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Multivariable Calculus Chapter 12 Review

DEFINITIONS, FORMULAS, and PROPERTIES

You should know the definitions of the following vocabulary terms and formulas from the text. While
definitions will not be asked explicitly on the exam, they will be assumed to be known and used throughout
the exam.

1. The coordinate axes in R3 are the x-, y−, and z-axes, and the coordinate planes are the xy-, xz-, and
yz-planes. The three coordinate planes divide R3 into eight octants, with the first octant determined
by the positive axes.

2. Given a point P (x1 , x2 , x3 ) in R3 , the coordinates of P are the real numbers x1 , x2 , and x3 .
The associated vector to the point P is a ray starting the origin (0, 0, 0) and ending at the point P
and is denoted by x = hx1 , x2 , x3 i.

3. The distance between two points (x1 , x2 , x3 ) and (y1 , y2 , y3 ) in R3 is given by


p
d= (x1 − y1 )2 + (x2 − y2 )2 + (x3 − y3 )2 .

4. The equation of a sphere in R3 with center (a, b, c) and radius r is given by

(x − a)2 + (y − b)2 + (z − c)2 = r2 .

5. The zero vector in R3 , denoted 0, is the vector h0, 0, 0i. It is the only vector of length 0 and has no
direction.

6. Two vectors u and v are equivalent, or equal, written u = v, if they have all components equal.

7. Given two vectors x = hx1 , x2 , x3 i and y = hy1 , y2 , y3 i in R3 ,

x + y = hx1 + y1 , x2 + y2 , x3 + y3 i.

This is sometimes known as the Triangle Law or Parallelogram Law due to the triangle or parallelo-
gram formed when u, v and u+v are drawn together:

8. A real number c is called a scalar to distinguish it from a vector. If c is a scalar and v = hx1 , x2 , x3 i
is a vector, then the scalar multiple cv is the vector hcx1 , cx2 , cx3 i. This vector has length |c| times
the length of v and its direction is the same as v if c > 0 and is opposite to v if c < 0. If c = 0 or
v = 0, then cv = 0.

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Multivariable Calculus Chapter 12 Review

9. Let u and v be two non-zero vectors. The vectors u and v have the same direction if there exists a
positive t so that u = tv. The vectors u and v have the opposite direction if there exists a negative
t so that u = tv. The vectors u and v are said to be parallel if they have either the same direction
or opposite direction.

10. The length (or magnitude) of a vector x = hx1 , x2 , x3 i in R3 is given by


q
|x| = x21 + x22 + x23 .

11. The standard basis for R2 is given by the vectors i = h1, 0i and j = h0, 1i.

12. The standard basis for R3 is given by the vectors i = h1, 0, 0i, j = h0, 1, 0i, and k = h0, 0, 1i.

13. For an arbitrary vector x = hx1 , x2 i in R2 , x can be written as ~x = x1 i + x2 j.

14. For an arbitrary vector x = hx1 , x2 , x3 i in R3 , x can be written as x = x1 i + x2 j + x3 k.


v
15. The unit vector in the direction of v is given by . All unit vectors have length 1. For example,
|v|
i, j and k are all unit vectors.

16. The dot product of two vectors x and y is given by x · y = x1 y1 + x2 y2 + x3 y3 , where x = hx1 , x2 , x3 i
and y = hy1 , y2 , y3 i.

17. PROPERTIES OF THE DOT PRODUCT


Let x = hx1 , x2 , x3 i and y = hy1 , y2 , y3 i be non-zero vectors in R3 .

(a) x · y = |x| |y| cos θ, where θ is the angle between x and y.


(b) If x · y = 0, then x and y are perpendicular (or orthogonal).
(c) x · x ≥ 0
(d) x · y = y · x
(e) t(x · y) = (tx) · y = x · (ty), for a scalar t.
(f) |x · y| ≤ |x| |y|

18. The first property of dot products above allows us to find the angle between two nonzero vectors x
and y:  
−1 x·y
θ = cos .
|x||y|

19. Two nonzero vectors x and y are perpendicular or orthogonal if the angle between them is θ = π/2.
This is equivalent, by the above properties, to x · y = 0. The zero vector 0 is considered to be
perpendicular to all vectors.
a·b
20. The scalar projection of b onto a is compa b = .
|a|
a·b
21. The vector projection of b onto a is proja b = a. Notice that the vector projection is the scalar
|a|2
projection times the unit vector in the direction of a.

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Multivariable Calculus Chapter 12 Review

22. One of the use of projections occurs in physics in calculating work. The work done by a constant
force F in moving an object through a distance d is W = F d, but this applies only when the force is
−→
directed along the line of motion of the object. If the constant force is a vector F = P R pointing in
−−→
some other direction that moves an object from P to Q, then the displacement vector is D = P Q.
The work done by this force is defined to be the product of the component of the force along D and
the distance moved: W = (|F| cos θ)|D| = F · D.

23. Let u = hu1 , u2 , u3 i and v = hv1 , v2 , v3 i be two vectors in R3 . The cross product of u and v is a
vector given by u × v = (u2 v3 − u3 v2 , u3 v1 − u1 v3 , u1 v2 − u2 v1 ). Its formula is related to the formula
to find the determinant of a 3 × 3 matrix. It should not be confused with the dot product of two
vectors, which is a scalar. The direction of the cross-product is found using the right hand rule.

24. PROPERTIES OF THE CROSS PRODUCT


Let x = hx1 , x2 , x3 i, y = hy1 , y2 , y3 i, and z = hz1 , z2 , z3 i be non-zero vectors in R3 .

(a) x · (x × y) = 0
(b) y · (x × y) = 0
(c) x × y = −y × x
(d) x × (y + z) = x × y + x × z
(e) t(x × y) = (tx) × y = x × (ty), for a scalar t.
(f) Let P be the parallelogram with adjacent sides x and y. Then |x × y| is the area of P .
(g) |x × y| = |x| |y| sin θ, where θ is the angle between x and y.
(h) x × (y × z) = (x · z)y − (x · y)z
(i) (x + y) × z = x × y + y × z
(j) Two nonzero vectors x and y are parallel if and only if x × y = 0

25. The volume of a parallelepiped with sides determined by the vectors a, b, and c is given by |a·(b×c)|.
This is the magnitude of their scalar triple product.

26. To check if three vectors a, b and c are coplanar, the vectors would span a parallelepiped with volume
0, so you can use the above formula to see that if the scalar triple product is zero, then the vectors
are coplanar.

27. The torque τ (relative to the origin) is defined to be the cross product of the position and force
vectors: τ = r × F and measures the tendency of the body to rotate about the origin.

28. A line is a set consisting of all points tz + v where z 6= 0 and v are fixed vectors and t ranges
over all real numbers. Such a number t is called a parameter and the expression tz + v is called a
vector equation of the line.

29. Let P (x1 , x2 , x3 ) be a point on a line parallel to the vector hy1 , y2 , y3 i . The parametric equation of a line
is given by hx1 + ty1 , x2 + ty2 , x3 + ty3 i, for a scalar t.

30. The symmetric equation of a line is given by solving for t in the parametric equation of a line to get
the following equalities:
x − x0 y − y0 z − z0
= =
a b c
31. Let P (x1 , x2 , x3 ) and Q(y1 , y2 , y3 ) be two points in R3 . Let x = hx1 , x2 , x3 i and
y = hy1 , y2 , y3 i be the corresponding vectors. The line passing through the points P and Q is given
by t(y − x) + x, for −∞ < t < ∞.

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Multivariable Calculus Chapter 12 Review

32. Two lines are called parallel if they have representations tu1 + v2 and tu2 + v2 in which the direction
vectors are scalar multiples of each other.

33. A plane is a set of vectors of the form su1 + tu2 + v for vectors u1 , u2 , v (where u1 and u2 are
not scalar multiples of each other), and parameters s and t. The form su1 + tu2 + v is called a
parametric representation of the plane.

34. Let P be a point on a plane in R3 with corresponding vector x. Let n be a vector perpendicular to
the plane. Any vector y in the plane will satisfy the equation: n · (y − x) = 0. This is called the
scalar equation of the plane.

35. The linear equation of a plane is ax + by + cz + d = 0. This represents a plane with normal vector
n = ha, b, ci.

36. Two planes are parallel if their normal vectors are parallel.

37. The distance D from a point P (x1 , y1 , z1 ) to the plane ax + by + cz + d = 0 is

|ax1 + by1 + cz1 + d|


D= √ .
a2 + b2 + c2

38. A cylinder is a surface that consists of all lines (called rulings) that are parallel to a given line and
x2 y 2
pass through a given plane curve. An example of a cylinder is given by 2 + 2 = 1, for constants a,
a b
and b.

39. A quadric surface is the graph of a second-degree equation in three variables x, y and z. The most
general of such an equation is

Ax2 + By 2 + Cz 2 + Dxy + Eyz + F xz + Gx + Hy + Iz + J = 0.

x2 y2 z2
40. An ellipsoid is given by 2 + 2 + 2 = 1 for a, b, and c. All traces of an ellipsoid are ellipses and
a b c
if a = b = c then the ellipsoid is a sphere.
z x2 y 2
41. An elliptic paraboloid is given by = 2 + 2 , for constants a and b. Its horizontal traces are ellipses
c a b
and its vertical traces are parabolas.
z x2 y2
42. An hyperbolic paraboloid is given by = 2 − 2 , for constants a and b. Its horizontal traces are
c a b
hyperbolas and its vertical traces are parabolas.
z2 x2 y2
43. An cone is given by 2 = 2 + 2 , for constants a and b. Its horizontal traces are ellipses and its
c a b
vertical traces are either hyperbolas or pairs of lines.
x2 y 2 z 2
44. A hyperboloid of one sheet is given by 2 + 2 − 2 = 1, for constants a and b. Its horizontal traces
a b c
are ellipses and its vertical traces are hyperbolas.
x2 y 2 z 2
45. A hyperboloid of two sheets is given by − 2 − 2 + 2 = 1, for constants a and b. Its vertical traces
a b c
are hyperbolas and its horizontal traces in z = k are ellipses if k > c or k < −c.

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Multivariable Calculus Chapter 12 Review

Short Answer Problems: Expect there to be several short answer problems asking you to perform
calculations based on the previous formulas and properties. Use your text, homework and quizzes as a
guide in addition to the examples below. The examples below are only a small subset of the types of
questions that can be asked on your exam.

1. Find the distance between (1, −1, 2) and (−1, 1, 1). Is the distance a scalar or a vector?
2. Find a unit vector that has the same direction as the vector −4i + 2j + 4k.
3. Find a vector of length 5 in the same direction of −4i + 2j + 4k.
4. What is the angle between h1, −1, 2i and the x-axis?
5. Find the magnitude of h1, −1, 2i.
6. Find two nonparallel vectors both orthogonal to h1, 1, 1i.
7. Two persons pull horizontally on ropes attached to a post, the angle between the ropes being 60◦ .
Person A pulls with a force of 150 lb, which B pulls with a force of 110 lb.
(a) The resultant force is the vector sum of the two forces. Draw a figure to scale that graphically
represents the three forces.
(b) Using trigonometry, determine formulas for the vector components of the two forces in a con-
veniently chosen coordinate system. Perform the algebraic addition and find the angle the
resultant force makes with A.
8. Find the projection of v = 2i + j − 3k onto u = −i + j + k.
9. A force of 6N makes an angle of π/4 radians with the y-axis, pointing to the right. The force acts
on an object that moves along the straight line connecting (1,2) to (5,4).
(a) Find a formula for the force vector F.
(b) Find the angle θ between the displacement vector D = (5 − 1)i + (4 − 2)j and the force vector
F.
(c) Find the work done on the object.
10. Compute the volume of the parallelepiped with adjacent edges h2, 1, 3i, h−1, −2, 4i, and h3, 3, 2i.
11. Compute the volume of the parallelepiped with adjacent edges P Q, P R, and P S, where the vertices
are P (−2, 1, 0), Q(2, 3, 2),R(1, 4, −1), and S(3, 6, 1).
12. A bicycle pedal is pushed by a foot with a 60-N force as shown below. The shaft of the pedal is 18cm
long. Find the magnitude of the torque about P .

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Multivariable Calculus Chapter 12 Review

13. Find a parametric representation for the line in R3 that passes through the points (−1, 1, 0) and
(2, 2, 1).

14. Find the equation of the plane in R3 that passes through the points (1, 2, 1), (−1, 2, 0), and (1, 1, 2).

15. (a) If x is a vector in R3 , show that

x = (x · i)i + (x · j)j + (x · k)k.

(b) If the vector in part (a) is a unit vector (that is, a vector x with length 1), show that x·i = cos θ,
where θ is the angle between z and i.

16. In R3 , let p = h1, 1, 1i and x0 = (1, 0, 0). Find an equation of the plane perpendicular to p passing
through x0 .

17. Find the point of intersection in R3 of the plane perpendicular to h1, −1, 2i and passing through
(0, −1, 0) and the line parallel to h1, 0, 1i and passing through (1, 1, 1).

18. Verify that |u × v|2 = |u|2 |v|2 − (u · v)2 .

19. What type of quadric surface is described by the equation: 4x2 − y 2 + 4z 2 = 16?
x2 z 2
20. What type of quadric surface is described by the equation: + − y = 0?
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21. Show that |x| − |y| ≤ |x − y| using the triangle inequality. Then, show ||x| − |y|| ≤ |x − y|.

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