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Why do internal boundaries cancel out when summing line integrals over small rectangles in the proof of Green's Theorem?

Internal boundaries cancel out because adjacent rectangles share a common edge that is traversed in exactly opposite directions. Since line integrals are orientation-sensitive, the integral along the shared edge for one rectangle negates the integral for the neighboring rectangle, leaving only the outer boundary.

Conditions

  • Each rectangle is traversed counterclockwise.
  • The rectangles are adjacent and share a common edge.

Reasoning, step by step

  1. Identify two adjacent rectangles in the partition.
  2. Observe that they share a common internal edge.
  3. Note that the counterclockwise traversal of one rectangle goes in the opposite direction to the traversal of the other along this shared edge.
  4. Conclude that the line integrals along this internal edge cancel each other out.

Example

The script states: 'Because each rectangle is traversed counterclockwise, this shared boundary is traveled in exactly opposite directions by the neighboring cells. Consequently, the integrals along all internal grid lines perfectly cancel each other out.'

Common misconceptions

  • Thinking that the magnitudes of the integrals are different on the shared edge.
  • Believing that the cancellation depends on the specific values of P and Q rather than the orientation.

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