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Solutions For Homework 1 MA510: Vector Calculus: Yuliang Wang January 21, 2015

This document contains solutions to homework problems from a vector calculus class. The problems involve sketching vectors, finding lines and planes, using properties of vectors like the dot product and cross product, and computing areas and distances related to vectors. The solutions show the steps taken to arrive at the final answers to each problem using concepts from vector calculus.

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219 views5 pages

Solutions For Homework 1 MA510: Vector Calculus: Yuliang Wang January 21, 2015

This document contains solutions to homework problems from a vector calculus class. The problems involve sketching vectors, finding lines and planes, using properties of vectors like the dot product and cross product, and computing areas and distances related to vectors. The solutions show the steps taken to arrive at the final answers to each problem using concepts from vector calculus.

Uploaded by

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Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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Solutions for Homework 1

MA510: Vector Calculus


Yuliang Wang
January 21, 2015

1.1.5

1. Sketch the points P = (1, 0, 2), Q = (2, 3, 1) and the vector P Q in the coordinate system.
Solution. Remember to draw dashed lines to indicate the coordinates of the points. Picture
omitted.
2. Find the equation of the line through (1, 2, 3) and (0, 4, 1). Then determine the points of
intersection of the line with the coordinate planes.
Solution. Using the point-point form of a line, the parametric equation is given by
l(t) = (1, 2, 3) + t(1, 2, 4) = (1 t, 2 2t, 3 4t).
To find the intersection of the line with the xy-plane, set the z coordinate to 0, i.e. 3 4t = 0.
Hence t = 3/4 and the point of intersection is (1/4, 1/2, 0).
To find the intersection of the line with the yz-plane, set the x coordinate to 0, i.e. 1 t = 0.
Hence t = 1 and the point of intersection is (0, 0, 1).
To find the intersection of the line with the xz-plane, set the y coordinate to 0, i.e. 2 2t = 0.
Hence t = 1 and the point of intersection is (0, 0, 1).
1.2.1
1. Using the inner product to prove the converse of the Pythagorean theorem: if the lengths of
the sides of a triangle satisfy a2 + b2 = c2 , then the triangle is a right triangle.
Solution. Let the triangle be formed by the vectors u, v and u v such that kuk = a, kvk = b
and ku vk = c. If a2 + b2 = c2 , then
kuk2 + kvk2 = ku vk2
= (u v) (u v)
= kuk2 + kvk2 2u v.
Hence u v = 0, i.e. the triangle is a right triangle.
2. The distance between a point and a line is defined as the shortest distance from the point
to any point on the line. Find the distance between the point P = (1, 2, 3) and the line
l(t) = (0, 1, 1) + t(1, 4, 0). (Hint: use orthogonal projection)

Solution. First, pick a point on the line, e.g. P0 = l(0) = (0, 1, 1). Let u = P0 P = (1, 1, 4)
and let v = (1, 4, 0) be the vector in the direction of the line. Let w be the orthogonal
projection of u on v, then
w=

uv
5
v = (1, 4, 0).
2
kvk
17

The distance between P and the line is

ku wk =

4777
.
17

3. Use the Triangle Inequality to prove


|kuk kvk| ku vk
with equality if and only if u is a scalar multiple of v or one of them is zero.
Solution. Noting that u = u v + v, we have
kuk = ku v + vk
ku vk + kvk,
that is,
kuk kvk ku vk.
Similarly, we have
kvk kuk kv uk = ku vk.
Hence
|kuk kvk| ku vk

4. An object of mass 1 kg is located at the (0, 0, 1) is suspend by two ropes attached to the
points (1, 2, 3) and (2, 4, 1). Find the forces along each rope. (Suppose the gravitational
force is along k and the gravitational consant g = 9.8 N/kg.
Solution. Let
u1 = (1, 2, 3) (0, 0, 1) = (1, 2, 4),

u2 = (2, 4, 1) (0, 0, 1) = (2, 4, 2).

The forces f 1 and f 2 along each rope has direction along u1 and u2 , i.e.
f 1 = u1 ,

f 2 = u2

for some constants , . The total force by the ropes should cancel the gravitational force, i.e.
u1 + u2 = mgk.
Solving for , , we have
= 1.96,

= 0.98.

Hence
f 1 = 1.96(1, 2, 4),

1.3.3
2

f 2 = 0.98(2, 4, 2).

1. Prove the following relations for standard basis functions


i j = k,

j k = i,

k i = j.

Note: The above relation can be remembered by a cyclical permutation of i, j, k.


Solution. By the definition of the cross product,


i j k


i j = 1 0 0 .
0 1 0
Expanding the determinant along the 2nd row, we have


i k
= k.
i j = 1
1 0
The other identities are proved similarly.
Prove the triple-vector-product identity
(u v) w = (u w)v (v w)u.

2. Prove the triple-vector-product identity


(u v) w = (u w)v (v w)u.
Solution. Recall that


i j k


u v = u1 u2 u3 = (u2 v3 u3 v2 )i (u1 v3 u3 v1 )j + (u1 v2 u2 v1 )k.
v1 v2 v3
Hence




i
j
k



(u v) w = u2 v3 u3 v2 u3 v1 u1 v3 u1 v2 u2 v1 .


w1
w2
w3
The 1st component of the above vector is
w3 (u3 v1 u1 v3 ) w2 (u1 v2 u2 v1 ) = v1 (u2 w2 + u3 w3 ) u1 (v2 w2 + v3 w3 ).
Adding and subtracting u1 v1 w1 on the right-hand side of the above, we see the 1st component
of (u v) w is given by
(u w)v1 (v w)u1 .
Similarly we can obtain the 2nd and 3rd component of (u v) w is
(u w)v2 (v w)u2
and
(u w)v3 (v w)u3 .
Hence
(u v) w = (u w)v (v w)u.

3. Find the area of the triangle formed by the points (1, 2), (3, 4) and (5, 0).
Solution. First, find two sides of the triangle. Let
u = (3, 4) (1, 2) = (2, 2),

v = (5, 0) (1, 2) = (4, 2).

Then the area of the triangle is




1 2 2
A =
= 6.
2 4 2

4. Find an equation of the plane determined by the points (1, 0, 0), (0, 1, 0) and (0, 0, 1). (Hint:
find normal to the plane).
Solution. First, find two vectors in the plane. Let
u = (0, 1, 0) (1, 0, 0) = (1, 1, 0),

v = (0, 0, 1) (1, 0, 0) = (1, 0, 1).

Then a normal to the plane is


n = u v = (1, 1, 1).
Let P0 = (1, 0, 0) be a point in the plane. Then an equation for the plane is
1(x 1) + 1(y 0) + 1(z 0) = 0,
that is,
x + y + z 1 = 0.

5. Find the distance from the point (4, 2, 3) to the plane x y + 2z = 1.


Solution. Using the distance formula, we have the distance is
d=
=

|ax + by + cz + d|

k a2 + b2 + c2 k
|4 2 + 6 + 1|
9

= .
1+1+4
6

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