The sign of the line integral is based on the right-hand rule for the choice of direction of line element "d"s. To establish this sign, for example, suppose the field F points in the positive "z"-direction, and the surface Σ is a portion of the "xy"-plane with perimeter ∂Σ. We adopt the normal to Σ to be in the positive "z"-direction. Positive traversal of ∂Σ is then counterclockwise (right-hand rule with thumb along "z"-axis). Then the integral on the left-hand side determines a "positive" flux of F through Σ. Suppose Σ translates in the positive "x"-direction at velocity v. An element of the boundary of Σ parallel to the "y"-axis, say "d"s, sweeps out an area v"t" × "d"s in time "t". If we integrate around the boundary ∂Σ in a counterclockwise sense, v"t" × "d"s points in the negative "z"-direction on the left side of ∂Σ (where "d"s points downward), and in the positive "z"-direction on the right side of ∂Σ (where "d"s points upward), which makes sense because Σ is moving to the right, adding area on the right and losing it on the left. On that basis, the flux of F is increasing on the right of ∂Σ and decreasing on the left. However, the dot product v × F • "d"s = −F × v • "d"s = −F • v × "d"s. Consequently, the sign of the line integral is taken as negative.