CHAPTER

Vector-Valued Functions
2
2.1 VECTOR-VALUED FUNCTIONS
2.2 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED FUNCTIONS
2.3 MOTION IN SPACE
2.4 CURVATURE
2.5 TANGENT AND NORMAL VECTORS
2.6 PARAMETRIC SURFACES

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
The Limit of a Vector-Valued Function
For a vector-valued function r(t) = f (t), g(t), h(t), when
we write

we mean that as t gets closer and closer to a, the vector

r(t) is getting closer and closer to the vector u.
For u = u1, u2, u3, this means that

Notice that for this to occur, we must have that f (t) is

approaching u1, g(t) is approaching u2 and h(t) is
approaching u3.
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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
DEFINITION 2.1
For a vector-valued function r(t) = f (t), g(t), h(t), the
limit of r(t) as t approaches a is given by

provided all of the indicated limits exist.

If any of the limits indicated on the right-hand side fail to

exist, then does not exist.

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.1 Finding the Limit of a Vector-Valued
Function

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.1 Finding the Limit of a Vector-Valued
Function
Solution

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.2 A Limit That Does Not Exist

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.2 A Limit That Does Not Exist

Solution
Notice that the limit of the third component is

which does not exist.

So, even though the limits of the first two components

exist, the limit of the vector-valued function does not exist.

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
DEFINITION 2.2
The vector-valued function r(t) = f (t), g(t), h(t) is
continuous at t = a whenever

(i.e., whenever the limit exists and equals the value of the
vector-valued function).

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
THEOREM 2.1
A vector-valued function r(t) = f (t), g(t), h(t) is
continuous at t = a if and only if all of f, g and h are
continuous at t = a.

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.3 Determining Where a Vector-Valued
Function Is Continuous
Determine the values of t for which the vector-valued
function r(t) = e5t , ln(t + 1), cos t is continuous.

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.3 Determining Where a Vector-Valued
Function Is Continuous
Solution
From Theorem 2.1, r(t) will be continuous wherever all its
components are continuous.

We have: e5t is continuous for all t, ln(t + 1) is continuous

for t > −1 and cos t is continuous for all t.

So, r(t) is continuous for t > −1.

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.4 A Vector-Valued Function with Infinitely
Many Gaps in Its Domain
Determine the values of t for which the vector-valued
function

is continuous.

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.4 A Vector-Valued Function with Infinitely
Many Gaps in Its Domain
Solution
Note that tan t is continuous, except at t = (2n + 1)π/2, for
n = 0,±1,±2, . . . (i.e., except at odd multiples of π/2).

The second component |t + 3| is continuous for all t

(although it’s not differentiable at t = −3).

Finally, the third component 1/(t − 2) is continuous except

at t = 2.

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.4 A Vector-Valued Function with Infinitely
Many Gaps in Its Domain
Solution
Since all three components must be continuous in order
for r(t) to be continuous, we have that r(t) is continuous,
except at t = 2 and t = (2n + 1)π/2, for n = 0,±1,±2, . . . .

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
DEFINITION 2.3
The derivative r(t) of the vector-valued function r(t) is
defined by

for any values of t for which the limit exists. When the
limit exists for t = a, we say that r is differentiable at t = a.

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
THEOREM 2.2
Let r(t) = f (t), g(t), h(t) and suppose that the
components f, g and h are all differentiable for some value
of t.

Then r is also differentiable at that value of t and its

derivative is given by r'(t) = f'(t), g'(t), h'(t).

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.5 Finding the Derivative of a Vector-Valued
Function

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.5 Finding the Derivative of a Vector-Valued
Function
Solution

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
THEOREM 2.3
Suppose that r(t) and s(t) are differentiable vector-valued
functions, f (t) is a differentiable scalar function and c is
any scalar constant.

Then…(next slide)

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
THEOREM 2.3

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
Smooth Curves
We say that the curve traced out by the vector-valued
function r(t) = f (t), g(t), h(t) on an interval I is smooth if r'
is continuous on I and r'(t) ≠ 0, except possibly at any
endpoints of I.

Notice that this says that the curve is smooth provided f' , g'
and h' are all continuous on I and f'(t), g'(t) and h'(t) are not
all zero at the same point in I.

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.6 Determining Where a Curve Is Smooth
Determine where the plane curve traced out by the vector-
valued function r(t) = t3, t2 is smooth.

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.6 Determining Where a Curve Is Smooth

Solution
Here, r'(t) = 3t2, 2t is continuous
everywhere and r'(t) = 0 if and only
if t = 0.

This says that the curve is

smooth in any interval not
including t = 0. Referring to the figure, observe that the
curve is smooth except at the cusp located at the origin.
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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
Tangent Vectors
We refer to r'(a) as a tangent vector to the curve C at the
point corresponding to t = a.

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
Tangent Vectors
Be sure to observe that r'(a)
lies along the tangent line to
the curve at t = a and points
in the direction of the
orientation of C.

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.7 Drawing Position and Tangent Vectors
For r(t) = −cos 2t, sin 2t, plot the curve traced out by the
endpoint of r(t) and draw the position vector and tangent
vector at t = π/4.

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.7 Drawing Position and Tangent Vectors

Solution

The curve is the circle of radius 1,

centered at the origin. Further, from
the parameterization, you can see
that the orientation is clockwise.

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.7 Drawing Position and Tangent Vectors

Solution

Note that

so that r(π/4) and r'(π/4) are

orthogonal.
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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.7 Drawing Position and Tangent Vectors

Solution
In fact, r(t) and r'(t) are orthogonal for every t, as follows:

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
THEOREM 2.4

In two dimensions, Theorem 2.4 says that the path traced

out by r(t) lies on a circle centered at the origin if and only
if the tangent vector is orthogonal to the position vector
at every point on the curve.
In three dimensions, it says that the curve traced out by
r(t) lies on a sphere centered at the origin if and only if
the tangent vector is orthogonal to the position vector at
every point on the curve.
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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
DEFINITION 2.4
The vector-valued function R(t) is an antiderivative of the
vector-valued function r(t) whenever R'(t) = r(t).

Notice that if r(t) = f (t), g(t), h(t) and f, g and h have

antiderivatives F, G and H, respectively, then

That is, F(t), G(t), H(t) is an antiderivative of r(t). In fact,

F(t) + c1, G(t) + c2, H(t) + c3 is also an antiderivative of r(t),
for any choice of constants c1, c2 and c3.
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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
DEFINITION 2.5
If R(t) is any antiderivative of r(t), the indefinite integral of
r(t) is defined to be

where c is an arbitrary constant vector.

Notice that this says that

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.8 Evaluating the Indefinite Integral
of a Vector-Valued Function

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.8 Evaluating the Indefinite Integral
of a Vector-Valued Function
Solution

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
DEFINITION 2.6
For the vector-valued function r(t) = f (t), g(t), h(t), we
define the definite integral of r(t) on the interval [a, b] by

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
THEOREM 2.5
Suppose that R(t) is an antiderivative of r(t) on the interval
[a, b]. Then,

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.9 Evaluating the Definite Integral of a
Vector-Valued Function

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 THE CALCULUS OF VECTOR-VALUED
2.2
FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE 2.9 Evaluating the Definite Integral of a
Vector-Valued Function
Solution An antiderivative for the integrand is

From Theorem 2.5,

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