LINE INTEGRALS

when we
integrate a function or a vector field
over a curve
,
then we have a line integral .

A curve we consider here can be in 2 or 3

dimensions .

th
'
'
n
TC

3C

A curve in 2 dimensions A curve in 3 dimensions

There are 2
types of line
integrals

Type 1
( over a curve in 2 or 3 dimensions )

when we
integrate a function over a curve
,

then we have a
type 1 line
integral .

Type 2 ( over a curve in 2 or 3 dimensions )

when we
integrate a vector field over a curve
,

then we have a
type 2 -
line
integral .
 Motivation
of type 1 -
line
integrals

Assume that have a thin metal wire C in 2

you
dimensions
,
and
you
know the
density p
Coc,
y)
at each

How find total ?

point Loc
, y)
on C .
to the mass
of C

÷
The answer
of this
question gives you a
type 1 -
line

integral .

To evaluate the mass

of C we first divide C into
,

n small parts :
Cz , Cz . . .
Cn .

, ,

3C

Since Ci is small we can

approximate the
very ,

mass
of Ci by
 pcsci y ;) length of Cj
.
.

Here Lxi is point

y; ) Ci
a on
,
.

Therefore the mass

of C can be approximated by :

Pesci , yo
.
) •

length of Cj .

i=1

If we let n > to then the limit

line pcxi , y; ) .

length of Ci
n → to
i=1

would exact
give us the mass
of the wire .

In mathematics ,
we call this limit the line
integral
( type 1) the function ) the C and
of pcx, y over curve
,

we use the notation

{ pogy ) Is

for this
integral .

Formulas 1 line
integrals
of type
-
 In 2 dimensions :

If a curve C has a parametric equation :

I acct)

{y
=

stab
' tot a
,
=
yet ,

their

b
- '
I
{ fcx y ,
) Is =
f f acct)
, yet ) x' Cts t
y' Ct ) It

A
special case
of this formula : Most
of the time

in this course we consider a curve C that is

,

the
graph of a
function y
=
ycsc) , for x E [ a
,
b ] .

In this case we have the formula :

b
2

2
§ S you )
'

fcx, y ) des =
floc ,
1 t
y
cos doc

r
3C
I ,

a b
 In 3 dimensions :

If a curve C has a parametric equation :

acct)

{t I
I =

YEI }
stab
, for a
,

their

b
<
Lt
<

ffcxctl z' et )
'
x' et )
{ 2) ds ) act) ) t It
fogy , , yet , y
et )

Some
examples

Example 1 Evaluate { ( x't 3g ) des

,
where C is

the semicircle of '

4
+ for y 70
=
y ,
.

n
2 2
I
 Solution I

Observe is
that C the
graph of the function :

4 od for
-
2 E K E 2
y
= -
.

Using the formula 2

,
we
get that

2 2

f
22C

§ ( x't 't od )
-

3.
g) Is = ( x 3 4 - I t doc
2 4 - su
-2

f-
L
36.57

Calculator
using a

solution 2

Observe that C can be

given by the parametric equation :

2 cost

{
I =

tot E E o TE .

' ,
= 2 sint
y

Using the formula ,

we
get that

f. (
C
x 't
3y)ds =
( @ cost )
'
-1312 sint ) ) -2sintZ-2cost2# It
 Tl

=
2) ( accosts't 312 sint ) ) dt

= 36.57

Example 2 Evaluate the line

integral in 3 dimensions

§
( x t 2. t 32 ) des where
y ,

C is the curve
of equation :

{
I = 2T -11

th for
-

I ETE 3
y
= .

Z = 4 -
L
,

solution

) 2- 't
' '

{ ( x -12
y
-132 )ds ( 2T -11 -12T -1314 -
t) + cats C- 1) It

= 258.57
 Motivation
of type 2 -
line
integrals

The difference between a

type 1 -
line integral and

a
type 2 -
line
integral is that for type 2
,
we

integrate a vector
field ,
not a
function .

For
example ,
assume that we
pull an
object
'
along
a curve C in 2 dimensions under a
force F .

And would like to evaluate

y you
the work done
along C .

"~ Note that a

force is a vector

c field ,
not a function .

JC

that but
In
physics ,
we know : work =
force distance
,

motion
only that force in the direction
of is considered .

this out
Working we
get that

)
I

work .
Is dot product
✓
'
,

here is vector C
the unit
tangent on .

2C acct )

{
=

Therefore Et Eb and
if c :
,
a.

y
=
yet )

( P, Q ) then
 -~ x' Ct)
'
Ct)

{
y
Work ( P
,
Q ) .
, ds
- 2 - 2
' '
x' Cts t
y Ct) x' Cts t
y Ct)

S P accts
, yet)
x' Ct) t Q accts
, yet) y
'
Ct) dt .

a.

mathematics
In
,
the last
integral is defined
'
as the

line
integral ( type 2) of F along C and ,
we use

the notation

§ F .
It

for this
integral .

Formulas line
of type 2
integrals
-

In 2 dimensions

>

)
y)
F (x ) Pac Q Cx their
If , y
=
, y , ,

S
'

x' Ct)
§
'
F dr P accts Q Ct) dt
yet) t accts
yet)
.

, , y
a

3
 x = acct )

where C is
of equation : C
:{ y
=
y
Ct )
,
tea b
,
.

A
special case
of this formula : Most
of the time

in this course we consider a curve C that is

,

the
graph of a
function y
=
ycsc) , for x E [ a
,
b ] .

In this case we have the formula :

gab
'
>

{ ycxs )
dr Plx t Q Gc doc
F =
you) y
Go
.

, ,

In 3 dimensions

'

If F = ( Pcx
, y ,z
)
, Qcsqy ,
z )
,
Rex
, y,z
) ) their

{
E. dt =

§ Pacts,
yet) ,
zct) ) x' Ct ) t

'
Q lect) zct ) Ct)
, yet) , y
t

k ( acct ) , yet), zct) ) Ict) It

 :{
I = acct )

to b
where is equation C y
=
yet) ,
a,

of
.

c :

Z = z Ct)

Some examples

Example I Find the work done

by the force field
> ' '

F Csc
,
y
) =
say i t ( sexy ) j

in
moving an object
along the
graph
K2 from sc 1 to x= 3
y
= = .

Answer

> ' '

F Csc
,
y
) =
say
-
i t
in
( sexy ) j
Plex, ) Q Cx )
y , y

Using the formula 4

,
we
get that

3
>

J
2 2 2

§ It (x )
Work = F .
= x -
x t + x .
2x doc

= 105.73

E
Remark Instead
of using the notation
§ .
dt ,

in textbooks can see authors write

you
 § dy
PCK, ) da t Qcx )
y , y .

K = t

Example 2 Given
Cz :
{ y = 2 t
,
I E t E 2 and

k t

{
=
-

-2 E tf I
Cz :
-

, ,
2T
y
-
=

evaluate

f
'
a ( x
ty ) doc -

y dy .

CI

§
'
b ( x
ty ) doc
y dy
-

Answer

{
'
de
Cxty ) dy
a
y
-

( formula 3 ) = S (t tzt ) .
1 - Gtf .
2 dt

85
=
6
 {
'
b (
xty ) doc
y dy
-

-
1

f
'

( formula 3 ) = C -
t -

2T ) .
-

I -

C -
2T ) . -

2 dt

-
2

85

Observation from this

example

If we
plot Cz and Cz then we see that
they
have the same
image .

y y
••
B ( 2,4 ) ••
B ( 2,4 )

\ .
\ .

•
Cz •
(
2
A- ( 1,2 ) ACL , 2)

7C 2C

However the
difference here is that :

The direction on
Cz is from A to B .
A is

and end
the
starting point ,
B is the
point .
 Whereas the direction on Cz is
from B to A .

B is and is end
the
starting point A the
point .

y y
••
B ( 2,4 ) ••
B ( 2,4 )

\ .
~ .

•
Cz •
(
2
A- ( 1,2 ) AC 1,2 )

7C 7C

From our
computation :

85
S
'
( ty ) doc
dy =
-

x
y
-

6
(
I

85
S
'
( x
ty ) doc -

y dy =
'
6
C
2

We arrive at the
general conclusion :

line integrals direction

Type 2 depend on the
-

of the curve ( not

only the
image ) .

If we
change the direction ( still keep the same

) then line
image of curve the
type 2 -

a
integral will
change sign .

However this does not

property occur for type 1 -

line
integrals .

If you change the direction of a

curve
,
the value
of the
type 1 -
line
integral
will not
change ! Check this out !