Applied mathematics I (Math131B) tutorial 2012/13

CHAPTER ONE
VECTORS AND VECTOR SPACES (Tutorial)
1.1. Scalars and vectors in R2∧R 3
Activity 1.1
Describe the difference between scalar and vector quantities in R2∧R 3 and give
some practical examples.
Example 1.1: Determine whether the following pairs vectors in R3is parallel not.
a. A=2i−3 j∧B=−3 i+2 j+k
1
b. A=2i+ 4 j−k∧B=−i−2 j+ k
2

1.2. Vector addition and Scalar multiplication

Activity 1.2
Find the resultant sum of the pairs of vector given in example 1 above and show the
diagram representation of the resultant vectors.

1.3. Dot (Scalar) product, Magnitude of a vector, Angle between two Vectors,
Orthogonal Projection, Direction angles and direction cosines.
Example 1.2: Find any unit vectors that are perpendicular to the vector A=(3 , 4 ).
Solution: Let B=( a ,b )be a unit vector perpendicular to A.
Then ‖B‖=1=a2+ b2∧ A . B=3 a+ 4 b=0.

Then solving simultaneously we get B= ( −45 , 35 )∨B=( 45 ,− 35 ) .

π
θ=
Example 1.3: If the angle between the vectors A and B is 6 with each other and

‖A‖=√ 3 and then calculate the cosine the angle between the vectors A+ B and
A−B .
( A+ B ) .( A−B)
Solution: If φ is the anglebetween A+ B∧ A−B , thencos φ= .
‖ A+ B‖‖ A−B‖
2 2 2
But ‖ A+ B‖ =‖ A‖ +2 A . B+‖B‖ =3+2 ( √ 3 ) ( 1 ) cos (π ¿¿ 6)+ 1=7. ¿

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⇒‖ A + B‖=√7
2 2
Similarly ‖ A−B‖=1∧( A+ B ) . ( A−B )=‖ A‖ −‖B‖ =1

Thus, cosφ=
1
√7
⇒ φ=arccos
1
√7
.
( )
Example 1.4: Let u∧v be a pair orthogonal vectors such that ‖u‖=t∧‖v‖=r . Find the
tv+ ru
angle between the vector p= and the vectoru.
t +r
Solution: Let θ is the angle between the vectors p∧u .
2
u. p u . ( tv+ ru ) tu . v +r ‖u‖ rt
Then cosθ= = = = , since u . v =0∧‖u‖=t .
‖ p‖‖u‖ ( t+ r )‖ p‖‖u‖ ( t+ r ) t ‖ p‖ ( t +r )‖ p‖
2 2 2 2 2
2 ‖tv +ru‖ t ‖v‖ +2 tr ( u . v ) +r ‖u‖
But ‖ p‖ = 2
= 2
=2 ¿ ¿
( t+ r ) ( t+r )

⇒‖ p‖= √
2 rt
t+ r

Thus,c osθ=
rt
=
rt (t +r ) 1 √ 2
= = ⇒ θ=arccos √ =π /4.
(t +r )‖ p‖ ( t +r ) √ 2rt √ 2 2 2
2
( )
Activity 1.3

1. If A and B are perpendicular unit vectors, show that

2. Let A=−i+ 2 j+ 2 k . Then find the directional cosines & directional angles of A.

1.4. The Cross Product

Example 1.5: Letu=(−1 , √3 , 0 ) , v= (1 ,−1,1 )∧w=(0,1 ,−2) be vectors in space.
Then find
a) the unit vector in the opposite direction of u .
b) the area of the parallelogram formed by v∧w .
c) The angle betweenu × v∧u−v .
Solutions:

a) The unit vector in the opposite direction of u is given by

−u 1 √3
(
= ,− , 0 .
‖u‖ 2 2 )
b) The area of the parallelogram is given by Area=‖v × w‖=√ 6.

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c) Since the u × v is orthogonal to both u∧v ,it is also orthogonal to u−v .

Example 1.6: Find the volume the parallelepiped with the vectors
u=i+ k , v=2 i+ j+4 k∧w= j+k as three of its edges.
Solution: The volume of the parallelepiped V is the absolute value of the triple scalar
product of the three vectors u , v∧w

| ( )|
1 0 1
Thus,V =|u ∙ ( v × w )|= det 2 1 4 =1 cubic units
0 1 1

Example1.7: If the area of an equilateral triangle with adjacent sides u∧v , is25 √ 3 cm 2 ,
then findu . v .
π
Solution: Since it is an equilateral triangle, the angle between u∧v is θ= .
3
1
The area A of the triangle is A= ‖u × v‖= ‖u‖‖v‖sin
2
1
2 ( π3 )=25 √ 3 cm 2

⇒‖u‖‖v‖=100

Therefore, u . v=‖u‖‖v‖cos ( π3 )=100 ( 12 )=50.

Activity 1.4
Find the area of the triangle with vertices A ( 1 ,−1,0 ) , B ( 2,1 ,−1 ) ∧C (−1,1,2 ).

1.5. Lines and Planes in R3

Example 1.8: Find the parametric and symmetric equations of the line passing through
the point (2, 3, -4) and parallel to the vector, <-1, 2, 5> .
Solution: Simply use the parametric and symmetric equations for any line given a point
on the line and the direction vector.
Parametric Equations:
x=2−t , y=3+2 t , z=−4+5 t
Symmetric equations:
x−2 y −3 z+ 4
= =
−1 2 5

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Example 1.9: Determine if the following two lines are parallel or identical.
l : x =3+t , y=2−2 t , z=4 +t∧m: x=5−2 t , y=−2+ 4 t , z=1−2t .
Solution: First look at the direction vectors:
v1 =i−2 j +k ∧v 2=−2i+4 j+2 k
⇒ v 2=−2 v 1, which shows the two lines are parallel.

Now we must determine if they are identical. So we need to determine if they pass
through the same points. So we need to determine if the two sets of parametric
equations produce the same points for different values of t.
Let t=0 for Line 1, the point produced is (3, 2, 4). Set the x from Line 2 equal to the x-
coordinate produced by Line 1 and solve for t.
3=5−2 t ⇒t=1.
Now let t=1 for Line 2 and the point (3, 2, -1) is produced. Since the z-coordinates are
not equal, the lines are not identical.
Example 1.10: Determine if the lines intersect. If so, find the point of intersection and
the cosine of the angle of intersection.

Solution: Direction vectors:

Since , the lines are not parallel. Thus they either intersect or they are skew
lines.
Keep in mind that the lines may have a point of intersection or a common point, but not
necessarily for the same value of t. So equate each coordinate, but replace the t in Line 2
with an s.

}
x :3+ 2t=4−s
y :−2 t=3+5 s systemof 3 equations with2 unknowns , solve the first 2
z : 4−t=2−s
ˇ the third equation .
¿ with
Solving the system, we get t = 1 and s = -1.
Line 1: t = 1 produces the point (5, -2, 3)
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Line 2: s = -1 produces the point (5, -2, 3).So the lines intersect at this point.
To find the angle of intersection of the two lines,

Example 1.12: Given the points (1, 2, -1), (4, 0,3) and (2, -1, 5) in a plane, find the
equation of the plane in general form.
Solution: To write the equation of the plane we need a point (we have three) and a
vector normal to the plane. So we need to find a vector normal to the plane. First find
two vectors in the plane, and then recall that their cross product will be a vector normal
to both those vectors and thus normal to the plane.
Two vectors: From (1, 2, -1) to (4, 0, 3): < 4-1, 0-2, 3+1 > = <3,-2, 4>
From (1, 2, -1) to (2, -1, 5): < 2-1, -1-2, 5+1 > = <1,-3, 6>
Their cross product:

Equation of the plane:

Example 1.13: Find the line of intersection for the planes x +3 y+ 4 z=0∧x−3 y +2 z=0.
Solution: To find the common intersection, solve the equations simultaneously.
Multiply the first equation by –1 and add the two to eliminate x.

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Back substitute y into one of the first equations and solve for x.

Finally if you let z = t, the parametric equations for the line are

Distance in space
Example 1.14: Find the distance between the point Q(3, 1, -5) to the plane
4x + 2y – z = 8.
Solution: We know the normal to the plane is <4, 2, - 1> from the general form of a
plane. We can find a point in the plane simply by letting x and y equal 0 and solving for
z: P (0, 0, -8) is a point in the plane.
Thus the vector, PQ = <3-0, 1-0, -5-(-8)> = <3, 1, 3>
Now that we have the vector PQ and the normal, we simply use the formula for the
distance between a point and a plane.

Example1.15: Find the distance between the planes π 1 : x +2 y−2 z=3

¿ π 2 :2 x+ 4 y −4 z =7
Solution: We first rewrite the equations π 1∧π 2 so that they have the same normal vector
n⃗ =⟨ a ,b , c ⟩.

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That is: π 1 : x +2 y−2 z=3

7 7
π 2 : x +2 y−2 z= ⟹ d 1=3∧d 2=
2 2
|d 1−d 2|
Thus, D= , where a=1 , b=2, c=−2
√ a2 +b 2+ c 2

¿
|7
2
−3| 1
2 1
= =
√1+ 4+ 4 3 6
Activity 1.5
1. Determine the equation of the plane passing through the point
P ( 5,3,1 ) if N =(−1,3 ,−2) is its normal vector.

2. Find the distance from the given point P to the given plane π .

a) P= (2 ,−1, 4 ) , π :3 x− y +7 z=2.
b) P= (7 ,−2 ,−10 ) , π :−2 x+ 6 y+ 8 z+ z =0.
3. Find the line of intersection for the planes x +3 y+ 4 z=0∧x−3 y +2 z=0.

1.6. Vector Spaces and Subspaces

Example 1.16: Show that the set of points { ( x , y , z ) :3 x +4 y−z=0 } is a subspace of ℝ3.
Activity 1.6
1. Determine whether the following set of vectors in the vector space V =R 3are
linearly dependent or independent.
a. { ( 1 , 0,0 ) , ( 0 ,1 , 0 ) ,(0 , 0,3) }.
b. { ( 2 , 6,0 ) , ( 2 , 4 ,1 ) ,(1 , 1, 1) }.

2.Show that the set of vectors { ( 1,1 ) ,(−1 , 2) } forms a basis of R2 .

Example1.17: If v=(1 , k , 5) is the linear combination of u=( 1,−3,2 )∧w=( 2 ,−1 , 1 ) ,then find
the value(s) ofk .
Solution: v=αu + βw= ( α +2 β ,−3 α −2 β , 2 α + β )
⇒ ( 1 , k , 5 )=( α +2 β ,−3 α−2 β ,2 α + β )
Then solving simultaneously forα ∧β , and equating the entries in the coordinates, we get
k =−3 α −2 β=−7.
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Example 1.18: Let V =R 3be a vector space with the usual addition and scalar
multiplication over R .Then:
a. Show that W ={ ( x , y , z ) : x+ 2 y +3 z=0 } is a subspace ofV .
b. B= { (1,1 ,−2 ) , ( 1,0,1 ) ,(1,2,0) } forms a basis of V .

Solutions:
a) i)Since ( 0,0,0 ) ∈W , clearly W ≠ ∅ .
ii)Letu=( x , y , z )∧v=( r , s , t ) are elements of W .Then x +2 y+ 3 z =0∧r + 2 s+3 t=0.
Then u+ v=( x +r , y+ s , t + z ) and ( x +r ) +2 ( y+ s )+ 3 (t + z )=( x +2 y+ 3 z ) + ( r +2 s+3 t )=0+0=0.
Thus, u+ v ∈ W .
iii) For any scalar c ∈ R and any
u=( x , y , z ) ∈W , we have c u ∈W because cx +2 cx +3 cz=c ( x+ 2 y +3 z )=0.
Therefore, W is a subspace of V.
b)Exercise.
Example 1.19: Let V be the vector space of all real valued functions of real variable t.
Then which of the following set of functions are LD/LI? Justify!
a. { t ,t 2 , sint }
b. { cos 2 t , sin 2 t ,1 }
Solution: Class work

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