1.

4 Vector Functions in R3
(MATH 71-Analytic Geometry and Calculus 3)

NESTOR G. ACALA, PhD

Mathematics Department
Mindanao State University Main Campus
Marawi City
[email protected]
Vector Function

A vector-valued function, or vector function, is simply a function whose

domain is a subset of R and whose range is a set of vectors. If f (t ), g (t ),
and h(t ) are components of the vector r(t ), then f , g , and h are real-valued
functions called the component functions of r and we can write

r(t ) := hf (t ), g (t ), h(t )i = f (t )i + g (t )j + h(t )k.

 √
Example: If r(t ) = t 3 , ln(3 − t ), t , then the component functions are
√
f (t ) = t 3 , g (t ) = ln(3 − t ), h(t ) = t .

Solution: Here, we have

Df = R, Dg = {t : 3 − t > 0} = (−∞, 3), and Dh = [0, ∞). Hence, functions
f , g , and h are all defined when

t ∈ R ∩ (−∞, 3)] ∩ [0, ∞) = [0, 3).

Thus, the domain of r, Dr = [0, 3).

Limits of vector functions
If r(t ) = hf (t ), g (t ), h(t )i, then
D E
lim r(t ) = lim f (t ), lim g (t ), lim h(t )
t →a t →a t →a t →a

provided the limits of the component functions exist.

 2 sin t
Example: Find lim r(t ), where r(t ) = (3 + t 3 )i + (t − 2)e −t j + k.
t →0 t

Solution:
 
2 sin t
lim r(t ) = lim (3 + t 3 ), lim (t − 2)e −t , lim .
t →0 t →0 t →0 t →0 t
= h3, −2, 2ki .
Continuity
A vector function r is continuous at a if

lim r(t ) = r(a).

t →a

Thus, r is continuous at a iff its component functions f , g , and h are

continuous at a.
Space Curve
Suppose that f , g , and h are continuous real-valued functions on an interval I .
Then the set C of all points (x , y , z ) in space, where

x = f (t ), y = g (t ), z = h(t ) (1)

and t varies throughout the interval I , is called a space curve. The equation in
(1) is called parametric equations of C and t is called a parameter.
Remark
We can think of C as being traced out by moving particle whose position at time
t is (f (t ), g (t ), h(t )). If we consider the vector function
r(t ) = hf (t ), g (t ), h(t )i, then r(t ) is the position vector of the point
P (f (t ), g (t ), h(t )) on C . Thus, any continuous vector function r defines a space
curve C that is traced out by the tip of the moving vector r(t ).
Example: Describe the curve defined by the vector function

r(t ) = h1 + t , 2 − t , −1 + 2t i .
 The graph of the line
r(t ) = h1 + t , 2 − t , −1 + 2t i z

Table of values: (3,0,3) •

t −2 −1 0 1 2
(2,1,1) •
x −1 0 1 2 3
x y
y 4 3 2 1 0 (1,2,-1) •
z −5 −3 −1 1 3
(0,-3,3) •

(-1,4,-5) •
The curve r(t ) = h1 + t , 2 − t , −1 + 2t i is a line.
Equation of this line in parametric form:

x =1+t
y =2−t
z = −1 + 2t

Equation of this line in symmetric form:

x −1 y −2 z +1
= = .
1 −1 2
In space, equations a line passing thru the point (x0 , y0 , z0 ) with direction
numbers a, b, c are given by
parametric form:

x = x0 + at
y = y0 + bt
z = z0 + ct

symmetric form:
x − x0 y − y0 z − z0
= = .
a b c
Example: Sketch the curve whose vector equation is

r(t ) = 2 cos(4t )i + 2 sin(4t )j + tk.

The parametric equations for this curve are

x = 2 cos 4t , y = 2 sin 4t , z = t .

Since x 2 + y 2 = 4 cos2 (4t ) + 4 sin2 (4t ) = 4, the curve must lie on the circular
cylinder x 2 + y 2 = 4. The point (x , y , z ) lies directly above the point (x , y , 0)
which move counterclockwise around the circle x 2 + y 2 = 4 in the xy − plane.
Since z = t, the curve spirals upward around the cylinder as t increases. This
curve is called a helix.
 z
2π

(2, 0, 0) •
x 1 y
 z
2π

(2, 0, 0) •
x 1 y
 z
2π

 
• −2, 0, π
4

(2, 0, 0) •
x 1 y
 z
2π

 
• −2, 0, π
 • 4
2, 0, π
2

(2, 0, 0) •
x 1 y
 z
2π

π
•
(1, 0, π)

 
• −1, 0, π
 • 4
−1, 0, π
2

(2, 0, 0) •
x 1 y
The graph of the helix {(x , y , z ) : x = 2 cos 4t , y = 2 sin 4t , z = t , t ≥ 0}
z
2π
•
(2, 0, 2π)

π
•
(2, 0, π)

 
• −2, 0, π
 • 4
2, 0, π
2

(2, 0, 0) •
x 1 y
The graph of the helix {(x , y , z ) : x = 2 cos 4t , y = 2 sin 4t , z = t , t ≥ 0}
z
2π
•
(2, 0, 2π)

π
•
(2, 0, π)

 
• −2, 0, π
 • 4
2, 0, π
2

(2, 0, 0) •
x 1 y
In general, parametric equations of a helix are given by

x = a cos t , y = b sin t , z = ct .
Example: Find a vector equation and parametric equations for the line
segment that joins the point P (1, 3, −2) to the point Q (2, −1, 3).
 Example: Find a vector equation and parametric equations for the line
segment that joins the point P (1, 3, −2) to the point Q (2, −1, 3).

Recall: A directed line segment from point P (x0 , y0 , z0 ) to Q (x1 , y1 , z1 ) has

equations in parametric form:

x = x0 + (x1 − x0 )t
y = y0 + (y1 − y0 )t
z = z0 + (z1 − z0 )t ,

where 0 ≤ t ≤ 1. The line segment starts at when t = 0, i.e. at (x0 , y0 , z0 ) and

ends up when t = 1, i.e. at (x1 , y1 , z1 ).
Solution:The line segement’s direction numbers are given by

a = x1 − x0 = 2 − 1 = 1
b = y1 − y0 = −1 − 3 = −4
c = z1 − z0 = 3 − −2 = 5.

Hence, the parametric equations of the line segement from point P (1, 3, −2) to
the point Q (2, −1, 3) are given by

x = 1 + t , y = 3 − 4t , z = −2 + 5t , 0 ≤ t ≤ 1.

In vector form:

r(t ) = h1 + t , 3 − 4t , 2 + 5t i , 0 ≤ t ≤ 1.
 Example: Find a vector function that represents the curve of intersection of
the cylinder x 2 + y 2 = 1 and the plane y + z = 2.

Solution:Any point on the intersection of the two surfaces are in the cylinder
x 2 + y 2 = 1 which can be parametrically expressed as

x = cos t , y = sin t , 0 ≤ t ≤ 2π,

and it must also by on the plane y + z = 2 or z = 2 − y . Expressing z in terms

of the parameter t, we obtain

z = 2 − y = 2 − sin t .
Thus, the curve of intersection of the given two surfaces can be expressed into
the vector function

r(t ) = hcos t , sin t , 2 − sin t i , 0 ≤ t ≤ 2π.

 Example: Sketch the curve whose vector equation is

r(t ) = ti + t 2 j + t 3 k.

This curve is called a twisted cubic.

In parametric form, the equations of the twisted cubic are given by

x = t , y = t 2, z = t 3.

Thus, eliminating the parameter t gives as an idea that the twisted curve is the
intersection of the parabolic cylinder y = x 2 and the cylinder z = x 3 .