Vector Calculus Study Guide for UCLA
Preface
This Vector Calculus Study Guide is primarily curated for UCLA undergraduate students
taking the Math 32A course. In particular, these notes correspond to Chapter 14 on J.
Rogawski's Calculus: Late Transcendentals Multivariable, Fourth Edition.
It should be noted that this Study Guide assumes that the reader has a good working
knowledge of Calculus I topics that include but are not limited to limits, derivatives and
integration. It also assumes that the reader is familiar with relevant Calculus II topics such as
integration techniques, parametric equations, vectors and three dimensional space.
An important note to highlight here is that this Study Guide is created solely based on
analogies, proofs, derivations and example questions that were vital for my personal
understanding of this topic. Hence, it should only be used as a reference/refresher for certain
subtopics that are harder to grasp and NOT as a substitute for attending class.
There are resources that I relied heavily on while compiling this Study Guide. These
resources are duly noted in the References section. I highly recommend students to check out
the additional examples I linked in certain portions of this paper for further understanding,
which was necessary to keep the paper as concise as possible.
Lastly, I would like to acknowledge the contribution of my MATH 32A lecturer, Professor
Justin Forlano, whose insistence on learning mathematics through understanding instead of
rote memorization inspired me to create this collection of notes. This manuscript has also
benefited immensely from comments and suggestions made by David James, who generously
taken the time to provide constructive feedback on the structure of this paper. I take this
opportunity to thank him.
Vector Calculus Study Guide was written during my Winter 2022 Quarter at UCLA.
I readily welcome any constructive suggestions to improve this Study Guide.
Please send comments, corrections and suggestions to: hi@[Link]
This printing incorporates all known corrections.
rt ft gt ( ) = ( ), ( ) rt
( ) = ft gt ht
( ), ( ), ( )
Definition 1 Domain of Vector Functions: Set of value of all t's for which all the
component functions are defined. In this range, the vector functions are
differentiable as they are continuous.
Example
rt
( ) = cost -t t has a domain of - since:
, ln(4 ), +1 [ 1, 4)
Figure 1: Note how the curve is traced by the terminal points of vector at different t
We already know that the sketch for the vector function r t ( ) = t t will give a
2 cos , 2 sin ,3
circle of radius 2, traced on the x-y plane, centered on z-axis and raised to the level z = 3.
Figure 2: Height can be changed according to the fixed component, in this case z = 3
Similarly, r t
( ) = t-
10 sin , t will be a circle of radius 10, traced on the x-z plane,
3, 10 cos
Figure 3: Note that the component without trigonometric function will determine that axis
that the helix rotates about.
Also, if we allow the coefficients on the sine on cosine in the formula to be different, we will
get ellipses. (i.e. r t ( ) = tt t
9 cos , , 2 sin
For practicality purposes, refer to this video for the basic usage of this 3-step process and this
video for the advanced version.
lim
t a
→
rt
( ) = lim
t a
→
ft( ), lim
t a
→
gt
( ), lim
t a →
ht
( )
t i tt-- j t k .
2
4
Find
t
lim , ,
t → 2 2
2
+1
lim
t
→ 2
t = 2
t-
2
4 ( t- t 2)( + 2)
t
lim
t- = lim
t t-
t
→ 2 2 → 2 2
= lim ( + 2)
t
→ 2
= 4
t 2
t
lim =
t
→ 2
2
+1 5
t i tt-- j t k =
2
4 2
t
∴ lim , , 2, 4,
t→ 2 2
2
+1 5
Find lim
t → 0
cos ti t t j t tk .
,
tan
, ln
lim cos
t
→ 0
t = 1
t
t
sin
tan cos t
lim
t → 0 t = lim
t
→ 0 t
sin t 1
= lim
t
→ 0 t cos t
= 1(1)
= 1
lim t t
ln = lim
ln t Use L Hopital
( ' )
t→ 0 t → 0 1
t
1
t
= lim
t → 0
-t 1
= lim
t → 0
-t
= 0
∴ lim
t
→ 0
cos ti t t j t tk =
,
tan
, ln 1, 1, 0
lim
t a
→
rt
( ) = lim
t a
→
ft
( ), lim
t a
→
gt
( ), lim
t a
→
ht ( )
fx fx ( +∆ x -f x
) ( )
′( ) =
∆
lim
x
→ 0 ∆x
Then,
rt rt
( +∆ ) t -r t ( )
′( ) = lim
t
∆ → 0 ∆ t
ft ( +∆ ) + ti gt ( +∆ ) tj ht+ ( +∆ ) tk - fti gtj htk
( ) + ( ) + ( )
= lim
t
∆ → 0 ∆t
ft ( +∆ ) ti gt ( +∆ ) tj ht ( +∆ ) tk
= lim
t
∆ → 0 ∆ t +
∆ t +
∆ t
This simply means that:
rt′( ) = ft gt ht
′( ), ′( ), ′( )
Note: r t can be interpreted as two things that give directions, which are:
′( )
cu ′ = cu ′
duv u v uv
dt ⋅ = ′⋅ + ⋅ ′
du v u v u v
dt ⨯ = ′⨯ + ⨯ ′
Find r t .′( )
Solution
Let f t e -t t
( ) = sin
Let g t e -t t
( ) = cos
Let h t - t
( ) = tan
1
( )
Since inverse tangent is hard to deal with, we can use implicit differentiation.
Let x - t
= tan
1
( )
Then, x t tan( ) =
By implicitly differentiating,
sec (
2
x x
)⋅ ′ = 1
x 1
x
′ =
2
sec ( )
x 1
x
′ =
2
1 + tan ( )
x 1
t
′ =
2
1+
ht 1
t
′( ) =
2
1+
rt e-t t- t -e-t t t 1
t
∴ ′( ) = (cos sin ), (cos + sin ),
2
1+
Example 1
Complete the following questions.
1. Sketch r t ( ) =t t for the domain
4 cos , 2 sin 0 ⩽ t ⩽ 2𝜋 .
2. Find the tangent point at t .
𝜋
=
3
Solution
1. Let x t y t
t x t y
= 4 cos , = 2 sin
cos = , sin =
4 2
+
2
rt ( ) = 4 cos
𝜋
3
, 2 sin
𝜋
∴rt ( ) = 2, 3
rt ′( ) = - 4 sin t , 2 cos t
Then, substitute in the point t
𝜋
=
3
r ′
𝜋
3
= - 2 3, 1
Let's say we want to find the equation of tangent line at t = 2 for the vector
rt t t
1 2
t
( ) = + 2, ,
2
+1 +4
3
,
1
t
′( ) = , ,
2 t +2 ( + 1)
2
t 2
+4
2
4
, - - 1
9
,
1
3
,
1
4
+ t 1
4
, - - 1
9
,
1
∫ r t dt
( ) = ∫ f t dt ∫g t dt ∫h t dt c
( ) , ( ) , ( ) +
Remember that all the previous Integration tricks still apply here! (u-substitution,
trigonometric identities, integration by parts etc)
Common Mistake
Students often forget that the constant after the indefinite integral is a vector. In this
section, we are going to prove how c is formed.
Example
Find ∫
1
i t j- k dt 1
t t
+
1+
2
1+2
-t 2
1
2
• ∫
1
i dt -ti 1
ci
t
= tan + 1
2
1+
•∫
t j dt
t
1+2
2
Use u-substitution,
u = 1+2 t 2
du t dt
= 4
t dt du=
t j dt du j
4
1
∫
1+2 t 2
= ∫
u 4
=
1
4
ln| u j cj
| + 2
=
1
4
ln 1 + 2 t 2
+ cj
2
• ∫ - 1
k dt - = sin
-tk 1
+ ck
3
-t 1
2
Recall that in two-dimensional Parametric Equations, the arc length on the interval ab
[ , ] is
given by,
b
L = ∫
a ft ′( )
2
+ g t dt
′( )
2
There is a natural extension of this to three dimensions. The length of curve r t on the ( )
b
L = ∫
a ft ′( )
2
+ gt′( )
2
+ h t dt′( )
2
Now, note that there is a very nice simplification we can do here. The integrand above is
nothing more than the magnitude of the tangent vector.
rt
‖ ′( )‖ = ft gt ht ′( )
2
+ ′( )
2
+ ′( )
2
b
L ∫a r t dt= ‖ ′( )‖ (1)
This formula can give us two things, depending on the operations we conduct.
1. Definite Integral: The Arc Length of the curve, L on the interval a b [ , ]
rt
‖ ′( )‖ = 2 10
r t dt
‖ ′( )‖
= ∫
0
2𝜋
2 dt
10
= 4𝜋 10
This creates a function s of t, which tells us how much length we have traversed at time t.
While it might seem vague at first, but things will become clear by the time we talk about
Unit-Speed Parameterization. Let's work through an example that builds upon the previous
one.
= 2 10 t
Solution
From Example 1 and Example 2, we can solve for t
t =
s
2 10
Now, taking this and plugging it into the original vector function, we can reparameterize
the function into the form, r t s ( ) .
rts( ) =
s , 3 sin
s , 3 cos
s
10 10 10
rts ( ) =
𝜋
3
, 3 sin
𝜋
3
, 3 cos
𝜋
𝜋 3 3 3
Hence, we obtain the point , ,
3 2 2
rt
( ) from Example 1 tells us where the particle is when t time units have passed
rt
( ) from Example 3 tells us where the particle is when it has traversed s distance
Think of an airplane in the sky. We can describe its i , j and k distance relative to where we
are standing, taking our position as the origin.
Now, what about the pilot? His frame of reference is constantly changing as the plane is
changing position and direction. That moving frame of reference is what the TNB Frames
describe.
Heading
rt
( ) =
‖ ′( )‖
Normal (N
Nt T t
)
Direction particle is Tail ′( )
Turning
Tt
( ) =
‖ ′( )‖
Binormal (B )
Direction particle is Wings Bt Tt Nt
( ) = ( )⨯ ( )
Twisting OR
Bt r t r t ′( ) ⨯ ″( )
rt r t
( ) =
‖ ′( ) ⨯ ″( )‖
Note: Notice how the t in Figure 4 is pointing to the direction that the particle is heading.
Each of the TNB vectors are unit vectors that are mutually orthogonal. In essence, that
are like i j and k, but with its frame of reference moving along with the particle.
,
Question:
A unit normal vector (N) is orthogonal to both the unit tangent vector (T).
This follows directly from the fact that every vector with a constant length is
perpendicular to its tangent vector i.e. r t c r t r t .
‖ ( )‖ = ⇔ ′( ) ⟂ ( )
rt rt
( )⋅ ( ) = ‖ ( )‖ rt 2
= c2
dt ( )⋅ ( ) =
r t rt rt
′( ) ⋅ ( )+ rt ( )⋅ ′( ) = 0
rt rt
2 ′( ) ⋅ ( ) = 0
rt rt ′( ) ⋅ ( ) = 0
Hence, this proves that the normal vector is orthogonal to the tangent vector.
All the operations concerning the TNB Frames are quite operational and the difficulty of the
question depends heavily on the complexity of the given vector r t . Hence, I won't be going
( )
through example questions here but they will be included in my Problem Sets collection.
7. Curvature
Definition 2 Curvature: The ratio of how the tangent vector is changing with respect
to arc length. The bigger the change over a fixed length, the curvier it is.
Formula
Tt
( )
OR
rt r t
‖ ′( ) ⨯ ″( )‖
rt rt
𝜅 = 𝜅 =
3
‖ ′( )‖ ‖ ′( )‖
Note: Use 2nd formula when you only need curvature and you have a polynomial (no
trigonometry or logarithms involved)
But that's inconvenient as we need to re-parameterize the vector to obtain the curvature.
Note that:
T t ddtT
′( ) =
dT ds
ds dt
= ⋅
‖
ds ‖ =
ds
‖
dt
‖
Tt
( )
rt
𝜅 =
‖ ′( )‖
x = gy
( ) gt t ( ), , 0
x ft
= ( ); y gt
= ( ) ft gt
( ), ( ), 0
r = f
(𝜃) ft t ft t
( )cos , ( )sin( ), 0
rt xi fx j
( ) = + ( )
If we use the second formula for the curvature, we will arrive at the following formula for
curvature:
𝜅 =
f x
| ″( )|
fx
3/2
2
1+ ′( )
Find curvature of y = x 3
+1
Solution
rt t t
( ) = ,
3
+ 1, 0
rt
′( ) =t 1, 3
2
, 0
r t
″( ) = t 0, 6 , 0
rt
‖ ′( )‖ = 1+9 t 4
rt rt
′( ) ⨯ ′( ) = 0, 0, 6 t
rt rt
‖ ′( ) ⨯ ′( )‖ = 6 t
∴ 𝜅 =
t
6
1+9 t 4
8. Torsion
Definition 3 Torsion: A measure of a curve's "failure to be contained in a plane".
Formula
rt r t r t
- ddsB N
′( ) ⨯ ″( ) ⋅ ‴( )
OR
rt r t
𝜏 = ⋅ 𝜏 =
2
‖ ′( ) ⨯ ″( )‖
Osculating Plane
1. Contains the Osculating Circle
2. Must contain T and N
3. B is normal for the Osculating Plane
4. To find the Equation of Osculating Plane
(a) find a Point by substituting the given t value
(b) Obtain B by T N ⨯
component vectors of B
Normal Plane
1. Must contain N and B
2. Contains ALL vectors orthogonal to T
3. To find the Equation of Normal Plane
(a) find a Point by substituting the given t value
(b) use the formula a x-x b y-y c z-z
( 0) + ( 0) + ( 0) = 0 where a , b c are the
,
component vectors of T
An example of this can be found here.
Velocity, v t r t
( ) = ′( )
Acceleration, a t v t( ) = ′( ) = r t
″( )
Speed = v t ‖ ( )‖
a aT T aN N
= +
If we define v vt
= ‖ ( )‖ , then the tangential and normal components of acceleration are given
by,
aT v r t r t ′( ) ⋅ ″( )
rt
= ′ =
‖ ′( )‖
aN v r t r t
2
‖ ′( ) ⨯ ″( )‖
rt
= 𝜅 =
‖ ′( )‖
rt
( ) = v 0 cos 𝛼 ti h v
+ + 0 sin 𝛼 t- gt j
1
2
2
Where:
v
= Initial Velocity
0
= Angle of Inclination
𝛼
h = Height
g = Acceleration of Gravity ( ft 32 / s)
2
References
Calculus III. (n.d.). Calculus III - Paul’s Online Math Notes - Lamar University. Retrieved
March 1, 2022, from [Link]
Leonard, [Professor Leonard]. (2016, May 20). Calculus 3 (Full Length Videos) [Video].
YouTube. [Link]
rnuy0Ry7
The derivative of a vector function represents the tangent vector to a space curve, serving as the instantaneous velocity of a particle along the curve. It provides directional information about the vector function. In mathematical terms, the derivative of each component vector function is calculated to obtain the overall derivative of the function. This interpretation as a tangent vector is crucial for understanding curve behavior and particle dynamics in space .
The limit of a vector function is obtained by taking the limits of each individual component. Without L'Hopital, limits are found by substituting directly if no indeterminate form exists, or by algebraic manipulation otherwise. With L'Hopital's Rule, derivatives of the numerator and denominator are considered to resolve indeterminate forms. For example, cos(t) was evaluated using derivatives to find a limit, resulting in 1, whereas ln(t) led to an indefinite form resolved with derivatives .
A helix curve is formed in vector functions when a previously constant component is transformed into a variable, resulting in a spiral structure. When different coefficients are applied to the sine and cosine components, ellipses are formed. The component without a trigonometric function determines the axis about which the helix rotates .
The arc length function s(t) represents the length traversed at time t, creating a link between time and distance traveled on a curve. Calculated by integrating the magnitude of the velocity vector from a starting point, s(t) = ∫‖u‖ du from 0 to t, this function facilitates reparameterizing curves to unit speed, ensuring uniform traversal along the curve with respect to arc length. It aids in mapping distances to positions along a parametric curve .
Implicit differentiation simplifies handling inverse trigonometric functions by treating them as implicit relationships. For example, differentiating tan^(-1)(t) can be transformed into a common function, allowing us to apply derivatives more easily. When tangent to the inverse is defined as x = t * tan(x), differentiating implicitly yields x' = 1/(1 + t^2), simplifying otherwise complex computations in vector functions .
The arc length of a curve is determined by integrating the magnitude of the tangent vector over the given interval. For a vector function r(t) = (f(t), g(t), h(t)), the tangent vector is computed and its magnitude found as the square root of the sum of squares of its components' derivatives. This magnitude is integrated over the interval to find the total length. For example, for a given vector function, the process involves finding ‖r'(t)‖, representing the three-dimensional curve's arc length by computing ∫‖r'(t)‖ dt over [a, b].
The initial value problem in vector functions involves determining a vector function from its derivative and an initial condition. By integrating the derivative, obtaining r(t), and substituting the initial value to solve for constants, the complete vector function is determined, ensuring it satisfies the given initial condition r(0).
The product rule for derivatives applies to vector functions similarly to scalar functions: it states d/dt(u ⋅ v) = u' ⋅ v + u ⋅ v'. For instance, in finding the derivative of a vector function composed of exponential and trigonometric terms, separate derivatives of each component are calculated and combined according to the product rule, demonstrating that traditional derivative rules still apply within vector calculus .
The TNB frame, comprising tangent, normal, and binormal vectors, describes a curve's geometry in space. The tangent vector indicates the curve's direction, the normal vector points towards the curve's center of curvature, and the binormal is orthogonal to both, maintaining the frame's right-handedness. Together, they provide a comprehensive, orthogonal set of vectors, essential for analyzing curvature and torsion properties in multivariable calculus .
To find the tangent vector at a specific point, first identify the tangent point by evaluating the vector function at that point. Then, calculate the derivative of the vector function, substituting the specific value of 't' into this derivative to obtain the tangent vector. This process highlights the path and direction at the tangent point on the curve .