Theorem 5.2.6 tells us how to draw the solution curves in the phase plane without solving the system. Assuming that the Hamiltonian function
is not constant on any open set in
we simply need to plot the level curves,
The solutions of the system live on these level sets, and all we need to do is find the direction of the solution curve. However, this is quite easy since we know the vector field of the system. Furthermore, the equilibrium points of the Hamiltonian system occur at the critical points of
(where the partials of
vanish). For example, we can see the solution curves of