Calculate Line Integral of Vector Field f(x,y) over Curve C | Homework Problem

stratusfactio
Messages
22
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



calculate the integral f · dr for the given vector field f(x, y) and curve C:
f(x, y) = (x^2 + y^2) i; C : x = 2 + cos t, y = sin t, 0 ≤ t ≤ 2π (2pi)

Homework Equations



Would the vector F simply be <(x^2+y^2),0> since there is no j component?
The solution is 4pi and I'm getting zero.

The Attempt at a Solution


integral of C = F · dr
F = <((2+cos t)^2 + (sin t)^2),o> = <(5 + 4 cos t), 0>
dr = <-sin t, cos t>

Integral of C [0, 2pi] <(5 + 4 cos t), 0> · <-sin t, cos t> = 0 :(

I'm thinking that my error lies in the vector I'm using for F.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
If the problem is exactly as you stated, then the correct answer is 0.
 
That's right, the F vector function only has a i component. It would be equivalent as writing it as F(x,y) = <x^2 + y^2, 0>

BTW I posted this same exact problem. :P where did you find this?
 
^Haha. I'm self teaching myself Multivariable Calculus using this online book: http://www.mecmath.net/calc3book.pdf in conjuction with Youtube's UCBerkely Multivariable Calc lectures.

It's just weird because I did all the steps and analyzed each step and can't see where I went wrong...we may be right because I see you got 0 too, sometimes the books make errors. I just don't see how we can get 4pi when we're evaluating an integral involving trig. when it's going to give us a rational number.
 
I was doing the same with that same book. :P There were a few other errors too in other parts. I think the book just needs more revising.
 
There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...
Back
Top