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Vector Methods and Exercises Guide

This document provides mathematical methods and questions related to vectors. It includes 12 questions covering topics such as: vector expressions and operations; finding intersections of lines and planes; reflection of light rays; determining if two lines are the same; finding the foot of a perpendicular; solving equations involving vectors; properties of the cross product; using vectors to find the area of a triangle; and determining if two lines intersect. The document provides context, questions, and sometimes hints for solving vector problems.

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6 views3 pages

Vector Methods and Exercises Guide

This document provides mathematical methods and questions related to vectors. It includes 12 questions covering topics such as: vector expressions and operations; finding intersections of lines and planes; reflection of light rays; determining if two lines are the same; finding the foot of a perpendicular; solving equations involving vectors; properties of the cross product; using vectors to find the area of a triangle; and determining if two lines intersect. The document provides context, questions, and sometimes hints for solving vector problems.

Uploaded by

rappelz426
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Mathematical Methods: Vectors

Jeremy Bradley and Uli Harder 15 November 2012

Assessed Exercise: Questions 2(c), 6, 12 are assessed and are due in to the SAO by 4pm on 29 November. Question 11 is optional, but you will receive credit for this if attempted. This is a hardcopy submission but you still need to register your submission using CATE which will also provide you with your submission cover sheet: [Link] 1. (a) Which of the following vector expressions are badly formed and why? a |a| (i) (a + b) c (ii) (iii) (a b) c (iv) (a b)c (v) c a ab (vi) (vii) (a + ) b (viii) (ix) a (a b) |c| ab (b) Simplify each of the vector expressions below that are correctly formed: a (a + a) ab ab |a|2 (iii) (iv) (i) (ii) (a) a |a| a b ab (v) (a b) (a + b) (vi) ab (a) Find the intersection point of the two lines: r = 4i2j +t(3i4j + k) and s = 5i + 2j + k + u(2i + k) (b) Find the point at which the line, r = i + j + tk, intersects the plane r (i k) = 4.

2. Find the following vectors:

(d) Find the intersection of the planes given by r (2i + j k) = 3 and 1 1 r ( 2i + 2 j 2 k) = 5. 3. Using the distributive law over addition for the dot product where a = p1 i + p2 j + p3 k and b = q1 i + q2 j + q3 k, show that: a b = p1 q 1 + p2 q 2 + p3 q 3 1

(c) Find the intersection of the planes given by r (2i + j k) = 1 and r (i 4j + k) = 2.

4. Given a ray of light in the direction s = 3i2j +2k which reects perfectly o a surface with normal n = 1 (i + 3j), what is the direction vector of 10 the reected ray, r? 5. Show that the vector equations r1 = i + 2j + t(5i k) and r2 = 14i + 2j + 3k + u(4k 20i) describe the same line. Hence describe a simple step-by-step algorithm for deciding whether two lines, r1 = a + tp and r2 = b + uq, are the same. 6. Show that the foot of the perpendicular from the point p to the line r = a + u has position vector [Hint: rst sketch a diagram to represent the problem]: u.(p a) a+ u |u|2 7. For two vectors a and b and a non-zero scalar k nd x such that: kx + x a = b Hint: you will need to use the identity p (q r) = (p r)q (p q)r. 8. Show that any vector perpendicular to b c lies in the plane containing b and c. [Hint: You will rst need to describe the plane which is perpendicular to b c.] 9. Show, by considering i, j and k components, that: a (b c) = (a c)b (a b)c 10. In the triangle enclosed by two vectors u and v, show that the area of the 1 triangle is given by |u v|. 2

11. Using the result from Q.10, show that the length of the shortest distance from the point a to the line joining the points b and c is: |a b + b c + c a| |b c|

12. Show that if two straight lines, r = a + ku and r = b + hv, intersect then: v (b u) = v (a u)

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