VECTOR CALCULUS

Vector:
Vector is completely specified by its magnitude and direction
Vector is represented by a directed line segment thus represents a vector
where magnitude Is the length PQ and direction is from P (Starting point) to Q (end
point)

Unit vector:
A vector of unit magnitude is called unit vector unit vector corresponding to

vector A is written as . i.e

Null vector:
A vector of zero magnitude, which can have no direction associated with it is
called zero (8 null) vector and is denoted by ‘O’

Magnitude of vector:
Let and be the vector the magnitude of the
vector ‘ ’ and ‘ ’ are defined by

Summation of vector:
Let and are two vectors as shown in the figure, the resultant vector of
these two vectors is the summation of the vectors and , and It is represented by

figure

Product of two vectors:

1) Scalar (or) dot product:
Scalar (or) dot product of two vectors and is defined as scalar i.e

Where ‘ ’ is angle between ‘A’ and ‘B’.

2) Vector (or) Cross product:
Vector (or) cross product of two vectors A and B is defined as a vector i.e

Where is angle between and , and N is unit vector normal to the plane A and B.

Previous gate questions:

3) If P, Q and R are three points having coordinates (3, - 2, - 1) , (1, 3, 4) , (2, 1, - 2) in
XYZ space, then the distance from point P to plane OQR (O being the origin of the
coordinate system) is given by (CE – 2003)
a) 3 b) 5 c) 7 d) 9 Ans: a
82) If and are two arbitrary vectors with magnitudes a and b, respectively,
will be equal to (CE – 2011)
a) b) ab - c) d) ab + Ans: a
Q. A sphere of unit of radius is centered at the origin .The unit normal at a point (x,y,z)
on the surface of the Sphere is the vector: [ANS-B]
(A) (x,y,z) (B) (C) (D) [IN-2009]

Q. If a vector has a constant magnitude then: [IN-2005] [ANS-A]

Q. A vector normal to i+2j-k is: [IN-2001]

a) i-j-k b)-i-2j+k c)-i+2j+k d)2i+j-2k [ANS-A]
40) The value of for which the following three vectors are coplanar is
A = I + 2j + k b = 3j + k c) c = 2i + j (CH – 2006)
a) 4 b) zero c) – 2 d) – 10 Ans: c

118) The angle between two vectors 2 and is (CH – 1995)

a) b) 3 c) 4 d) 6 Ans: d

9) The two vectors [1, 1, 1] and [1, a, ], where a = , are (EE – 2011)

a) orthonormal b) orthogonal c) parallel d) collinear Ans: b

8) The distance between the origin and the point nearest to it on the surface = 1 + xy is

a) 1 b) c) d) 2 (ME – 2009)
Ans: a
109) In a flow field in x, y – plane, the variation of velocity with time t is given by
and The acceleration of the particle in this field,
occupying point (1, 1) at time t = 1 will be (ME – 1999)
 a) b) 2 c) 3 d) 5 Ans: d
139. Among the following, the pair of vectors orthogonal to each other is ME -95
a. [3,4,7], [3,4,7] b. [1,0,0],[1,1,0] c. [1,0,2],[0,5,0] d. [1,1,1,],[-1,-1,-1,-1] ans. c
58) The inner (dot) product of two vectors and is zero. The angle (degrees) between
the two vectors is (CE – 2008)
a) 0 b) 30 c) 90 d) 120 Ans: c

65) The angle between two unit – magnitude coplanar vectors P (0.866, 0.500,0) will be
a) b) 3 c) d) 6 (ME – 2004)
Ans: c

 Vector differential operator, Del, written as is defined by

Gradient:
Del ( ) applied to vector function f is defined as the gradient of the scalar
point function f and written as grad f. Thus gradient ‘f’ defined as
Grad f = f=
Grad f is a vector normal to the surface f = constant

Directional derivative:
The direction derivative of f(x, y, z) at point ‘P’ along the vector is

 The maximum direction derivative of ‘f’ is

Practice questions:

1) Find a unit normal to the levels surface at (1, -1, 2)

Ans:-

2). Find the directional derivative of f(x, y, z) = at (1, -2, -1) along
Ans:- 37/3
3). Find the directional derivative of the function f = in the direction of
where Q=(5, 0, 4).
Ans:-
4). Find the directional derivative of f = at P (1, 2, 3) along Z-axis
Ans:- 12
5). Find the directional derivate of f = at P(0,1) along the line which makes
an angle with positive X—axis.
Ans:- -1/2.
7). In what direction from the point (1, 1, -1) is the directional derivative of f =
is a maximum ? Ans:-
8). What is the greatest rate of increase of K = at the point (1,0,3) ? Ans:- 9
9). Find the angle between the surfaces and z= at the point
(2, -1, 2). Ans:-
10). Find the equation for the tangent plane to the surface at the
point (1, -1, 2) Ans:- 7x -3y +8z =26.

Q. If F = is irrotational then find the scalar function , such

that . Ans:-

11). Show that ( ). Where is a scalar function, and

Previous gate questions:

62) For a scalar function f(x, y, z) = , the directional derivative at the point
p(1, 2, - 1) in the direction of a vector is (CE – 2009)
a) – 18 b) - 3 c) 3 d) 18 Ans: b
60) For a scalar function f(x, y, z) = , the gradient at the point
p (1, 2, - 1) is (CE – 2009)
a) 2 + 6 + 4 b) c) d) Ans: b
28) The directional derivative of f(x, y, z) = 2 at the point p (2, 1, 3) in the
direction of the vector a= I – 2k is (CE – 2006)
a) – 2.785 b) – 2.145 c) – 1.789 d) 1.000 Ans: c
1) The direction of largest increase of the function x at the point (1, 1) is
a) 3 b) c) - d) (CH – 2009)
Ans: c

15) The unit normal vector to the surface of the sphere = 1 at the point

is ( ) are unit normal vectors in the Cartesian coordinate system)

 a) b) (CH – 2008)

c) d) Ans: b

34) The directional derivative of at (1, 1) in the direction of is

a) 0 b) c) d) 2 (CH – 2007)
Ans: a

75) The directional derivative of f(x, y, z) = at the point (1, 1, 1) in the

direction is (CH – 2003)
a) 0 b) 1 c) d) 2 Ans: a
103) The gradient of x at the point (- 1, 2, 1) is (CH – 1999)
a) 3i – 3j + 3k b) 3i – 3j + 6k c) 4i – j + 3k d) 4i – 3j + 6k Ans: d

105) The unit normal to the plane 2x + y + 2z = 6 can be expressed in the vector form:
a) i3 + j2 + k2 b) c) d) (CH – 1998)
Ans: b
113) Given f(x, y) = f is (CH – 1997)
a) 4 b) 2 c) 0 d) 4 (x + y Ans: a
18) The directional derivative of the scalar function f(x, y, z) = + z at the point P
= (1, 1, 2) in the direction of the vector is (ME – 2008)
a) – 4 b) – 2 c) – 1 d) 1 Ans: b

100) the maximum value of the directional derivative of the function (ME – 2000)
At a point (1, 1, - 1) is Ans: c
a) 10 b) – 4 c) d) 152
103) For the function to represent the velocity potential of an ideal fluid,
should be equal to zero. In that case, the value of ‘a’ has to be (ME – 1999)
a) – 1 b) 1 c) – 3 d) 3 Ans: d
116) The magnitude of the gradient of the function f = xy at(1, 0, 2) is (ME – 1998)
a) 0 b) 3 c) 8 d) Ans: c
125) the temperature field in a body varies according to the equation T(x, y) = +4xy
the direction for fastest variation in temperature at the point (1, 0) is given by (ME –
1997)
a) 3 b) c) 0.6 + 0.8 d) 0.5 + 0.866 Ans: c
45) For the scalar field u = , magnitude of the gradient at the point (1, 3) is

a) b) c) d) (EE – 2005)
Ans: c

Divergence:
The divergence of a continuously differentiable vector point function ‘F’ is
denoted by divergence F and is defined by the equation
div F =
If F = , then

div F =

Practice Questions:

1). then = Ans:- 3

2) If then find at (2, -1, 3)

Ans: -6
3). Determine the constant a so that the vector is
solenoidal. Ans:- -2
4). If then find at (1, -1, 1)

Previous gate questions:

40) A velocity vector is given as = 5xy + 2 + 3y , the divergence of this

velocity vector at (1, 1, 1) is (CE – 2007)
a) 9 b) 10 c) 14 d) 15 Ans: d

56) The divergence of a vector field A is always equal to zero, if the vector field A can be
expressed as (CH – 2005)
a) The gradient of any scalar field Ans: d
b) The divergence of any scalar field
c) The divergence of any vector field B
d) The curl of any vector field B
11) Divergence of the three – dimensional radial vector field is (EE – 2010)
a) 3 b) 1/r c) d) 3( ) Ans: a
26) Divergence of the vector field
V (x, y, z) = - (x cos xy + y) I + ( y cos xy) j + (sin ) k is (EE – 2007)
a) 2z cos b) sin xy + 2z cos c) x sin xy – cos z d) none Ans: a

49) Given a vector field , the divergence theorem states that (EE – 2002)
a) b) Ans: a

c) d)

2) The divergence of the vector field 3xz + 2xy -y at a point (1, 1, 1) is equal to
a) 7 b) 4 c) 3 d) 0 (ME – 2009)
Ans: c
16) The divergence of the vector field (x – y) +(y – x) + (x + y + z) is (ME – 2008)
a) 0 b) 1 c) 2 d) 3 Ans: d

87) The divergence of vector is (ME – 2001)

a) b) 3 c) 0 d) 1 Ans: b

CURL :
The curl of continuously differentiable vector Point function F is defined by the
equation
Curl F =

If F = , then
F=

Vector Identities:
1) Grand (U + V) = grand U + grad V; i.e.
2) Div = div A + div B, i.e.

3) Curl = curl + curl , i.e. (A + B) = A+ B

4)

5)

6)

7)
8)
9)
10) 0, i.e. curl of grad of U = 0
11) 0, i.e. div of the curl A = 0
12)

Note:

i) ;

ii) div = 0, if is a constant vector

iii) Curl = - 2 , It is a constant vector

iv) If div f = 0, then f is called Solenoidal
v) = 0 is called Laplace is equation
vi) If is zero vector then is called irrotational

Previous gate questions:

80) A fluid element has a velocity the motion at (x, y) = (1/ , 1) is

a) Rotational and incompressible b) Rotational and compressible (CH – 2003)
c) Irrotational and compressible d) irrotational and incompressible Ans: b

86) Which of the following holds for any non – zero vector a (CH – 2002)
a) . A = 0 b) xa=0 c) = 0 d) =0 Ans:
126) IF are the unit vector in rectangular coordinates, then curl of the vector
is (CH – 1994)
a) k b) – k c) j + k d) I + k Ans: b

12) , where P is a vector, is equal to (EC – 2006)

a) b) Ans: d
c) d)
31) The area of a triangle formed by the tips of vectors and is (ME – 2007)

a) b) Ans: b

c) d)

78) The vector field (where and are unit vectors) is (ME – 2003)
a) Divergence free, but not irrotational Ans: c
b) Irrotational, but not divergence free
c) Divergence free and irrotational
d) Neither divergence free nor irrotational

104) If the velocity vector in a two – dimensional flow field is given by then Vorticity
vector, curl will be (ME – 1999)
a) 2 b) 6y c) zero d) – 4 x Ans: d
(correction)

129) the expression curl (grad f), where f is a scalar function, is (ME – 1996)
a) Equal to b) equal to div (grad f) Ans: d
c) A scalar of zero magnitude d) a vector of zero magnitude
137). If is a differentiable vector function and f is a sufficient differentiable scalar
function, then curl (f ) is equal to ME-95
a). (grad f) x ( )+(f curl ) b). c). f curl ( ) d). (Grad f) x ( ) ans. A

143 The expression curl (grad f), where f is a scalar function, is ME-96
a. equal to 2f b. equal to div (grad f)
c. a scalar of zero magnitude d. a vector of zero magnitude

181) If is a differentiable vector function and f is a sufficient differentiable scalar

function, then curl (f ) is equal to (ME – 1995)
a) (Grad f) x ( ) + (f curl ) b) c) f curl ( ) d) (grade f) x ( ) Ans: a

Vector Integration
Line integral:
Any integral which is to be evaluated along a curve is called a line integral
Let be the positive vector of any point (x, y, z) on a curve ‘C’ joining the
points and
We assume that C is composed of a finite number of curves for each of which has
a continuous derivative
Let (x, y, z) = be a differentiable vector function then the integral of

tangible component of along ‘C’ from to is

Where path of integration is a closed curve, then this is denoted by using in

place of .

Practice Questions:

1) If . Evaluate from (0,0) to (1,1) along the following paths C

i) ii) Straight line joining (0,0) and (1,1)
iii) The straight lines from (0,0) to (1,1) and then to (1,1) Ans:- -1/3, 0, -1
2) Find the total workdone in moving a partice in a force field given by
along the straight line joining (0,0,0) to (1,1,1)
Ans:- 13/3

Previous gate questions

9) If then over the path shown in the figure is (EC – 2010)

a) 0 b) c) 1 d) 2 Ans: c

31) The value of the integral of the function g(x, y) = 4 +10 along the straight line
segment from the point (0, 0) to the point (1, 2) in the x – y plane is (EC – 2008)
a) 33 b) 35 c) 40 d) 56 Ans: a
32) Consider points P and Q in the x – y plane, with p = 91, 0) and Q = (0, 1) the line

integral along the semicircle with the line segment PQ as its diameter

a) Is – 1 b) is 0 c) is 1 (EC – 2008)
d) Depends on the direction (clock wise or anti clock wise) of the semicircle Ans: b

21) F (x, y) = ( + xy) dx+ ( + xy)dy. It’s line integral over the straight line from (x,
y) = (0, 2) to (x, y) = (2, 0) evaluates to (EE – 2009)
a) – 8 b) 4 c) 8 d) 0 Ans: d

7) A path AB in the form of one quarter of a circle of unit radius is shown in the figure.
Integration of (x + y on path AB traversed in a counter – clockwise sense is Figure:

a) b) c) d) 1 (ME – 2009)
 FIgure
Ans: b
59) The line integral of the vector function from the
origin to the point P (1, 1, 1) (ME – 2005)
a) Is 1 b) is zero c) is – 1 Ans: a
d) Cannot be determined without specifying the path

45) Determine the following integral I = where r is the position vector field
(r = ix + jy + kz) and S is the surface of a sphere of radius R (CH – 2006)
a) 4 b) c) d) 4 Ans: b

94) The line integral of , where C is the unit circle around the

origin traversed once in the counter – clock wise direction, is (CH – 2000)
a) - 2 b) 0 c) 2 d) Ans: a

Surface integrals:
Suppose S is a piece wise smooth surface and (x, y, z) is a differentiable vector
function over. Let P be any point on S and let be the unit vector at P in the direction of
outward drawn normal to the surface S at P, then
ds is an example of surface integral.

Where R is the projection of ‘S’ in xy – plane

Practice questions:
1). Evaluate and S is the surface of the sphere
Which lies in the first octant? Ans:- 3/8

35) A surface S (x, y) = 2x + 5y – 3 is integrated once over a path consisting of the points
that satisfy (x + 1) 2 + (y – 1) 2 = the integral evaluates to (EE – 2006)
a) 17 b) 17/ c) /17 d) 0 Ans: d

Previous gate questions:

19) The value of the surface integral dA evaluated over the surface of a
cube having sides of length a is ( is unit normal vector) (CH – 2008)
 a) 0 b) c) 2 d) 3 Ans: a

Volume Integrals:
Consider a closed surface S enclosing a volume ‘V’ then
And are examples of volume integrates
Practice questions:

Previous gate questions:

70) The volume of an object expressed in spherical coordinates is given by

V= The value of the integral is (ME – 2004)

a) b) c) d) Ans: a

Green’s theorem
It R is a closed region of the xylene banded by a simple closed curve ‘C’ and if M
and N are differentiable functions of x and y in R,

Then dxdy

Where C is traversed is positive direction

Practice questions:
1). Evaluate where C is closed curve of the region bounded by y = x

and
Ans:- 1/20
2). Evaluate where C is a circle of radius 2 with centre at
origin in the xy----plane, is traversed in the positive sense.
Ans:- -8
3). Evaluate where C is the boundary of the region
defined by x=0, x+y=1.
Ans:- 5/3.
4). Evaluate where and C is the rectangle in the xy-plane

bounded by x=0, x=2, y=0, y=3

Ans:- -36

5). Evaluate where A = and C is the boundary of the region

bounded by Ans:- 2/3

Previous gate questions:

21) Value of the integral where, c is the square cut from the first
quadrant by the lines x = 1 and y = 1 will be (Use Green’s theorem to change the line
integral into double integral) (CE – 2005)
a) b) 1 c) d) Ans: c

Gauss divergence theorem

It V is the volume bounded by a closed surface S and (x, y, z) is a
differentiable vector function then

Where is positive normal to ‘S’ this is relation b/n surface and volume
intergraded
Practice questions:

1). Evaluate where S is the surface of the unit sphere

Ans:-

2). Evaluate where and S is the surface bounded by

x=0, x=3, y=0, y=2 and z=1

Ans:- 3/2.

3). Evaluate where and S is the surface of the cube

bounded by x=0, x=1,y=0, y=1, z=0, z=1.

Ans:- 3/2.

4). Evaluate where taken over the region bounded by

, z=0, z=3. Ans:-

5). Evaluate where ans S is the sphere

Ans:- 0

Previous gate questions:

7) Consider the integral over the surface of a sphere of radius = 3

with center at the origin, and surface unit normal pointing away from the origin. Using
the gauss divergence theorem, the value of this integral is (CH – 2009)
a) – 180 b) 0 c) 90 d) 180 Ans:

90) The gauss divergence theorem relates certain (ME – 2001)

a) Surface integrals to volume integrals Ans: a
b) Surface integrals to line integrals
c) Vector quantities to other vector quantities
d) Line integrals to volume integrals

Stoke’s theorem:
Let ‘S’ is an open, two – sided surface bounded by a simple closed curve and
(x, y, z) is a differcutiable vector function then
ds where ‘C’ is traversed in +ve direction

Practice questions:

1). where C is the curve Ans:- 0

2). where C is the curve. . Ans:- 0

3). Evaluate where and C is the boundary of the

upper half surface of the sphere

Ans:-

4). Evaluate where and C is boundary of the

surface of the cube x=0, y=o, z=0, x=2,y=2, z=2 above the xy-plane.
Ans:- 4

Previous gate questions:

20) If a vector field is related to another vector field through , which of
the following is true? Note: C and refer to any closed contour and any surface whose
boundary is C (EC – 2009)
a) b) Ans: b

c) d)

13) . ds, where P is a vector, is equal to (EC – 2006)

a) b) c) d) Ans: a

49) Stokes theorem connects (ME – 2005)

a) A line integral and a surface integral Ans: a
b) A surface integral and a volume integral
c) A line integral and a volume integral
d) Gradient of a function and its surface integral
Previous gate problems
1). The directional derivative of f(x,y) = at point P(2,1,3) in the direction
of the vector is. (GATE 94)
a) b) - c) d) -
2). The derivative of f(x,y) at point (1,2) in the direction of vector i + j is and in the
direction of the vector -2j is -3. Then the derivative of f(x, y) in direction –i -2j.
(GATE95)
a) b) c) d)
3). The directional derivative of the function f(x,y,z) = x+y at the point p(1,1,0) along the
direction is.( GATE 96)
4). For the function to represent the velocity potential of an ideal fluid.
should be equal to zero. In the value of a has to be : (GATE 99)
a) -1 b) 1 c) -3 d) 3
5). The directional derivative of the following function at(1,2) in the direction of (4i + 3j)
is : (GATE 2002).
a) 4/5 b) 4 c) 2/5 d) 1
6). The vector field (where are unit vectors) is (GATE 2003)
a) divergence free, but not irrotational b) irrotational, but not divergence free
c) divergence free, irrotational d) neither divergence free nor irrotational.
7). Value of integral , where C is the square cut from the first quadrant by
the line x=1 and y=1 will be(Use Green’s theorm to change the line integral into double
integral) (GATE 05)
a) 2 b) 1 c) 3/2 d) 5/3