Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises
Vector-Valued Functions
Mathematics 54 - Elementary Analysis 2
Institute of Mathematics
University of the Philippines-Diliman
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Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises
Introduction to Vector-Valued Functions
Definition.
A vector-valued function ~
R, or simply a vector function, is a function
whose domain is a set of real numbers and whose range is a set of vectors.
Examples.
~
R (t) = t 2 + (t + 1) ;
~S (t) = cost, sint, t
Remarks.
1
A function f : R R is called a real-valued function or a scalar
function.
Let ~
R (t) = x (t) , y (t) , z (t) , where x, y and z are real-valued functions.
The domain of ~
R, denoted by dom~
R, is given by
dom~
R = dom x dom y dom z.
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Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises
Domain of Vector Functions
Example
Determine the domain of the following vector functions:
1
1
~
R (t) = ln(t 1) + 2
t t 6
1 p
2 ~
, 4 t, et
S (t) =
t +5
D
E
p
3
~
A (t) = sin(t 2), t 2 t, log t
Solution.
dom~
R
1
= (1, +) R\{2, 3}
= (1, 3) (3, +)
dom~S
= R\{5} (, 4] R
= (, 5) (5, 4]
dom~
A
= R ((, 0] [1, +)) (0, +)
= [1, +)
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Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises
Graphing Vector Functions
Definition.
The graph of R (t) = x(t), y(t), z(t) is the curve in space traced by the
endpoints of the vector R in its standard position, for all t dom R (t), in
the direction of the increasing parameter t.
Remark
For the vector-valued function R (t) = x(t), y(t), z(t), the equations
x = x(t), y = y(t), z = z(t) are the parametric equations of the curve.
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Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises
Graphing Vector Functions
Consider
R (t) = t 2 + (t + 1) .
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Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises
Graphing Vector Functions
Consider
~S (t) = cost, sint, t .(circularhelix)
Some points:
t
= 0, 6 , 4 , 3 ;
3 5
= 2 , 2
3 , 4 , 6 ;
5 4
= , 7
6 , 4 , 3 ;
3 5 11
2 , 3 , 6 , 2.
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Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises
Remark
The graph of the vector function ~
R(t) = f (t), g(t), h(t) is identical to the
graph of the parametric curve
x = f (t)
y = g(t)
z = h(t)
Example
Sketch the graph of ~
R(t) = sin(t) + sin3 (t) .
Solution. Consider the parametric curve x = sin t, y = sin3 t
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Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises
Example
Sketch the graph of ~
R(t) = [(2 + 2 cos(t)) cos(t)] + [(2 + 2 cos(t)) sin(t)] + t k.
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Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises
Vector Equations
Consider the line in space passing through P0 (x0 , y0 , z0 ) and parallel to a
vector~v = a, b, c
Vector equation of the line is~r(t) = x0 + at, y0 + bt, z0 + ct.
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Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises
Vector Equations
Find a vector equation of the line segment that joins the points P(1, 2, 3)
and Q(4, 2, 2). Take~v = PQ = 3, 4, 1.
line:~r(t) = 1 + 3t, 2 + 4t, 3 t
line segment: ~
R(t) = 1 + 3t, 2 + 4t, 3 t, 0 t 1
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Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises
Vector Equations
Example
Find a vector equation for the curve of intersection of the cylinder
x2 y 2
+
= 1 and the plane y + z = 3.
9
4
Parametrization of the cylinder:
x = 3 cos t, and y = 2 sin t, since
x2 y 2
+
= 1.
cos2 t + sin2 t =
9
4
Thus, z = 3 y = 3 2 sin t.
Hence, a vector equation for the
curve is
R (t) = 3 cos t, 2 sin t, 3 2 sin t.
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Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises
Operations on Vector Functions
Let ~
F and ~
G be vector functions and f be a real-valued function.
1
Addition: (~
F +~
G) (t) := ~
F (t) + ~
G (t)
2
Dot Product: (~
F ~
G) (t) := ~
F (t) ~
G (t)
Cross Product: (~
F ~
G) (t) := ~
F (t) ~
G (t)
Scalar Product: (f ~
F ) (t) := f (t)~
F (t)
Composition with real-valued function: (~
F f ) (t) := ~
F (f (t))
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Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises
Operations on Vector Functions
Example
Given F (t) = t + 1, t 2 1, t 1 , G (t) = t 1, 1, t + 1, and f (t) = et 1.
( F G ) (t) = t + 1, t 2 1, t 1 t 1, 1, t + 1
= 2 + (t 2 2) 2k
( F G ) (t) = t + 1, t 2 1, t 1 t 1, 1, t + 1
= t 2 1 (t + 1) (t 1) (t + 1)2 (t 1)2
+ (t + 1) (t 1) t 1 k
= t 3 + t 2 2t (4t) + t 3 + t 2 + 2t k
E
D
( F f ) (t) = F et 1 = et 1 + 1, et 1 1, et 1 1
= et , e2t 2et , et 2
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Introduction Graph Vector Equations Operations Exercises
Exercises
1t
esin t .
t2 4
3 p
Find the domain of ~S(t) = ln(t + 2), , 9 t 2 .
t
Find the domain of ~
R(t) =
Sketch the graph of ~
R(t) = 4t 2 , 3, t.
Find the vector equation of the line segment passing through the
points (1, 3, 2) and (3, 2, 4).
Find the vector equation of the line of intersection of the planes
3x y + z = 3 and 2x + 2y z = 5.
Find the parametric equations of the curve of intersection of the
paraboloids z = x2 + y 2 and 4 = 3x2 + y 2 + z.
Let ~
F (t) = sin 2t, cos 4t, t and g(t) = t . Find (~
F g)().
2
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