), for a ≤ x ≤ b.
 Problems 4 through 11, use Green’s theorem to
evaluate C F · dR. All curves are oriented positively. This means that D has an upper boundary (graph
of y = p(x)) and a lower boundary (y = q(x)) for
4. F = 2yi − xj and C is the circle of radius 4 about (1, 3) a ≤ x ≤ b. Also assume that D consists of all (x, y)
with α(y) ≤ x ≤ β(y), with c ≤ y ≤ d. In this descrip-
5. F = x 2 i − 2x yj and C is the triangle with vertices
tion, the graph of x = α(y) is a left boundary of D,
(1, 1), (4, 1), (2, 6)
and the graph of x = β(y) is a right boundary.
6. F = (x + y)i + (x − y)j and C is the ellipse x 2 + Using the first description of D, show that
4y 2 = 1   d  c
7. F = 8x y 2 j and C is the circle of radius 4 about the g(x, y) dy = g(β(y), y) dy + g(α(y), y) dy
C c d
origin
and
8. F = (x 2 − y)i + (cos(2y) − e3y + 4x)j and C is any    β(y)
square with sides of length 5 ∂g d
∂g
dA= dA
9. F = e cos(y)i − e sin(y)j and C is any simple closed
x x D ∂x c α(y) ∂x
 c
path in the plane
= (g(β(y), y) − g(α(y), y)) dy.
10. F = x 2 yi − x y 2 j and C is the boundary of the region c

x 2 + y 2 ≤ 4, x ≥ 0, y ≥ 0 Thus, conclude that

11. F = x yi + (x y 2 − ecos(y) )j and C is the triangle with  
∂g
vertices (0, 0), (3, 0) and (0, 5) g(x, y) dy = d A.
C D ∂x
12. Let D be the interior of a positively oriented simple
Now use the other description of D to show that
closed path C.   
(a) Show that the area of D equals C −yd x. ∂f
 f (x, y) d x = − d A.
(b) Show that the area of D equals C xdy. C D ∂y

12.3 An Extension of Green’s Theorem

There is an extension of Green’s theorem to include the case that there are finitely many points
P1 , · · · , Pn enclosed by C at which f , g, ∂ f /∂ y and/or ∂g/∂ x are not continuous, or perhaps
not even defined. The idea is to excise these points by enclosing them in small disks which are
thought of as cut out of D.
Enclose each P j with a circle K j of sufficiently small radius that no circle intersects either C
or any of the other circles (Figure 12.5). Draw a channel consisting of two parallel line segments

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October 14, 2010 14:53 THM/NEIL Page-376 27410_12_ch12_p367-424