18 Vector Valued Functions

Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises
Vector-Valued Functions
Mathematics 54 - Elementary Analysis 2
Institute of Mathematics
University of the Philippines-Diliman
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Introduction to Vector-Valued Functions

Definition.
A vector-valued function ~
R, or simply a vector function, is a function
whose domain is a set of real numbers and whose range is a set of vectors.
Examples.
~
R (t) = t 2 + (t + 1) ;
~S (t) = cost, sint, t
Remarks.
1
A function f : R R is called a real-valued function or a scalar

function.
Let ~
R (t) = x (t) , y (t) , z (t) , where x, y and z are real-valued functions.
The domain of ~
R, denoted by dom~
R, is given by
dom~
R = dom x dom y dom z.
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Domain of Vector Functions

Example
Determine the domain of the following vector functions:
1
1
~
R (t) = ln(t 1) + 2
t t 6
1 p
2 ~
, 4 t, et
S (t) =
t +5
D
E
p
3
~
A (t) = sin(t 2), t 2 t, log t
Solution.
dom~
R
1
= (1, +) R\{2, 3}
= (1, 3) (3, +)
dom~S
= R\{5} (, 4] R
= (, 5) (5, 4]
dom~
A
= R ((, 0] [1, +)) (0, +)

= [1, +)
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Graphing Vector Functions

Definition.
The graph of R (t) = x(t), y(t), z(t) is the curve in space traced by the
endpoints of the vector R in its standard position, for all t dom R (t), in
the direction of the increasing parameter t.
Remark
For the vector-valued function R (t) = x(t), y(t), z(t), the equations
x = x(t), y = y(t), z = z(t) are the parametric equations of the curve.
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Consider
R (t) = t 2 + (t + 1) .
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Consider
~S (t) = cost, sint, t .(circularhelix)
Some points:
t
= 0, 6 , 4 , 3 ;
3 5
= 2 , 2
3 , 4 , 6 ;
5 4
= , 7
6 , 4 , 3 ;
3 5 11
2 , 3 , 6 , 2.
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Remark
The graph of the vector function ~
R(t) = f (t), g(t), h(t) is identical to the
graph of the parametric curve
x = f (t)
y = g(t)
z = h(t)
Example
Sketch the graph of ~
R(t) = sin(t) + sin3 (t) .
Solution. Consider the parametric curve x = sin t, y = sin3 t
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Example

R(t) = [(2 + 2 cos(t)) cos(t)] + [(2 + 2 cos(t)) sin(t)] + t k.
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Vector Equations
Consider the line in space passing through P0 (x0 , y0 , z0 ) and parallel to a
vector~v = a, b, c
Vector equation of the line is~r(t) = x0 + at, y0 + bt, z0 + ct.

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Vector Equations
Find a vector equation of the line segment that joins the points P(1, 2, 3)
and Q(4, 2, 2). Take~v = PQ = 3, 4, 1.
line:~r(t) = 1 + 3t, 2 + 4t, 3 t

line segment: ~
R(t) = 1 + 3t, 2 + 4t, 3 t, 0 t 1
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Vector Equations
Example
Find a vector equation for the curve of intersection of the cylinder
x2 y 2
+
= 1 and the plane y + z = 3.
9
4
Parametrization of the cylinder:

x = 3 cos t, and y = 2 sin t, since
x2 y 2
+
= 1.
cos2 t + sin2 t =
9
4
Thus, z = 3 y = 3 2 sin t.
Hence, a vector equation for the
curve is
R (t) = 3 cos t, 2 sin t, 3 2 sin t.
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Operations on Vector Functions
Let ~
F and ~
G be vector functions and f be a real-valued function.
1
Addition: (~
F +~
G) (t) := ~
F (t) + ~
G (t)
2
Dot Product: (~
F ~
G) (t) := ~
F (t) ~
G (t)
Cross Product: (~
F ~
G) (t) := ~
F (t) ~
G (t)
Scalar Product: (f ~
F ) (t) := f (t)~
F (t)
Composition with real-valued function: (~

F f ) (t) := ~
F (f (t))
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Operations on Vector Functions
Example
Given F (t) = t + 1, t 2 1, t 1 , G (t) = t 1, 1, t + 1, and f (t) = et 1.

( F G ) (t) = t + 1, t 2 1, t 1 t 1, 1, t + 1
= 2 + (t 2 2) 2k

( F G ) (t) = t + 1, t 2 1, t 1 t 1, 1, t + 1
= t 2 1 (t + 1) (t 1) (t + 1)2 (t 1)2
+ (t + 1) (t 1) t 1 k
= t 3 + t 2 2t (4t) + t 3 + t 2 + 2t k
E
D
( F f ) (t) = F et 1 = et 1 + 1, et 1 1, et 1 1
= et , e2t 2et , et 2
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Exercises
1t
esin t .
t2 4
3 p
Find the domain of ~S(t) = ln(t + 2), , 9 t 2 .
t
Find the domain of ~
R(t) =

R(t) = 4t 2 , 3, t.
Find the vector equation of the line segment passing through the
points (1, 3, 2) and (3, 2, 4).
Find the vector equation of the line of intersection of the planes

3x y + z = 3 and 2x + 2y z = 5.
Find the parametric equations of the curve of intersection of the

paraboloids z = x2 + y 2 and 4 = 3x2 + y 2 + z.
Let ~
F (t) = sin 2t, cos 4t, t and g(t) = t . Find (~
F g)().
2
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Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises

Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises

Introduction to Vector-Valued Functions

~S (t) = cost, sint, t

A function f : R R is called a real-valued function or a scalar

Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises

Domain of Vector Functions

= R ((, 0] [1, +)) (0, +)

Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises

Graphing Vector Functions

Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises

Graphing Vector Functions

Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises

Graphing Vector Functions

~S (t) = cost, sint, t .(circularhelix)

Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises

Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises

Sketch the graph of ~

Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises

Vector equation of the line is~r(t) = x0 + at, y0 + bt, z0 + ct.

Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises

and Q(4, 2, 2). Take~v = PQ = 3, 4, 1.

line:~r(t) = 1 + 3t, 2 + 4t, 3 t

Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises

Parametrization of the cylinder:

R (t) = 3 cos t, 2 sin t, 3 2 sin t.

Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises

Operations on Vector Functions

Composition with real-valued function: (~

Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises

Operations on Vector Functions

Given F (t) = t + 1, t 2 1, t 1 , G (t) = t 1, 1, t + 1, and f (t) = et 1.

Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises

Sketch the graph of ~

Find the vector equation of the line of intersection of the planes

Find the parametric equations of the curve of intersection of the

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