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10.2 Vectors in Space: Coordinate Frame. When

1) Vectors in 3D space are represented by ordered triples of real numbers called Cartesian coordinates. Points in space are located using three perpendicular axes that meet at the origin. 2) Planes that pass through the origin where one coordinate is fixed (x=0, y=0, z=0 planes) divide space into eight regions called octants. Lines of intersection between planes are described by pairs of equations. 3) The distance between two points in space is calculated the same way as in 2D, using the Pythagorean theorem and taking the square root of the sum of the squared differences between corresponding x, y, and z coordinates.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
101 views11 pages

10.2 Vectors in Space: Coordinate Frame. When

1) Vectors in 3D space are represented by ordered triples of real numbers called Cartesian coordinates. Points in space are located using three perpendicular axes that meet at the origin. 2) Planes that pass through the origin where one coordinate is fixed (x=0, y=0, z=0 planes) divide space into eight regions called octants. Lines of intersection between planes are described by pairs of equations. 3) The distance between two points in space is calculated the same way as in 2D, using the Pythagorean theorem and taking the square root of the sum of the squared differences between corresponding x, y, and z coordinates.

Uploaded by

Nadine Badawiyeh
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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10.

2 VECTORS IN SPACE
To locate a point in space, we use three mutually perpendicular coordinate axes. The axes shown there make a right-handed coordinate frame. When you hold your right hand so that the fingers curl from the positive x-axis toward the positive y-axis, your thumb points along the positive z-axis.

The Cartesian coordinates (x, y, z) of a point P in space are the numbers at which tie planes through P perpendicular to the axes cut the axes. Cartesian coordinates for space are also called rectangular coordinates because the axes that define them meet at right angles. Points on the x-axis have y- and z-coordinates equal to zero. That is, they have coordinates of the form (x, 0, 0). Similarly, points on the y-axis have coordinates of the form (0, y, 0), and points on the z-axis have coordinates of the form (0, 0, z).

The planes determined by the coordinates axes are the xy-plane, whose standard equation is z = 0; the yz-plane, whose standard equation is x = 0; and the xz-plane, whose standard equation is y = 0. They meet at the origin (0, 0, 0) (Figure 12.2). The origin is also identified by simply 0 or sometimes the letter O. The three coordinate planes x = 0,y = 0, and z = 0 divide space into eight cell called octants. The octant in which the point coordinates are all positive is called the first octant; there is no conventional numbering for the other seven octants. The points in a plane perpendicular to the x-axis all have the same xcoordinate, this being the number at which that plane cuts the x-axis. The yand z-coordinates can be any numbers. Similarly, the points in a plane perpendicular to the y-axis have a common y-coordinate and the points in a plane perpendicular to the z-axis have a common z-coordinate. To write equations for these planes, we name the common coordinate's value. The plane x = 2 is the plane perpendicular to the x-axis at x = 2. The plane y = 3 is the plane perpendicular to the y-axis at y = 3. The plane z = 5 is the plane perpendicular to the z-axis at z = 5. Figure 12.3 shows the planes x = 2, y = 3, and z = 5, together with their intersection point (2, 3, 5).

The planes x = 2 and y = 3 in Figure 12.3 intersect in a line parallel to the zaxis. This line is described by the pair of equations x = 2, y = 3. A point (x, y, z) lies on the line if and only if x = 2 and y = 3. Similarly, the line of intersection of the planes y = 3 and z = 5 is described by the equation pair y = 3, z = 5. This line runs parallel to the x-axis. The line of intersection of the planes x = 2 and z = 5, parallel to the y-axis, is described by the equation pair x = 2, z = 5.

EXAMPLE
(a)

Interpreting Equations and Inequalities Geometrically


The half-space consisting of the points on and above the xy-plane. The plane perpendicular to the x-axis at x = -3. This plane lies parallel to the yz-plane and 3 units behind it. The second quadrant of the xy-plane.

z0

(b) x = -3

(c)

z = 0, x 0, y 0 (d) z 0, x 0, y 0 The first octant. (e) 1 y 1 The slab between the planes y = -1 and
(f) y = -2, z = 2

y = 1(planes included). The line in which the planes y = -2 and z = 2 intersect. Alternatively, the line through the point (0, -2, 2) parallel to the x-axis.

EXAMPLE
What points P(x, y, z) satisfy the equations x2 + y2 = 4and z = 3?

If v is a three-dimensional vector equal to the vector with initial point at the origin and terminal point

(v1 , v2 , v3 ) , then the component form of v is


v = v1 , v2 , v3
.

So a three-dimensional vector is an ordered triple numbers. The numbers

v = v1 , v2 , v3 of real

v1 , v2 , and v3 are called the components of v. Observe that if v = v1 , v2 , v3 is represented by the directed line segment
PQ , where the initial point is P ( x1 , y1 , z1 ) and the terminal point is Q (x2 , y2 , z 2 ) , then, x1 + v1 = x2 , y1 + v2 = y2 and z1 + v3 = z 2 . Thus, v1 = x2 x1 , v2 = y2 y1 , and v3 = z 2 z1 are the components
of

PQ .

In summary, given the points position vector

P ( x1 , y1 , z1 ) and Q (x2 , y2 , z 2 ) , the standard

v = v1 , v2 , v3 equal to PQ is v = x2 x1 , y2 y1 , z 2 z1

Two vectors are equal if and only if their standard position vectors are identical. Thus u1 , u 2 , u3 and u2 = v2, and u3 = v3.

v1 , v2 , v3 are equal if and only if u1 = v1,

DEFINITION
The magnitude or length of the vector

v = PQ is the nonnegative number

v = v1 + v2 + v3 =
2 2 2

(x2 x1 )2 + ( y2 y1 )2 + (z2 z1 )2
0,0,0 . This vector is

The only vector with length 0 is the zero vector 0 = also the only vector with no specific direction.

EXAMPLE
Find the (a) component form and (b) length of the vector with initial point P(-3, 4, 1) and terminal point Q(-5, 2, 2).

Vector Algebra Operations DEFINITIONS


a Scalar) Let (Vector Addition and Multiplication of a Vector by

u = u1 , u2 , u3 and v = v1 , v2 , v3 be vectors with k a scalar. Addition: u + v = u1 + v1 , u 2 + v2 , u3 + v3


Scalar multiplication: ku = ku1 , ku 2 , ku3 Figure 12.13 displays a geometric interpretation of the product ku of the scalar k and vector u. If k > 0, then ku has the same direction as u; if k < 0, then the direction of ku is opposite to that of u. Comparing the lengths of u and ku, we see that

ku = k u
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The length of ku is the absolute value of the scalar k times the length of u. The vector (-1)u = -u has the same length as u but points in the opposite direction.

By the difference u - v of two vectors, we mean u v = u + (-v). If

u = u1 , u2 , u3

and

v = v1 , v2 , v3 , then u v = u1 v1 , u2 v2 , u3 v3 .

EXAMPLE

1,5,2 and v = 4,7,0 . Find 1 u (a) 2u + 3 v (b) u - v (c) 2


Let u =

Properties of Vector Operations


Let u, v, w be vectors and a, b be scalars. 1. 3. 7. u+v=v+u 2. (u + v) + w = u + (v + w) u+0=u 4. u+(-u)=0 5. 0 u=0 6. 1u =u a(bu) = (ab)u 8. a(u + v) = au + av 9. (a+b)u=au+bu

Unit Vectors
A vector v of length 1 is called a unit vector. The standard unit vectors are

1,0,0 , j = 0,1,0 , and k = 0,0,1 . Any vector v = v1 , v2 , v3 can be written as a linear combination of the
i= standard unit vectors as follows:

v = v1 , v2 , v3 = v1 ,0,0 + 0, v2 ,0 + 0,0, v3 = v1 1,0,0 + v2 0,1,0 + v3 0,0,1 = v1i + v2 j + v3k


We call the scalar (or number) v1 the i-component of the vector v, v2 the jcomponent, and v3 the k-component. In component form, the vector from

P ( x1 , y1 , z1 ) to P2 ( x2 , y2 , z 2 ) is 1

P1 P2 = ( x2 x1 )i + ( y2 y1 ) j + ( z 2 z1 )k

Whenever

v 0 , its length v is not zero and

1 1 v = v =1 v v
That is, v / |v| is a unit vector in the direction of v, called the direction of the nonzero vector v.

EXAMPLE
Find a unit vector u in the direction of the vector from P1(1,0,1) to P2(3,2,0).

Distance and Spheres in Space


The formula for the distance between two points in the xy-plane extends to points in space.

The Distance Between P1(x1, y1, z1) and P2(x2, y2, z2) is

P P2 = 1
EXAMPLE

(x2 x1 )2 + ( y2 y1 )2 + (z2 z1 )2

Find the distance between P1(2, 1, 5) and P2(-2, 3, 0) .

The Standard Equation for the Sphere of Radius a and Center Po(xo, yo, zo)

(x xo )2 + ( y yo )2 + (z zo )2 = a 2

EXAMPLE
Find the center and radius of the sphere

x 2 + y 2 + z 2 + 3x 4 z + 1 = 0

EXAMPLE
(a) (b)

Interpreting Equations and Inequalities


The interior of the sphere

x2 + y2 + z 2 < 4 x2 + y2 + z 2 4

x2 + y2 + z 2 = 4 .

The solid ball bounded by the sphere

x 2 + y 2 + z 2 = 4 . Alternatively, the sphere x 2 + y 2 + z 2 = 4 together with its interior.


(c) (d)

x2 + y2 + z 2 > 4

The exterior of the sphere

x2 + y2 + z 2 = 4 .

x 2 + y 2 + z 2 = 4, z 0 The lower hemisphere cut from the sphere x 2 + y 2 + z 2 = 4 by the xy-plane (the
plane z = 0).

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Midpoint of a Line Segment


Vectors are often useful in geometry. For example, the coordinates of the midpoint of a line segment are found by averaging. The midpoint M of the line segment joining points

P2 ( x2 , y2 , z 2 ) is the point x1 + x2 y1 + y2 z1 + z 2 , , 2 2 2

P ( x1 , y1 , z1 ) and 1

EXAMPLE
Find the midpoint of the segment joining P1(3, -2, 0) and P2(7, 4, 4) .

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