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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