[Math] Parameterization of an ellipse for stoke’s theorem

calculusparametrizationpolar coordinatesstokes-theorem

I have a question which requires the use of stokes theorem, which I have reduced successfully to an integral and a domain.

From this, I have the domain: $5y^2+4yx+2x^2\leq a^2$
over which I need to integrate.

This is an ellipse, and resultingly it can be parameterized, but this is where I am stuck. I don't know how to parameterize this curve in a form that I can integrate over the domain.

I understand that this can be put into polar coordinates, but the furthest that I can get is:

$5r^2sin^2(\theta) +4r^2sin(\theta)cos(\theta) +2r^2cos^2(\theta)\leq a^2 $

But then I don't really know where to go from here.

Best Answer

You just need to solve your inequality for $r$: \begin{align*} a^2 &\geq 2 r^2 \cos^2(\theta) + 5 r^2 \sin^2(\theta) + 4 r^2 \sin(\theta) \cos(\theta)\\ &= r^2(2 \cos^2(\theta) + 5 \sin^2(\theta) + 4 \sin(\theta) \cos(\theta))\\ &= r^2(2 + 3 \sin^2(\theta) + 4 \sin(\theta) \cos(\theta)) \, . \end{align*} Then $$ r^2 \leq \frac{a^2}{2 + 3 \sin^2(\theta) + 4 \sin(\theta) \cos(\theta)} $$ (Note that the denominator is always $\geq 0$, so the inequality is preserved.) Thus your bounds of integration should be \begin{align*} &0 \leq \theta \leq 2 \pi\\ &0 \leq r \leq \frac{a}{\sqrt{2 + 3 \sin^2(\theta) + 4 \sin(\theta) \cos(\theta)}} \, . \end{align*}

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