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CURVILINEAR INTEGRAL
1 Curvilinear Integral
1.1 Introduction : work of a force
In what follows, it will be important to keep in mind that we shall be working on curves C
that will be parametrized in terms of a single variable as follows,
Example 1 (Examples of parametric curves).

1. Let's consider a parametric curve de ned by r(t) = (x(t), y(t)) with x(t) = 2t + 1 and
y(t) = t2 . Plot M(t) for the parameters 0, 1, 2.

2. Draw this parametric curve x(t) = r cos(t) y(t) = r sin(t)

3. You get a cartesian equation : y = f(x), give a parametric equation.
Let's consider a force ⃗F with coordinates (FX , FY ) in an orthonormal frame (O,⃗i,⃗j), applied
to M. We assume that M browses along a parametric curve (C). Its position is given by its
parametric coordinates (x(t), y(t)) for t 2 [a, b], the force ⃗F depends on the position of M,
that is ⃗F(FX (t), FY (t)).

X −−−−−→
We approximate the work of ⃗F on (C) by W = Mi Mi+1 .⃗F, with Mi Mi+1 small thus we get
−−−−−→ −−−−−→ −→
Mi Mi+1 has for coordinates (dx, dy). Thus the dot product Mi Mi+1 . Fi = Fxi dx + Fyi dy If the
Z Z b
→
⃗F.−
distance Mi Mi+1 is close to 0, the sum goes to the integral : W = FX dx + FY dy = dl
→
− →
− a
with dl(dx(t), dy(t)) that is dl(x (tZ)dt, y (t)dt). Note that coordinates of (FX , FY ) depends
0 0

on x and y so we could write: W = f(x, y)dx + g(x, y)dy

Zb
Thus we have W = FX (t)x (t) + FY (t)y (t)dt
0 0

a
This integral is called the circulation ⃗F along (C).

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Example 2.
Compute the work of the weight for a mobile (its mass is m) moving on [AB] from A(0, 1)
to B(1, 0).

1.2 To integrate a differential form

1.2.1 General case

Definition 1.
In this section, we will work with a di erential form ω from Ω to R de ned by ω(x, y) =
P(x, y)dx + Q(x, y)dy, where P et Q are two functions of di erentiability class C1 de ned
from Ω to R where Ω is an open set of R2 .
To simplify, ω is de ned on R2 , but all the formula could be generalized for a linear form Rp
to R.
Example 3.
Let P(x, y) = 2xy and Q(x, y) = x2 , write the associated di erential form.
Definition 2.
Let (C) be a parametric curve (x(t), y(t)) with t 2 [a, b].
Then the curvilinear integral ω along (C) is de ned by :
I Zb
P(x, y)dx + Q(x, y)dy = P(x(t), y(t))x (t) + Q(x(t), y(t))y (t)dt
0 0

(C) a

Example 4.

Let ω = xydx
I + xdy
Calculate ω, where (C) has for equation :
p (C)

y= x, x goes from 1 to 2.

Remarque 1.

The parameterization of (C) implies an orientation of the curve, and in particular we have:
Proposition 1.
Let (C+ ) be the
I curve (C)I with a direction and (C ) be the curve in the other direction.
−

Thus we get : ω=− ω

(C+ ) (C− )

Proposition 2.
The integral of a function does not depend on the parametric representation of the curve,
the curve is described in the same direction.

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Example 5.
Let ω = xy2 dx − x2 ydy
x(t) = cos(t) x(t) = sin(t)
® ®
Let (C) be the circle with those parametric representations and
y(t) = sin(t) y(t) = cos(t)
I
Calculate ω using the two parametrizations, we use the trigonometrical direction for the
(C)
curve.

1.2.2 Exact differential forms

Definition 3.
ω is an exact di erential form if there exists a function u such that ω = du, where ω =
∂u ∂u
dx + dy.
∂x ∂y
Proposition 3.
We assume that Ω is simply connected open space of R2 (informally, an object in our space
is simply connected if it consists of one piece and does not have any holes that pass all the
way through it. For example, neither a doughnut nor a co ee cup with a handle is simply
connected, ), then the di erential form ω is exact if and only if:
∂P ∂Q
=
∂y ∂x

Example 6. Let ω be de ned by ω = xy2 dx − x2 ydy. Is ω an exat di erential form ?

Proposition 4.
If ω is an exact di erential form (ω = du), and (C) = AB
” then :

ˆ The integral of ω along a closed curve is zero

I
ˆ The integral of ω along a curve only depends on the rst and the last points so ω=
(C)
u(B) − u(A)

Example 7. Prove the previous property.

Example 8. Let ω1 and ω2 de ned by ω1 = xy2 dx − x2 ydy and ω2 = xdx + ydy . Calculate
the curvilinear curve for those forms on the circle of center 0 et radius 1.

1.3 Green-Riemann Formula or theorem

1.3.1 Formula

Let C be a positively oriented, piecewise smooth, simple closed curve in a plane, and let D
be the region bounded by C. If P = P(x, y) and Q = Q(x, y) are functions of (x, y) de ned
on an open region containing D and having continuous partial derivatives there, then

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ZZ Å ã I
∂Q ∂P
− dxdy = Pdx + Qdy
D ∂x ∂y (C)

where the path of integration along C is anticlockwise.

Remarque 2.
This allows to compute a double integral using a curvilinear integral. . The choice for P and
Q is not unique. We choose P and Q to simplify our computations. This formula is also used
to compute a curvilinear integral using a double integral.
ZZ
Example 9. Calculate I = ydxdy where D = f(x, y) 2 R2 /x2 + y2 6 1g directly and using
D
the above formula.

1.3.2 Area calculus

Proposition 5.
Let D be a compact of frontier (C). Then the area A of K is equal to :
ZZ I I I
1
A= dxdy = xdy − ydx = xdy = −ydx
D 2 (C) (C) (C)

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2 Exercices
Exercice 1.
Let's consider the di erential form ω = 2xey dx + x2 ey dy, de ned on R2 .
Prove that ω is exact. Find antiderivatives on R2 ..
Exercice 2.
2x x2
Let's consider the di erential form ω = dx− 2 dy, de ned on the half plane U = f(x, y) 2
y y
R2; y > 0g.
1. Prove that ω is exact.
I
2. Calculate ω where (C) a piecewise C1 curve with the starting point A(1, 2) and last
(C)
point B(3, 8).
Exercice 3.
Let's consider the di erential form ω = (x + y)dx + (x − y)dy. de ned on the half-plane
U = f(x, y) 2 R2 ; y > 0g.
1. Prove that ω is exact.
I
2. Calculate ω where (C) a piecewise C1 curve with the starting point A(1, 2) and the
(C)
last point B(3, 8).
Exercice 4. I
Calculate the curvilinear integral ω in the following examples :
(C)

1. ω = xydx + (x + y)dy where (C) is the arc of the parabola y = x2 , −1 6 x 6 2, we use

the clockwise direction.
2. ω = y sin xdx + x cos ydy where (C) is the part of the line [OA] from O(0, 0) to A(1, 1).
Exercice 5.
Calculate the curvilinear integral ω = x2 dx − xydy along :
1. the part of the line [OB] from O(0, 0) to B(1, 1).
2. the arc of the parabola x = y2 , 0 6 x 6 y, we use the clockwise direction.
Exercice 6.
x−y x+y
Calculate the curvilinear integral ω = 2 dx + 2 dy along the square ABCD, avec
x + y2 x + y2
A(1,1), B(-1,1), C(-1,-1) and D(1,-1), we use the clockwise direction.
Exercice 7. Compute Green-Riemann's formula
ZZ
1. ydxdy where D = f(x, y) 2 R2 /(x − 1)2 + y2 6 1 ; y > 0g ,
D
ZZ Å
x2 y2 2
y2
6 1g
ã
2. Let 0 < b < a. +
a2 b2
dxdy where D = f ( x, y) 2 R 2 x
/ +
a2 b2
D

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