so that H denotes the total energy of the system, supposed expressed in terms of the new variables, we get

ṗ1 = − ∂H,   ṗ2 = − ∂H, ...
∂q1 ∂q2

(5)

If to these we join the equations

q˙1 = ∂H,   q˙2 = ∂H, ...,
∂p1 ∂p2

(6)

which follow at once from § 1 (23), since V does not involve p1, p2, ..., we obtain a complete system of differential equations of the first order for the determination of the motion.

The equation of energy is verified immediately by (5) and (6), since these make

dH =∂H ṗ1 +∂H ṗ2 + ... +∂H q˙1 +∂H q˙2 + ... = 0.
dt ∂p1∂p2 ∂q1∂q2

(7)