MATHEMATICS SL

3-D VECTOR EXAMPLE PROBLEMS

1. Given coordinates of A and B in 3-space, express AB as:

(a) a 3x1 column vector

(b) in the form xi + yj + zk

Example: A = (5,7,-2) and B = (8,3,4) . Then

⎛ 8 ⎞ ⎛ 5 ⎞ ⎛ 8−5 ⎞ ⎛ 3 ⎞
AB = ⎜ 3 ⎟ − ⎜ 7 ⎟ = ⎜ 3 − 7 ⎟ = ⎜ −4 ⎟ = 3i - 4j + 6k
⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎝ 4 ⎠ ⎝ −2 ⎠ ⎜⎝ 4 − (−2) ⎟⎠ ⎝ 6 ⎠

2. Given coordinates of 3 of 4 vertices of a parallelogram in 3-space, find coordinates of the 4th vertex
using CD = -AB .

Example: A = (2,3,1) , B = (6,5,4) , C = (3,1,5) ABCD is parallelogram. Find D

AB = 4i + 2j + 3k ⇒ CD = -4i -2j -3k

OD = OC + CD = 3i + j + 5k + (-4i -2j - 3k) = -i -j + 2k ⇒ D = (-1,-1,2)

3. Calculate sums, differences and scalar multiples of vectors.

⎛ 2 ⎞ ⎛ 4 ⎞ ⎛ 5 ⎞
Example: Let a = ⎜ −1 ⎟ , b = ⎜ 3 ⎟ , c= ⎜ 4 ⎟ . Find 4a - 3b + 2c .
⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎝ 5 ⎠ ⎝ −2 ⎠ ⎝ 0 ⎠

⎛ 2 ⎞ ⎛ 4 ⎞ ⎛ 5 ⎞ ⎛ 4(2) − 3(4) + 2(5) ⎞ ⎛ 6 ⎞

4 −1 − 3 ⎜ 3
⎜ ⎟ ⎟ + 2 ⎜ 4 ⎟ = ⎜ 4(−1) − 3(3) + 2(4) ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ = ⎜ −5 ⎟
⎝ 5 ⎠ ⎝ −2 ⎠ ⎝ 0 ⎠ ⎜⎝ 4(5) − 3(−2) + 2(0) ⎟⎠ ⎝ 26 ⎠

4. Find the magnitude (length) (size) of a vector.

⎛ 2 ⎞ ⎛ 2 ⎞
Example: a= ⎜ 6 ⎟ Then ⎜ 6 ⎟ = 2 2 + 6 2 + (−3)2 = 49 = 7
⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎝ −3 ⎠ ⎝ −3 ⎠
5. Find a unit vector (a vector of unit magnitude) in a given direction.

⎛ 2 ⎞
Example: Find a unit vector in the direction of the vector ⎜ 6 ⎟ .
⎜ ⎟
⎝ −3 ⎠

⎛ 2 ⎞ ⎛ 2 7 ⎞
1⎜ ⎜ ⎟
From previous example, magnitude = 7 so unit vector is 6 ⎟ =⎜ 6 7 ⎟
7⎜ ⎟
⎝ −3 ⎠ ⎜⎝ −3 7 ⎟
⎠

6. Given a direction and a magnitude, find the vector.

⎛ 2 ⎞
Example: A jet is flying at 700 km h in the direction of ⎜ 6 ⎟ .
-1
⎜ ⎟
⎝ −3 ⎠
Write down its velocity vector.

⎛ 2 7 ⎞ ⎛ 200 ⎞
⎜ ⎟
v = 700 ⎜ 6 7 ⎟ = ⎜ 600 ⎟
⎜ ⎟
⎜ −3 7 ⎟ ⎝ −300 ⎠
⎝ ⎠

7. Express the vector (parametric) equation of a straight line given

(a) the coordinates of one point on the line and a vector in the direction of the line.
(b) the coordinates of two points on the line.

Example: (a) Find vector equation of line through (2,1,3) in direction of 3i +5j -2k .

⎛ x ⎞ ⎛ 2 ⎞ ⎛ 3 ⎞ ⎛ 2 + 3p ⎞
Equation is: ⎜ y ⎟ =⎜ 1 ⎟ + p ⎜ 5 ⎟ = ⎜ 1+ 5 p ⎟
⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎜⎝ z ⎟⎠ ⎝ 3 ⎠ ⎝ −2 ⎠ ⎜⎝ 3 − 2 p ⎟⎠

Example: (b) Find vector equation of line through A (5,7,-2) and B (8,3,4)

Vector in direction of line is AB = 3i - 4j + 6k so

⎛ x ⎞ ⎛ 5 ⎞ ⎛ 3 ⎞ ⎛ x ⎞ ⎛ 8 ⎞ ⎛ 3 ⎞
⎜ y ⎟ =⎜ 7 ⎟ + p ⎜ −4 ⎟ or ⎜ y ⎟ =⎜ 3 ⎟ + p ⎜ −4 ⎟
⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎜⎝ z ⎟⎠ ⎝ −2 ⎠ ⎝ 6 ⎠ ⎜⎝ z ⎟⎠ ⎝ 4 ⎠ ⎝ 6 ⎠

Note: Students are not responsible for Cartesian equations of lines in 3-D.
8. Given the equations of two non-parallel 3-D lines in parametric form, either
(a) find the coordinates of their point of intersection, or
(b) show the two lines do not intersect.

⎛ x ⎞ ⎛ 5 ⎞ ⎛ 2 ⎞
Example: (a) Line 1 has the equation ⎜ y ⎟ =⎜ 9 ⎟ + s⎜ 6 ⎟
⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎜⎝ z ⎟⎠ ⎝ −4 ⎠ ⎝ −3 ⎠

⎛ x ⎞ ⎛ −5 ⎞ ⎛ 2 ⎞
Line 2 has the equation ⎜ y ⎟ =⎜ 0 ⎟ + t ⎜ −1 ⎟
⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎜⎝ z ⎟⎠ ⎝ −4 ⎠ ⎝ 2 ⎠

At their point of intersection x = 5 + 2s = -5 + 2t ⇒ 2s - 2t = -10

y = 9 + 6s = 0 - t ⇒ 6s + t = -9
z = -4 - 3s = -4 + 2t ⇒ 3s + 2t = 0

3 equations in 2 unknowns do not usually have a solution. To check, solve 2 of the 3 equations for s and
t and then find if this solution also satisfies the other equation. If it does, there is a point of intersection,
if it doesn’t, there is not.

In the case of our two lines, solving the equations for x and z gives s = -2 and t = 3.
Checking the equations for y shows this solution satisfies all 3 equations. The point of
intersection will be:

x = 5 + 2(-2) = -5 + 2(3) = 1 , y = 9 + 6(-2) = 0 - 3 = -3 , z = -4 - 3(-2) = -4 + 2(3) = 2

so the point of intersection of these 2 lines is (1,-3, 2)

⎛ x ⎞ ⎛ −4 ⎞ ⎛ 2 ⎞
Example: (b) Line 3 has the equation ⎜ y ⎟ = ⎜ 3 ⎟ + t ⎜ −1 ⎟
⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎜⎝ z ⎟⎠ ⎝ −5 ⎠ ⎝ 2 ⎠

To see if line 1 and line 3 intersect, we follow the same procedure and obtain the same
relation between s and t from x and z, but from y we obtain 9 + 6s = 3 - t ⇒ 6s + t = -6.
Since 6(-2) + 3 = - 9 ≠ - 6, we know that these lines do not intersect. Such lines are called skew lines.

Note that one must use a different parameter for each of the two lines being tested.
9. Write and interpret displacement-time equations in the form:

⎛ x ⎞ ⎛ x0 ⎞ ⎛ vx ⎞ ⎛ vx ⎞
⎜ y ⎟= y⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎜ 0 ⎟ + t ⎜ vy ⎟ where v = ⎜ vy ⎟ is the velocity vector and t is time.
⎜ ⎟
⎜⎝ z ⎟⎠ ⎜ z ⎟ ⎜ v ⎟ ⎜ v ⎟
⎝ 0 ⎠ ⎝ z ⎠ ⎝ z ⎠

⎛ x ⎞ ⎛ 500 ⎞ ⎛ 300 ⎞
Example: The equation ⎜ y ⎟ = ⎜ 200 ⎟ + t ⎜ 400 ⎟ could describe an airplane that at
⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎜⎝ z ⎟⎠ ⎝ 10 ⎠ ⎝ −2 ⎠

t = 0 is 500 km East, 200 km North and 10 km above the reference point and has an East velocity
component of 300 km h-1, a North velocity component of 400 km h-1 and is descending towards the
surface at 2 km h-1. The time in hours is given by t.

10. Calculate the scalar product of two 3-D vectors.

Example: a = 2i + 6j - 3k , b = 2i - j + 2k

a . b = 2(2) + 6(-1) -3(2) = -8

11. Apply a . b = 0 to problems involving perpendicular 3-D vectors.

⎛ 4 ⎞ ⎛ 2 ⎞
Example: a = ⎜ 5 ⎟ , b = ⎜ 1 ⎟ ; a + kb is perpendicular to b. Find k.
⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎝ −3 ⎠ ⎝ 1 ⎠

⎛ 4 ⎞ ⎛ 4 + 2k ⎞
⎜ 5 ⎟ ⋅⎜ 5 + k ⎟ = 4(4 + 2k) + 5(5 + k) = (−3)(−3 + k) = 50 + 10k = 0
⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎝ −3 ⎠ ⎝ −3 + k ⎠

⎛ 4 − 5(2) ⎞ ⎛ −6 ⎞
⎜ ⎟
⇒ k = -5 ⇒ a + kb = ⎜ 5 − 5(1) ⎟ = ⎜ 0 ⎟
⎜ ⎟
⎜⎝ −3 − 5(1) ⎟⎠ ⎝ −8 ⎠
12. Use the scalar product to find the angle between:
(a) two 3-D vectors in component form
(b) two intersecting 3-D lines in vector (parametric) form.

⎛ 2 ⎞ ⎛ 2 ⎞
Example: (a) a = ⎜ 6 ⎟ , b = ⎜ −1 ⎟
⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎝ −3 ⎠ ⎝ 2 ⎠

 
a = 2 2 + 6 2 + (−3)2 = 7 , b = 2 2 + (−1)2 + 2 2 = 3

 
a ⋅ b 2(2) + 6(−1) + (−3)(2) −8
cosθ =   = = ⇒ θ = 112.4°
a b 7(3) 21

Example: (b) In exercise 8(a), Line 1 and Line 2 were shown to intersect
at the point (1,-3, 2). A vector in the direction of Line 1 is vector a
above. A vector in the direction of Line 2 is vector b above.
Therefore, the angle between the two lines at their point of
intersection is 112.4°.