Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2006 / ia / Paper 3 / 9A / Solution

When $\alpha =2\beta$, all three values reduce to $-\beta /3$. To prove path independence for every piecewise smooth path, construct a global potential rather than infer it from agreement on only three paths. Integrating the coefficient of $dx$ and then matching the coefficient of $dy$ givesIndeed ${\Phi }_x=2\beta (x^2+xy)=\alpha (x^2+xy)$ and ${\Phi }_y=\beta (x^2+y^2)$. The integrand is the exact differential $d\Phi$ throughout ${\mathbb{R}}^2$. The fundamental theorem for line integrals therefore gives, for every such path from $A$ to $B$,