Review Problems for Chapter 7 and 8

Remark. The following problems are just for you to practice. I would not say it is similar or
not similar to the actual problems on the final exam. But if you truly understand how to deal
with these problems, you will get the corresponding problems during the exam.
The list only focuses on integrals. So it is not comprehensive. This means you would also
need to study the topics in chapters 1 through to 6 on your own.

0. All my examples on those 3 theorems that I explained in the lectures.

1. For each of the following vector fields, if it does not have a potential function, explain
why. If it has a potential function, find one.

F~1 = hy, x + ey i F~2 = hx, z + y cos(xy), y cos(xy)i

F~3 = hx, y + ex i F~4 = hx, y, zi
F~5 = h x2−y , x i F~6 = h1 + x2−y
+y 2 x2 +y 2 +y 2
x
, 2 + x2 +y 2 , 3zi

2 2 2
Answer: F~1 = ∇(xy + ey + constant) and F~4 = ∇( x +y +z 2+constant ). The other vector
fields do not have a potential function.
Rules: If CurlF~ is not zero, good, no potential. If CurlF~ = ~0, trouble, need further
consideration. If further the domain of F~ is simple, there is one and hence infinitely
many potentials. If further the domain is not simple, we need to do even more calculation.
Usually, just pick a circle around the bad points and evaluate the corresponding integral
of F~ . If we do not get zero, F~ does not have a potential. Such an integral of F~5 has been
calculated in the lectures several times and we know it is 2π.
2. (2.1) Let C be the oriented upper half unit circle with initial point (−1, 0) and terminal
point (1, 0). Let
P = y and Q = x.
R
Evaluate the path integral C P dx + Qdy.
(2.2) Let C be the oriented upper half unit circle with initial point (−1, 0) and terminal
point (1, 0). Let
y3
P = + tan(x) + xexy and Q = x3 + yexy + xy 2 .
3
R
Evaluate the path integral C P dx + Qdy.
Answer: For (2.1), evaluate the integral use parametrization. The answer is zero. For
(2.2), use the horizontal line segment which starts at (1, 0) and stops at (−1, 0) to close
C into a closed curve and then use Stokes’ (Actually Green’s, but Green’s is Stokes’.)
Theorem. The answer is − 3π 8
.
Rules: In general, for line integrals, we only have 2 methods: use parametrization or
Stokes’(Green’s is Stokes’). If the parametrization works, go with it. Like in (2.1). One
can also finish (2.1) using the method in (2.2), but there is no reason that we have to use
parametrizations or have to use the Stokes’ in this case. If the parametrization does not
work or it simply gets too computational, try to make use of the Stokes’ Theorem.
As always, be careful of the orientation stuff.

1
3. (3.1) Let S be the upper
RR half unit sphere with outward normal vector. Compute the
surface integral S F~ · dS
~ where

F~ = hx, y, zi.
(3.2) Let S be the graph of the function z = xy + 1 where 0 ≤RRx, y ≤ 1. S is oriented
with upward normal vector. Compute the surface integral S F~ · dS
~ where

F~ = hx, y, zi.
(3.3) Let S be the upper
RR half unit sphere with outward normal vector. Compute the
surface integral S F~ · dS
~ where

F~ = hcos(x) sin(y), sin(x) cos(y), 2z(sin(x) sin(y) + 3)i.

(3.4) Let S be the upper
RR half unit sphere with outward normal vector. Compute the
surface integral S Curl(F~ ) · dS
~ where

F~ = hcos(x) sin(y), sin(x) cos(y), 2z(sin(x) sin(y) + 3)i.

(3.5) Let S be the graph of the function z = xy + 1 where 0 ≤RRx, y ≤ 1. S is oriented
with upward normal vector. Compute the surface integral S F~ · dS
~ where

F~ = hcos(x) sin(y), sin(x) cos(y), 2z(sin(x) sin(y) + 3)i.

Answer: For (3.1), since the surface is part of a sphere and so we know the orientation
as a vector field. Also, the vector field F~ is not too complicated. So we can convert the
surface integral of a vector field into a surface integral of scalar function. The answer is
2π, which is the area of S.
For (3.2), again the vector field is not too complicated to use parametrization. But we do
not know the normal vector given by the orientation, so we simply use the parametriza-
tion. The answer is 43 .
For (3.3), the surface is okay, we know the normal vector given by the orientation and we
also know how to parameterize the surface. But we do not proceed as in (3.1) or (3.2)
because it is getting very computational. If you just try in this approach in a few steps,
you will see what I mean. So, we switch to the theorems. But, the extra difficulty than
the path/line integral is that, both Stokes’ and Gauss’ involves surface integral. Which
one should we use? Answer is, this F~ is at least not so obviously a Curl field, so it does
not make much sense to use Stokes’ theorem to convert it into a line integral. So we use
Gauss’ Theorem, by adding the bottom disk to the surface. The answer is 4π.
For (3.4), as explained in (3.3) we use theorems. The vector field in the integrand is
already a Curl. So one can use Gauss’ Theorem as in (3.3), or use Stokes’ Theorem
(twice). They are of the same difficulty in computations. The answer is 0.
For (3.5), this is the case that none of the methods we learnt works well. I certainly do
not want to test on such an evil problem. So, just ignore this one. If you know how to
easily solve this problem, let me know.
Rules: Again, if parametrization works, go with it. If it does not work or gets very
computational, try the theorems.