Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2016/ia/paper-3/9c/a/solution

A conservative vector field on is a vector field for a globally defined smooth potential of a conservative vector field . The chain rule gives
so its line integral is path independent.
Green theorem states that, for a bounded planar region with piecewise smooth boundary and continuously differentiable on a neighbourhood of its closure,
The boundary is positively oriented: the region lies on the left while it is traversed, so outer components run counterclockwise and hole boundaries clockwise.
For the proposed potential of a conservative vector field, the fundamental theorem of calculus and differentiation under the integral sign give
Since , the last integral equals , including negative with the usual signed-integral convention. Hence the proposed potential is global and
The fact that the vector field is defined on all of ensures both straight integration segments stay inside its domain; a hole in the domain could obstruct a global potential.

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