Calculus of Several Variables

MATH 252

F.A. Wireko, PhD

Email: [Link]@[Link]

Department of Mathematics
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

July 26, 2026

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Lecture Thirteen

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Line Integral of Vector Fields

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Definition

Consider the vector field

⃗ (x , y , z) = P(x , y , z) î + Q(x , y , z) ĵ + R(x , y , z) k̂
F

and the three-dimensional, smooth curve given by

⃗r (t) = x (t) î + y (t) ĵ + z(t) k̂, as a ≤ t ≤ b

⃗ along C is
Then the line integral of F
ˆ ˆ b
⃗ · d⃗r =
F ⃗ (⃗r (t)) · ⃗r ′ (t) dt
F (8)
C a

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Cont...

• Note, the notation in the integral on the right-hand side of equation (8) is a dot
product of the vector field and the tangent vector.

• Also, F⃗ (⃗r (t)) is a shorthand for F⃗ (⃗r (t)) = F⃗ (x (t), y (t), z(t)).

• Equation (12) can be rewritten as:

ˆ ˆ b
⃗ · d⃗r =
F ⃗ (⃗r (t)) · T
F ⃗ ds dt (9)
C a

⃗ is the unit tangent vector.

where T

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Exercise

Evaluate ˆ
⃗ · d⃗r
F
C
where
⃗ (x , y , z) = 8x 2 yz ı̂ + 5z ȷ̂ − 4xy k̂
F
and C is the curve given by
⃗r (t) = t ı̂ + t 2 ȷ̂ + t 3 k̂, 0≤t≤1

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Solution
• Computing the derivative of the parameterization:

⃗r ′ (t) = î + 2t ĵ + 3t 2 k̂

• Computing dot product:

⃗ (⃗r (t)) · ⃗r ′ (t) = 8t 7 + 10t 4 − 12t 5
F
• Thus the line integral becomes:
ˆ ˆ 1 
⃗ · d⃗r =
F 8t 7 + 10t 4 − 12t 5 dt
C 0

  1
8 5 6
= t + 2t − 2t
0
=1
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Example

Evaluate ˆ
⃗ · d⃗r
F
C
where
⃗ (x , y , z) = xz ı̂ − yz k̂
F
and C is the line segment from (−1, 2, 0) to (3, 0, 1).

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Example 1

Evaluate the line integral ˆ

F · dr,
C
where
F(x , y , z) = xz i − yz k,
and C is the straight line segment from

(−1, 2, 0) to (3, 0, 1).

Find the value of the line integral.

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Solution
• Parameterize the curve
r(t) = (1 − t)r0 + tr1 = ⟨−1 + 4t, 2 − 2t, t⟩, 0 ≤ t ≤ 1.
• Compute the tangent vector
r′ (t) = ⟨4, −2, 1⟩.
• Evaluate the vector field
F(r(t)) = ⟨4t 2 − t, 0, 2t 2 − 2t⟩.
• Compute the dot product
F(r(t)) · r′ (t) = (4t 2 − t)(4) + (2t 2 − 2t) = 18t 2 − 6t.
• Evaluate the integral
ˆ ˆ 1 h i1
F · dr = (18t 2 − 6t) dt = 6t 3 − 3t 2 = 3.
C 0 0
ˆ
F · dr = 3. 11 / 33
Example 2

Evaluate the line integral ˆ

F · dr,
C
where
F(x , y ) = y 2 i + x j,
and C is the parabolic arc
y = x2
from
(0, 0) to (2, 4).

Find the value of the line integral.

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Solution
• Parameterize the curve
x = t, y = t 2, 0 ≤ t ≤ 2, r(t) = ⟨t, t 2 ⟩.
• Compute the tangent vector
r′ (t) = ⟨1, 2t⟩.
• Evaluate the vector field
F(r(t)) = ⟨t 4 , t⟩.
• Compute the dot product
F(r(t)) · r′ (t) = t 4 + 2t 2 .
• Evaluate the integral
ˆ ˆ 2
" #2
4 2 t 5 2t 3 176
F · dr = (t + 2t ) dt = + = .
C 0 5 3 0
15
ˆ
176
F · dr = .
C 15 13 / 33
Green’s Theorem

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Definition

Let C be a positively oriented, piecewise smooth, simple, closed curve, and let D
be the region enclosed by the curve.
If P and Q have continuous first-order partial derivatives on D, then:
ˆ ¨ !
∂Q ∂P
P dx + Q dy = − dA (10)
C D ∂x ∂y

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Cont...

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Cont...

There are some alternate notations that we need to acknowledge.

When working with a line integral in which the path satisfies the
conditions of Green’s Theorem, we will often denote the line
integral as:
˛ ‰
P dx + Q dy or P dx + Q dy
C C
Both of these notations assume that C satisfies the conditions of
Green’s Theorem, so be careful in using them.

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Cont...

Also, sometimes the curve C is not thought of as a separate curve

but instead as the boundary of some region D, and in these cases
you may see C denoted as ∂D.

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Example

Use Green’s Theorem to evaluate

˛
xy dx + x 2 y 3 dy
C

where C is the triangle with vertices (0, 0), (1, 0), and (1, 2), with positive orientation.

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Solution

Let’s first sketch C and D for this case to make sure that conditions of Green’s
Theorem are met for C and will need the sketch of D to evaluate the double integral.

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Cont...
So, the curve does satisfy the conditions of Green’s Theorem, and we can see that the
following inequalities define the region enclosed:

0≤x ≤1 and 0 ≤ y ≤ 2x

We identify P and Q from the line integral:

P = xy and Q = x 2y 3

Using Green’s Theorem, the line integral becomes:

˛ ¨ 
∂Q ∂P

2 3
xy dx + x y dy = − dA
C D ∂x ∂y
¨  
= 2xy 3 − x dA
D

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Cont...
Set up the double integral over the triangular region:
ˆ 1 ˆ 2x  
= 2xy 3 − x dy dx
0 0
Evaluate the inner integral:
ˆ 1  2x
1 4
= xy − xy dx
0 2
0
Substitute the limits:
ˆ 1 ˆ 1
1
 
4
= x (2x ) − x (2x ) dx = 8x 5 − 2x 2 dx
0 2 0
Evaluate the final integral:
 1
4 6 2 3 2

= x − x =
3 3 3
0
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Example

Evaluate ˛
y 3 dx − x 3 dy
C
where C is the positively oriented circle of radius 2 centered at the
origin.

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Solution

Okay, a circle will satisfy the conditions of Green’s Theorem since it is closed and
simple, so there really isn’t a reason to sketch it.
Let’s first identify P and Q from the line integral:

P = y3 Q = −x 3

Be careful with the minus sign on Q!

Now, using Green’s Theorem on the line integral gives:
˛ ¨  ¨
∂Q ∂P

3 3
y dx − x dy = − dA = (−3x 2 − 3y 2 ) dA
C D ∂x ∂y D

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Cont...

Since D is a disk of radius 2 centered at the origin, it’s best to use polar coordinates.
Here is the evaluation of the integral:
˛ ¨
3 3
y dx − x dy = −3 (x 2 + y 2 ) dA
C D
ˆ 2π ˆ 2
= −3 r 3 dr dθ
0 0
ˆ 2π ˆ 2π
1 4 2
 
= −3 r dθ = −3 4 dθ = −24π
0 4 0 0

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Cont...

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Cont...

• The region D will be D1 ∪ D2 .

• We have:
¨ ¨ ¨
(Qx − Py ) dA = (Qx − Py ) dA + (Qx − Py ) dA (11)
D D1 D2

• Thus; ¨ ˛
(Qx − Py ) dA = P dx + Q dy (12)
D C

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Example

Evaluate ˆ
y 3 dx − x 3 dy
C
where C are the two circles of radius 2 and radius 1 centered at the
origin with positive orientation.

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Solution

ˆ ¨
y 3 dx − x 3 dy = −3 (x 2 + y 2 ) dA
C
ˆ D2π ˆ 2
= −3 r 3 dr dθ
ˆ0 2π " 1 #2
1 4
= −3 r dθ
4 1
ˆ 2π
0
15
= −3 dθ
0 4
45π
=−
2
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Work done be Aerodynamic Forces

For a moving aircraft or spacecraft in a varying force field:

ˆ
W = ⃗ aero · d⃗r
F (13)
C

This is used in propulsion analysis, trajectory optimization, and

lift/thrust evaluation.

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Water and Nutrient Flow in Irrigation Systems

In drip irrigation or channel flow:

ˆ ˆ
Mass transport = ρv ds or ⃗ flow · d⃗r
F (14)
C C
Where ρ is fluid density and v is velocity.

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Robotic and Mechanical Work Analysis

In manufacturing systems, work done by robotic arms or conveyors

is:
ˆ
W = ⃗ · d⃗r
F (15)
C
Line integrals also model energy consumption, cost per process
path, and fluid transport in factories.

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BLESSINGS

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