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Green’s theorem converts circulation around a positively oriented planar boundary into the area integral of scalar curl.

Let $D$ be a bounded region in the Euclidean plane whose boundary is a finite union of disjoint, piecewise smooth simple closed curves. Suppose the vector field $F=(P,Q)$ is continuously differentiable on an open set containing the whole closed region. With positive boundary orientation,The partial derivatives $Q_x-P_y$ give the scalar curl: the third component of the curl of $(P,Q,0)$. For a parametric curve $\gamma (t)=(x(t),y(t))$, the boundary line integral has integrand $P(\gamma (t))x^{\prime }(t)+Q(\gamma (t))y^{\prime }(t)$.^[ref]

Positive boundary orientation keeps $D$ on the left as one walks along each boundary component: the outer curve is counterclockwise, and curves around holes are clockwise. Every component belongs in the line integral. The vector field must be regular throughout $D$, but need not extend into a hole.^[ref]

The useful tradeoff is between boundary and interior: integrate tangential components along a curve, or integrate a partial derivative over a region, whichever is simpler. The boundary formula for planar area uses this freedom in the opposite direction, recovering area from a line integral. As a planar case of Stokes theorem, Green theorem also explains why a local curl can determine a complete boundary measurement while leaving room for the global obstruction in Green theorem with holes.

A short proof starts with a rectangle $D=[a,b]\times [c,d]$. Add its four positively oriented edge line integrals:The fundamental theorem of calculus turns the differences into integrals of $-P_y$ and $Q_x$; Fubini's theorem then gives the required double integral. On subdividing a region, adjacent edge line integrals cancel because their directions oppose. For curved boundaries, the proof uses pieces bounded by graphs and double integrals; cancellation works the same way. This is the geometric reason only the region's complete boundary survives.^[ref]

Assume $P,Q$ are continuously differentiable on a neighbourhood of a bounded region with a positively oriented piecewise smooth simple boundary. To prove Green theorem, first take a region between the graphs $y=f(x)$ and $y=g(x)$, $a\le x\le b$, with $f\le g$. Counterclockwise orientation traverses the lower graph to the right and the upper graph to the left; vertical end pieces contribute nothing to $Pdx$. Thus the fundamental theorem of calculus givesLikewise, for a region between graphs $x=u(y)$ and $x=v(y)$, the right boundary is traversed upwards and the left one downwards. Horizontal end pieces contribute nothing to $Qdy$, soFor a polygonal region, triangulate its interior. Each triangle is of both graph types with piecewise linear bounds, so adding the formulae gives the result: the double integrals add and the integrals on internal edges cancel because the adjacent triangles traverse them in opposite directions. For a regular piecewise smooth simple boundary, choose inscribed simple polygonal approximations to its piecewise smooth parametrization. Their line integrals converge to the original line integral, since the parametrizations converge uniformly and their piecewise constant tangent vectors converge in the integral norm on each smooth arc. Their regions converge in area: the symmetric difference lies in a shrinking neighbourhood of the original boundary, which has planar measure zero. Boundedness of the continuous integrand then gives convergence of the area integrals. Passing to the limit proves the formula for the stated boundary class. Combining the two identities givesPositive orientation is essential for the sign.

Choose $P=-y/2$ and $Q=x/2$, for which $Q_x-P_y=1$. The boundary formula for planar area isFor the ellipse, take $a,b>0$ so the given increasing-angle parametrization is counterclockwise. Then $dx=-a\sin \theta d\theta$ and $dy=b\cos \theta d\theta$, soIf signed nonzero parameters are allowed, the unsigned area is $\pi |ab|$, with orientation corrected accordingly.