Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2021/prelims/mathematics-iv/3/c/i/solution

Let parametrize . Then parametrizes its image, with tangent vectors and . An orthogonal matrix preserves dot products, so the Lagrange identity for the cross product gives, for any ,
The area element of a surface is therefore the same pointwise before and after applying . Integrating proves
This includes orthogonal transformations with determinant : reversal of orientation does not affect the Euclidean norm in the surface area formula.

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