Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematical-methods-ii-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2021-resit/9/c/solution

An exact differential is an expression that equals for a single-valued differentiable function on the domain. Its line integral is an endpoint difference by the fundamental theorem for line integrals.
Integrating with respect to gives . Matching to requires . Hence
The arbitrary additive constant cancels. This constructs the vector-field potential globally and provides a second proof of path independence.

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