Vector Functions

Lesson 6

Objectives
At the end of the lesson you should be able to:
1. Define a vector function.
2. Find the limit of a vector function.
3. Differentiate a vector function.
4. Evaluate a given integral.

UTP/JBJ 1
Vector Function
Definition:
A vector function is a function whose domain is
a set of real numbers and whose range is a set of
vectors.
In notation,
r (t )  f (t ), g (t ), h(t ) 
r (t )  f (t )i  g (t ) j  h(t )k
were ,
t a real number

UTP/JBJ 2
 Examples of Vector Functions

1) r (t )   t , t  1 , 5  t 
3

2) r (t )  (cos t ) i  ( sin t ) j  t k

UTP/JBJ 3
 Limit
The limit of a vector function r(t) is defined by taking
limits of its component function,
Definition:
If lim r( t )  lim f ( t ),lim g( t ) ,lim h( t ) 
t a t a t a t a

provided the limits of of the component functions exists.

What is a Continuous Function?

A vector function r is continuous at a if lim r ( t )  r ( a )
t a

UTP/JBJ 4
That is if and only if f,g, and h are continuous at a.
To find the limit of the vector function,
1. Substitute t as t  a in the function.
2. Otherwise use L’Hospital’s Rule.
L’Hospital’s Rule:
f( x) f'( x )
lim  lim
x  a g( x ) x a g' ( x )

f( x)
were g' ( x )  0 and lim becomes
x  a g( x )

 0
in det er min ate form type like or .
 0
UTP/JBJ 5
Example of Limit
1. Evaluate the limit of
r (t )  (cos t ) i  (sin t ) j  t k as t   / 4
Solution:
  
lim r (t )   lim(cos ) i  lim(sin ) j  k
t
4 4 4 4

lim r (t )   0.707 i  0.707 j  k
t
4 4

lim r (t )    0.707 , 0.707 , 
t
4 4

UTP/JBJ 6
Example 2
Evaluate the limit of lim  cos t , sin t , t ln t 
t 0

For the first two functions, limit exist, i.e. substitute t = 0.

For the third function, substituting the value of t, limit
does not exist. By L’Hospital’s Rule,

  1 1
 ln t 
lim (t ln t ) t 0  lim t 0    lim t 0 t 2  lim t 0 t
 1  t 1
 
 t  t2
 lim tt 0  0

lim r ( t )   1 , 0 , 0 
UTP/JBJ 7
 Example 3:
et  1 1  t  1 3
Evaluate the lim  , , 
t 0 t t 1 t
Use L’Hospital’s Rule for the first two components.
Your answer should be

1
lim r (t )   1 , , 3 
2

UTP/JBJ 8
Derivatives of Vector Functions
The derivative r’(t) of a vector function r(t) is
defined as much the same way as for real valued
functions.
dr
 r ' (t )
dt
dr r (t  h)  r (t )
 lim
dt h0 h

UTP/JBJ 9
 Geometric Interpretation of the Derivative

r ' (t )  tan gent vector

z
r' ( t ) r (t  h)  r (t )  sec ant vector
P
See Figure!
Q
r(t)
C
r( t  h )
0

x y

UTP/JBJ 10
 Theorem:
If r ( t )  f ( t ), g( t ) , h( t ) 
r ( t )  f ( t )i  g( t ) j  h( t )k
were f , g and h are differentiable functions,
then
r' ( t )  f ' ( t ), g' ( t ), h' ( t ) 
r' ( t )  f ' ( t )i  g' ( t ) j  h' ( t )k

Rules for derivatives are similar to rules for real valued

functions. In addition are the following:[ v and u are
differentiable vector functions]

UTP/ JBJ 11
 Added Rules are the Following:

d
1. [u (t )  v(t )]  u ' (t )  v(t )  v' (t )  u (t )
dt
d
2. [u (t )  v(t )]  u ' (t )  v(t )  u (t )  v' (t )
dt
d
3. [u{ f (t )}]  f ' (t )u ' ( f (t )) , Chain Rule
dt

UTP/JBJ 12
Second Derivative
r" ( t )  ( r' )'

Rules are the same as the real valued functions

Smooth Curves
A curve given by a vector function r(t) on an interval I
is called smooth if r’(t) is continuous and r’(t) is not
equal to 0. (except possibly at any endpoints of I)

UTP/JBJ 13
 Example 1 Derivative
a) Find the first derivative of

r ( t )  sin 1 t i  1  t 2 j  k

Answer
1  2t
r ' (t )   , ,0
1 t 2 2 1 t 2
1 t
r ' (t )   , ,0
1 t 2
1 t 2

UTP/JBJ 14
 Example 2: Derivative of a Dot Product
If u ( t )  i  2t 2
j  3 t 3
k and v ( t )  t i  cos t j  sin t k
find  d   u (t )  v(t ) . u ' (t )  v(t )  v' (t )  u (t )
 
 dt 
Solution:
d
dt
 1,  2t 2 , 3t 3    t , cos t , sin t  

   0,  4t , 9t 2    t , cos t , sin t      1,  sin t , cos t    1,  2t 2 , 3t 3  

 0  4t cos t  9 t 2 sin t  1  2t 2 sin t  3t 3 cos t
 1  4t cos t  11 t 2 sin t  3t 3 cos t

JBJ/UTP 15
 Derivative of a Cross Product
Example : Differentiate
 at , t , 2t    (t  1) , t , 4t 
2 2

Rule: Dt  u (t )  v(t )   u ' (t )  v(t )  u (t )  v' (t )

Answer: 16 t 3  4t ,  12at 2  4t  2 , 2at  3t 2  2t 

UTP/JBJ
16
 Example 3: Second Derivative
Find the second derivative of
r (t )   at cos 3t , b sin t , cos t 

r (t )   a t cos 3t , b sin t , cos t 

r ' (t )   at (  3 sin 3t )  a cos 3t , b cos t ,  sin t 
r ' (t )    3at sin 3t  a cos 3t , b cos t ,  sin t  ,

UTP/JBJ 17
The second derivative is

r" (t )    3at 3 cos 3 t  sin 3 t (3a)  3a sin 3 t ,

 b sin t ,  cos t 
r" (t )    9at cos 3 t  6 a sin 3 t ,  b sin t ,  cos t 

Use the same rules and find the second derivative

for each component.

On page 897, do problems 9-16.

UTP/JBJ 18
 Integrals

The definite integral of a continuous vector r(t) can be

defined in much the same way as for real valued
functions except that of the integral is a vector.
b b b
b

a
r ( t )dt   ( f ( t )dt )i   ( g( t )dt ) j   ( h( t )dt )k
a a a

The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus

b

  a  R( b )  R( a )
b
r ( t )dt { R( t )}
a

UTP/JBJ 19
Example 1 : Integrals
1
Evaluate 
0
( ti  t 2 j  t 3 k )dt
1
1  t t t  2 3 4

  t , t , t  dt   , , 
2 3
0
 2 3 4 0
1 1 1
 , , 
2 3 4
1 1 1
 i  j k
2 3 4

UTP/JBJ 20
Example 2 : Integrals

2. 
0
4
(cos 2t i  sin 2t j  t sin t k ) dt

4


0
 cos 2t , sin 2t , t sin t  dt


 1 1 
4
   sin 2t ,  cos 2t ,  t cos t  sin t 
 2 2 0
  1 / 2( sin  / 2  sin 0 ) ,  1 / 2 (cos  / 2  cos 0) ,
[(  / 4 cos  / 4  sin  / 4)  (0  sin 0)] 
2 
  1/ 2 , 1/ 2 , (1  ) 
2 4
UTPJBJ 21
 Practice More!!!
On page 898 Solve Nos. 33-38

UTP/JBJ 22
 Arc Length and Curvature
Lesson 7
At the end of the lesson you should be able to :
1. Define arc length.
2. Find arc length.
3. Reparametrize the curve with respect to arc length.
4. Define curvature.
5. Find curvature.
6. Define TNB
7. Find TNB.

UTP/JBJ 1
 Arc Length
Definition:
The length of a smooth curve r(t) = x(t)I + y(t)j + z(t)k,
a  t  b that is traced exactly once a t increases
from a to b is (arc length)
b
1.
L   [ f ' (t )]2  [ g ' (t )]2  [h(t )]2 dt
a
2 2 2
b  dx   dy   dz 
L       dt
a
 dt   dt   dt 

JBJ/UTP 2
 Example 1: Arc Length
Find the length of a given curve
r( t )   2 sin t ,5t , 2 cos t  ,  10  t  10
b

Use 
a
r ' (t ) dt , where r ' (t )  [ f ' (t )]2  [ g ' (t )]2  [h' (t )]2

 (2 cos t ) 2  52  (2 sin t ) 2

 29
10
Then,

10
29 dt

Answer: 20 29 How?

UTP/JBJ 3
 Example 2: Arc Length

Find the length of the curve given

r (t )  t i  (2 / 3 ) t 3 / 2 k , 0  t  8 .

Solution:
8
L 
0
12  0 2  (t 1/ 2 ) 2 dt
2
1  t dt   
8

8
L (1  t )3 0
0 3
2 52
L  ( 27  1) 
3 3
UTP/JBJ 4
 2. For a plane curve with vector equation

r (t )  f (t ), g (t ) 
a  t  b with parametric equations
x  f (t ) , and y  g (t )
f ' , and g ' , are continuous.
b
L   [ f ' (t )]2  [ g ' (t )]2 dt
a
2 2
b  dx   dy 
L     dt
a
 dt   dt 

JBJ/UTP 5
Our formulas therefore are the following:
b
L r ' (t ) dt
a

were r ' (t )  f ' (t )i  g ' (t ) j

a) r ' (t )  [ f ' (t )]2  [ g (t )]2
for plane curve.

b) r ' (t )  f ' (t )i  g ' (t ) j  h' (t )k

r ' (t )  [ f ' (t )]2  [ g ' (t )]2  [h' (t )]2
for space curve.

UTP/JBJ 6
Reparametrize the Curve with Respect to Arc
Length
How to do this?
The parameter t must be expressed in terms of another
parameter s.
t t 2 2 2
 dx   dy   dz 
s  s (t )   r ' (u ) du           du
a a  du   du   du 

Differentiating both sides you get

ds
 r ' (t )
dt
UTP/JBJ 7
 Arc Length Parametrization

Example 2:
Find an arc length parametrization of the circle of radius 4
centered at the origin.
Solution: C : x  f (t )  4 cos t ; y  g (t )  4 sin t , 0  t  2
The arc length from u=0 to u=t is given by
t
L  s (t )   ( f ' (u )) 2  ( g ' (u )) 2 dt
0
t
s (t )  
0
(4 sin u ) 2  (4 cos u ) 2 du  4t

s
therefore , t 
Substitute this to C. 4

UTP/JBJ 8
 Example 3: Reparametrize a Curve

Reparametrize the curve r(t) = 2t i +(1-3t)j + (5+4t) k with

respect to arc length from the point t = 0 in the direction of
increasing t.
t
s (t )   r ' (u ) du
0
t
s  s (t )  
0
2 2  (3) 2  4 2 du  29 t

s
t
29

UTP/JBJ 9
 Then using the given curve, replace t by

s s (t )

29 29

2 s (t ) 3 s (t ) 4 s (t )
r ( s (t ))   , 1 , 5 
29 29 29
2s 3s 4s
r ( s (t ))  i  (1  ) j  (5 )k
29 29 29

UTP/JBJ 10
 Curvature
At any given point the curvature is a measure of how
quickly the curve changes directly at that point. Or, it is
the magnitude of the rate of change of the unit tangent
vector T with respect to arc length.
dT T ' (t )
 
ds r' ( t )
or u sin g the Theorem,
r ' (t ) x r" (t )
 3
.
r ' (t )

where the curve is traced out by the vector function r(t).

UTP/JBJ 11
 For a special case , like the plane curve, where y= f(x)
the curvature is

f " ( x)
 ( x) 
2 3/ 2
1  [ f " ( x)]

Curvature is a scalar quantity!!!

JBJ/UTP/2004 12
 The TNB
T - the unit Tangent vector
z
represents the forward
direction.
T
N B N- the unit Normal vector
y
r represents the direction in
which your turning

x B- is the Binormal vector a

tendency of your motion to
“twist”out of the plane

UTP/JBJ
13
 Unit Tangent Vector
r' ( t )
It is T( t )  were r' ( t )  tan gent vector
/ r' ( t ) /
z r( t  h )  r( h )
r' ( t )

P
Q
C r( t )
r( t  h )

y
x

UTP/JBJ 14
 Example 4: Unit Tangent Vector
Find the unit Tangent vector T(t) of

r ( t )  6 t 5 , 4 t 3 ,2 t  , t  1.
r'( t )
Use T (t ) .
r '(t )
 30 t 4 ,12 t 2 , 2 
T (t )  , when t 1
(30 t )  (12 t )  2
2 2 2 2

Answer is
 30 , 12 , 2 
T (1) 
1048
2 15 , 6 , 1   15 , 6 ,1 
T (1)  
2 262 262

UTP/JBJ 15
 Example 5. Curvature
Find the curvature of r( t )  e cos t , e sin t , t 
t t

at the point (1,0,0) .

To find the curvature you can use

T ' (t )
 (t ) 
r ' (t )
r ' (t )  r" (t )
or (t )  3
r ' (t )

The given point (1,0,0) is satisfied when t = 0. ( substitute t = 0

in r(t)).
UTP/JBJ 16
 Solution
r (t )   e t cos t , e t sin t , t 
a) r ' (t )   et sin t  et cos t , et cos t  e t sin t , 1 

When t = 0, r ' (0)  1, 1, 1  and r ' (1)  3

b) r" (t )    e t cos t  et sin t  et cos t  e t sin t ,

 e t sin t  e t cos t  e t cos t  e t sin t , 0 
r" (t )   2e t sin t , 2e t cos t , 0 
r " ( 0)   0 , 2 , 0 

c) r ' (0)  r" (0)   1,1,1    0 , 2 , 0 

   2, 0, 2 

UTP/JBJ 17
 r ' (0)  r" (0)
 ( 0)  3
r ' (0 )
  2 , 0, 2  8
 
 1,1,1  ( 3 )3
2 2

3 3
Your 2
answer!  6
9

Using the other formula will give you the same answer.
Decide which formula would be easier to use…
UTP/JBJ 18
 Normal and Binormal Vectors

The Unit Normal of the Principal Unit Vector is defined

as:
T' ( t )
N( t ) 
/ T' ( t ) /

The Binormal Vector is defined as a vector

perpendicular to both T and N and also a unit vector.

B (t )  T (t )  N (t )

UTP/JBJ 19
 See the Figure!!!

C
T( t )
B( t )

N( t )

UTP/JBJ 20
Example 6: Normal Vector and Binormal Vector
Find the N(normal vector) and the B ( binormal vector)
given r (t )  t 2 , 2 t 3 , t , (1, 2 ,1 ) . (The point is satisfied
3 3
when t = 1). .
Solution:

a)N (t )  T ' (t ) r ' (t )  2t , 2t 2 , 1  1

where T ( t )     2t , 2t 2
,1 
T ' (t ) r ' (t ) 2t 1
2
2t  1
2

so that at t = 1,
1
T (1)  2, 2,1
3

UTP/JBJ 21
 T ' (t )
N (t ) 
T ' (t )

Where

 4t 2  2 , 4t ,  4t
T ' (t )  , then
 2t 2
 1
2

 2t 2  1, 2t ,  2t
N (t ) 
2t 2  1
 1 , 2 ,  2 
N (1) 
3

UTP/JBJ 22
b) The Binormal Vector at t = 1 is

B (t )  T (t )  N (t )
B(1)  T (1)  N (1)
1 1
B(1)  2 , 2 ,1   1, 2 ,  2
3 3
2 1 2
B(1)   , ,
3 3 3
when t  1 .

UTP/JBJ 23
Practice Task
Find the curvature and TNB given the following:

1.
r (t )   t , 2t , t 2  , when t  1.
2. r (t )   3 cos 2t , t , sin 2  t , when t  0 .

Analyze the curvature of a straight line what will it

be?
Compare the curvature between a big circle and a
small circle. What can you say about it?

UTP/JBJ
24
 Practice More!!!
Solve the following problems on page
904-905
Nos. 1, 9, 13 , 17, 21, 39 and 40.

UTP/JBJ 25
 Motion in Space

UTP/JBJ 26
 Motion in Space: Velocity and Acceleration

A vector function r(t) may represent as the position of a

particle in space at time t.
v(t) = r’(t) is the velocity vector and r ' (t ) is the
speed
a(t)=r”(t) is the acceleration vector.

Thus, r (t )   v(t ) dt v(t )   a (t ) dt

and

UTP/JBJ 27
 Example
Find the velocity and position at time t of a particle whose
position is i+j, initial velocity is j + k, and the acceleration
is a(t) = 12 t i + 2 k
Initially, (t = 0) vo  j  k ; r (0)  i  j

Answers:
v(t )  6t 2 i  j  ( 2t  1) k
r (t )  (2t 3  1) i  ( t  1 ) j  ( t 2  t ) k

UTP/JBJ 28
Example
What force is required in order for a 5 kg mass to be pushed
in such a way that, at time t, its position is
r (t )  3t i  t j  2t k ?
2 4 3

Use F(t)=m a(t)

Answer: F (t )  5 a (t )  30 i  60t 2 j  60t k

UTP/JBJ 29
Example
A projectile is fired with a velocity of 200 m / sec at an
inclination of 30 degree from a point 10 meters from the
ground. Find the vector function that describes the path of
motion.
y

Use a(t)= - g j
10m
v(t )   g t j  C x
At t  0 , v0  C ;
C  200 cos 300 i  200 sin 300 j 100 3 i  100 j
v(t ) 100 3 i  (100  g t ) j
gt 2
r (t )  100 3 t i  (100 t   10 ) j
2
UTP/JBJ 30
 Acceleration Determined by Unit Tangent
Vector and Unit Normal Vector

The acceleration can be found by the combination of T(t)

and N(t)
a  aT T (t )  a N N (t )
r '  r" r '  r"
where : aT  and a N 
r' r'

aT  v ' ( v is speed , v  v )
Or
r ' r ' ' 2 r ' r "
aN   v 2
(  is curvature )  3
r' 
r' r'

UTP/JBJ 31
Example:
Find the tangential and the normal components of
acceleration for
r (t )  t 2i  t 4 j  t 3 k .
Use This!
a  aT T (t )  a N N (t )
r '  r" r '  r"
where : aT  and a N 
r' r'

Answers:
4  48t 4  18t 2 2t 36t 4  9  64t 2
aT  ; aN 
4  16t  9t
4 2
4  16t 4  9t 2

UTP/JBJ 32
 Practice More!!!
Do the following problems on page 914-915
Nos. 5, 9, 11, 13, 16, 18, and 35

UTP/JBJ 33