Parametrize a positively oriented closed plane curve at constant arc length speed on , and let be its complex-position Fourier coefficients. Green's theorem and Parseval's identity give and . Since for integers, the planar isoperimetric inequality follows. Equality leaves only the constant and positive first harmonic, a translated circle.
The planar planar isoperimetric inequality is
with equality precisely for a disc. Let the positively oriented boundary be parametrized by arclength as , . Translate its mean to zero. Then , and Green's theorem gives .
The periodic Wirtinger inequality says that for a real absolutely continuous -periodic function of mean zero and square-integrable derivative,
with equality exactly for . Apply it to both coordinates and use Cauchy-Schwarz inequality:
If equality holds, the Wirtinger equalities give . The arclength condition forces and , so the boundary is a circle. A circle attains equality, making the constant optimal.
The inequality and equality characterization persist for finitely many corners. A rectifiable piecewise smooth simple closed curve has a Lipschitz arclength parametrization, with almost everywhere. Green's theorem and the absolutely continuous version of Wirtinger's inequality used above still apply. More generally one may approximate a rectifiable Jordan curve by smooth curves while preserving the limiting length and area. If the allowed isolated singularities give infinite length, the inequality is trivially satisfied in the extended sense.
The periodic Wirtinger inequality says that if is continuously differentiable, -periodic, and has mean zero, then
Equality holds exactly for a linear combination of and .
First suppose is one positively oriented simple closed curve, parametrized by arc length as for . Translating the origin, which changes neither length nor area, makes both and have mean zero. Green theorem and the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality give
Applying Wirtinger's inequality to both coordinate functions and using the unit-speed identity yields
and therefore the planar isoperimetric inequality
For several boundary components, apply the simple-curve result to the relevant enclosed regions and use ; holes only decrease the area.
Equality in both inequalities forces
for constant vectors , with the unit-speed and Cauchy-Schwarz equality conditions making and perpendicular and equally long. Thus the boundary is a circle. Conversely, a circular domain has area and perimeter , so equality holds.