Multivariate Calculus

Answer Key to Worksheet 1

1. What are the projections of the point (2, 3, 5) on the xy-, yz-, and xz-planes? Draw
a rectangular box with the origin and (2, 3, 5) as opposite vertices and with its faces
parallel to the coordinate planes. Label all vertices of the box. Find the length of the
diagonal of the box.
Solution:
The projection of (2, 3, 5) onto the xy-plane is (2, 3, 0); onto the yz-plane, (0, 3, 5); onto
the xz-plane, (2, 0, 5). The length
p of the diagonal of the box is the √ distance between the
2 2
origin and (2, 3, 5), given by (2 − 0) + (3 − 0) + (5 − 0) = 38.2

2. Find the lengths of the sides of the triangle P QR, P (3, −2, −3), Q(7, 0, 1) and R(1, 2, 1).
Is it a right triangle? Is it an isosceles triangle?
Solution:
We can find the lengths ofp the sides of the triangle by using the distance formula between
pairs of vertices: |P Q| = (7 − 3)2 + [0 − (−2)] 2
√ + [1 − (−3)] = 6
2
) 2 2
|QR| = p sqrt(1 − 7 2 + (2 − 0) + (1 − 1) = 2 10
|RP | = (3 − 1)2 + (−2 − 2)2 + (−3 − 1)2 = 6 The longest side is QR, but the Pythagorean
Theorem is not satisfied: |P Q|2 + |RP |2 6= |QR|2 . Thus P QR is not a right triangle.
However, it is isosceles, as two sides have the same length.
3. Find the distance from (4, −2, 6) to each of the following. a) xy-plane b) z-axis
Solution:
a) The distance from a point to the xy-plane is the absolute value of the z-coordinate of
the point. Thus, the distance is |6| = 6.
b) The point
p on the z-axis closest to (4, -2, 6)√is (0, 0, 6). The distance between these
points is (4 − 0)2 + (−2 − 0)2 + (6 − 6)2 = 20.
4. The figure shows a line L1 in space and a second line L2 which is the projection of L1
on the xy-plane. (In other words,the points on L2 are directly beneath, or above, the
 points on L1 .) (a) Find the coordinates of the point P on the line L1 . (b) Locate on
the diagram the points A, B, and , C where the line L1 intersects the xy-plane, the
yz-plane, and the xz-plane, respectively.

Solution: (see answer key of assignment#1)

5. Write each combination of vectors as a single vector.

~ + BC
(a) AB ~ (b) CD
~ + DB ~ (c) DB~ − AB ~ (d) DC ~ + CA
~ + AB
~

Solution:
~ is positioned at the terminal point of AB,
(a) The initial point of BC ~ so by the Triangle
Law the sum BC+ ~ AB ~ is the vector with initial point A and terminal point C, namely
~
AC.
(b) By the Triangle Law, it is the vector with initial point C and terminal point B,
namely CB.~
~
(c) First we consider it as DB+( ~
−AB). Then since −AB ~ has the same length as AB~
but points in the opposite direction, we have −AB~ = BA ~ and so DB+
~ BA=
~ DA. ~
(d) We use the Triangle Law twice: DC+ ~ CA+~ AB=(~ ~ CA)+
DC+ ~ ~ DA+
AB= ~ AB ~ = DB.
~

6. If the vectors in the figure satisfy |u| = |v| = 1 and u+v+w=0 , what is |w|?

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 Solution: (see answer key of assignment#1)

7. Find a+b, 2a+3b, |a|, and |a-b|, where a =< 5, −12 > and b =< −3, −6 >.
Solution:
a+b = < 5 + (−3), −12 + (−6) >=< 2, −18 >
2a + 3b =< 10, −24 > + < −9, −18 >=< 1, −42 >
|a| = 13 p
|a-b| = | < 5 − (−3), −12 − (−6) > | = | < 8, −6 > | = 82 + (−6)2 = 10.

8. Find a vector that has the same direction as < −2, 4, 2 > but has length 6.
Solution:( see Tutorial#1)

9. If v lies in the first quadrant and makes an angle π/3 with the positive x-axis and |v| = 4,
find v in component form.
Solution:
From the figure, we see that the x-component
√ of v is v1 = |v|cos(π/3)
√ = 2 and the
y-component is v1 = |v|sin(π/3))= 2 3 Thus v =< v1 , v2 >=< 2, 2 3 >.

10. (a) Draw the vectors a =< 3, 2 > and b =< 2, −1 >, and c =< 7, 1 >.
(b)Show, by means of a sketch, that there are scalars s and t such that c = sa + tb.
(c) Use the sketch to estimate the values of s and t.
(d) Find the exact values of s and t.
Solution:
(c) From the sketch, we estimate that s ≈ 1.3 and t ≈ 1.6.
(d) c = sa + tb ⇐⇒ 7 = 3s + 2t and 1 = 2s − t. Solving these equations gives s = 9/7
and t = 11/7 .

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11. If u is a unit vector, find u · v and u · w for both figures.

Solution:
For 2nd, see Tutorial# 1.

12. a) Show that i · j = j · k = k · i = 0.

(b) Show that i · i = j · j = k · k = 1.

13. Find a unit vector that is orthogonal to both i + j and i + k.

Solution:

14. If a =< 3, 0, −1 > , find a vector b such that scalar projection of b onto a is 2.
Solution:

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15. Show that if u + v and u − v are orthogonal, then the vectors u and v must have the
same length.
Solution:

16. Use a scalar projection to show that the distance from a point P1 (x1 , y1 ) to the line
ax1 + by1 + c
ax + by + c = 0 is √ . Use this formula to find the distance from the point
a2 + b 2
(−2, 3) to the line 3x − 4y + 5 = 0.
Solution:

17. Find two unit vectors orthogonal to both < 3, 2, 1 > and < −1, 1, 0 >.
Solution:
Since the cross product of two vectors is orthogonal to both vectors.

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18. Find the volume of the parallelepiped with adjacent edges P Q, P R, and P S; where
P (−2, 1, 0), Q(2, 3, 2), R(1, 4, −1) and S(3, 6, 1).
Solution:

√
19. If a · b = 3 and a × b =< 1, 2, 2 >, find the angle between a and b.
Solution:

20. Suppose that a 6= 0.

(a) If a · b=a · c, does it follow that b = c?
(b) If a × b=a × c, does it follow that b = c?
(c) If a · b=a · c and a × b=a × c, does it follow that b = c?
Solution:

21. Find a vector perpendicular to the plane that passes through the points P (1, 4, 6),
Q(−2, 5, −1), and R(1, −1, 1).
Solution:
see example 3 (chapter 12, section 4) of text book.
22. Prove that the vector a × b is orthogonal to both a and b.
Solution:
see Theorem 8 (chapter 12, section 4) of text book.

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23. Find a vector equation and parametric equations for the line through the point (1, 0, 6)
and perpendicular to the plane x + 3y + z = 5.
Solution:

24. Find parametric equations and symmetric equations for the line
(a) through the points (0, 1/2, 1) and (2, 1, −3).
(b) The line of intersection of the planes x + 2y + 3z = 1 and x − y + z = 1.
Solution:

25. Determine whether the given lines are parallel, skew, or intersecting. If they intersect,
find the point of intersection.
x−2 y−3 z−1 x−3 y+4 z−2
L1 = = = and L2 = = = .
1 −2 −3 1 3 −7
Solution:

26. Find the equation of the plane through the point (1, −1, −1) and parallel to the plane
5x − y − z = 6.
Solution:

27. Is the line through (−2, 4, 0) and (1, 1, 1) perpendicular to the line through (2, 3, 4) and
(3, −1, −8)?
Solution:

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28. Find an equation of the plane
(a) through the points (0, 1, 1), (1, 0, 1), and (1, 1, 0).
(b) through the point (−1, 2, 1) and contains the line of intersection of the planes
x + y − z = 2 and 2x − y + 3z = 1.
Solution:

(b)

29. Use intercepts to help sketch the plane 2x + 5y + z = 10.

Solution:

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30. (a) Find parametric equations for the line of intersection of the given planes and
(b) find the angle between the given planes.
x + y + z = 1 and x + 2y + 2z = 1
Solution:

31. Determine whether the planes x + 4y − 3z = 1 and −3x + 6y + 7z = 0 are parallel,

perpendicular, or neither. If neither, find the angle between them.
Solution:

For angle, see method of Question #30(b).

32. Find the distance between the given parallel planes 2x − 3y + z = 4 and 4x − 6y + 2z = 3.
Solution:

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 t−2
33. Find the domain of the vector function r(t) = i + sintj + ln(9 − t2 )k.
t+2
Solution: (see Tutorial#3)

34. Find the limit:

−2t
1 + t2 −1 1 − e
limt→∞ < , tan t, >.
1 − t2 t
Solution: (see Tutorial#3)

35. Draw the projections of the curve on the three coordinate planes. Use these projections
to help sketch the curve r(t) =< t, t, t2 >.
Solution: (see Tutorial#3)

36. Find a vector equation and parametric equations for the line segment that joins P (2, 0, 0)
to Q(6, 2, −2).
Solution:

37. Find a vector

p function that represents the curve of intersection of the two surfaces: the
cone z = x2 + y 2 and the plane z = y + 1.
Solution: (see Tutorial#3)

38. Find the unit tangent vector T(t) at the point with the given value of the parameter t.
r(t) =< t3 + 3t, t2 + 1, 3t + 4 >, t = 1.
Solution:

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 0 00 0 00
39. If r(t) =< t, t2 , t3 >, find r (t), T(1), r (t), and r (t) × r (t).
Solution:

40. Find parametric equations for the tangent line to the curve with the given parametric
equations at the specified point.
x = e−t cost, y = e−t sint, z = e−t ; (1, 0, 1).
Solution:
(see answer key of assignnment#3)
0
41. Find r(t) if r (t) =< t, et , tet > and r(0) =< 1, 1, 1 >.
Solution:

42. Find the length of the curve < 1, t2 , t3 >, 0 ≤ t ≤ 1.

Solution:

43. Reparametrize the curves r(t) =< e2t cos2t, 2, e2t sin2t > and r(t) =< acost, asint, bt >
with respect to arc length measured from the point where t = 0 in the direction of
increasing t.
Solution:
See Tutorial#4 for first curve and for second curve, see lecture.

44. (a) Find the unit tangent and unit normal vectors T(t) and N(t).
(b) Use Formula 9 (of your text book, Chapter 13, section 3) to find the curvature.
r(t) =< t2 , sint − tcost, cost + tsint >, t > 0
Solution:

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45. Find the curvature of r(t) =< t, t2 , t3 > at the point (1, 1, 1).

46. What happens to the curvature of the curve y = ex as x → ∞? Use formula 11 (of your
text book, Chapter 13, section 3).
Solution: (see Tutorial#4)

47. Find the vectors T, N, B, and torsion T (t) at the given point:
2 2
r(t) =< t2 , t3 , t >, (1, , 1).
3 3
Solution:

48. Find equations of the normal plane and osculating plane of the curve at the given point:
(a) x = 2sin3t, y = t, z = 2cos3t; (0, π, −2)
(b) x = cost, y = sint, z = t; (0, 1, π/2)

Solution: (for part a, see answer key of assignment#4 and for part b, see lecture)

49. Find arc length of a circle with radius a from point (a, 0)1 as a function of t.
Solution:
1
There was a typo in worksheet

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Circle of radius a is: r(t) = (acost, asint).
0
r (q) = (−asint, acost)
0
|r (q)|
R t = 0a. Also, the
R t point (a, 0) corresponds to t = 0, so the arc length is:
s = t0 |r (q)|dq = 0 a dq= at.

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