Calculus II – Solutions to Practice Problems 355

 
1. Given a = 8,5 and b = −3, 6 compute each of the following.

(a) 6a
 
(b) 7b − 2a
 
(c) 10a + 3b


(a) 6a
This is just a scalar multiplication problem. Just remember to multiply each component by the scalar, 6
in this case.


6a 6=
= 8,5 48,30

 
(b) 7b − 2a
Here we’ll just do each of the scalar multiplications and then do the subtraction. With the subtraction
just remember to subtract corresponding components from each vector and recall that order is
important here since we are doing subtraction!
 
7b − 2 a =7 −3, 6 − 2 8,5 =−21, 42 − 16,10 =−37,32

 
(c) 10a + 3b
So, first we compute the vector inside the magnitude bars and the compute the magnitude.

 
10a=+ 3b 10 8,5 + 3 −=
3, 6 80,50 + −9,18
= 71, 68

The magnitude is then,

 
( 71) + ( 68)=
2 2
10a + 3b= 9665

      
2. Given u = 8i − j + 3k and =
v 7 j − 4k compute each of the following.

(a) −3v
 
(b) 12u + v
 
(c) −9v − 2u


(a) −3v

© 2018 Paul Dawkins http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu

Calculus II – Solutions to Practice Problems 356

This is just a scalar multiplication problem. Just remember to multiply each component by the scalar, -3
in this case.

    
−3v = (
−3 7 j − 4k = )
−21 j + 12k

 
(b) 12u + v
Here we’ll just do each of the scalar multiplications and then do the subtraction. With the addition just
remember to add corresponding components from each vector.

              
( ) ( ) ( ) (
12u + v = 12 8i − j + 3k + 7 j − 4k = 96i − 12 j + 36k + 7 j − 4k = 96i − 5 j + 32k )
 
(c) −9v − 2u
So, first we compute the vector inside the magnitude bars and the compute the magnitude.

      
( ) (
−9v − 2u =−9 7 j − 4k − 2 8i − j + 3k )
       
= ( ) (
−63 j + 36k − 16i − 2 j + 6k = )
−16i − 61 j + 30k


Be careful with the lack of an i component in the first vector here. Just recall that means the

coefficient of i in the first vector is just zero!

The magnitude is then,

 
( −16 ) + ( −61) + ( 30 )
2 2 2
−9v − 2u = = 4877

   
3. Find a unit vector that points in the same direction as q =i + 3 j + 9k .

Step 1
Of course, the first step here really should be to check and see if we are lucky enough to actually have a
unit vector already. It’s unlikely we do have a unit vector but you never know until you check!


(1) + ( 3) + ( 9 )
2 2 2
q = = 91

Okay, as we pretty much had already guessed, this isn’t a unit vector (its magnitude isn’t one!) but we
can use this to help find the answer.

Step 2
Recall that all we need to do to turn any vector into a unit vector is divide the vector by its magnitude.
Doing that for this vector gives,

© 2018 Paul Dawkins http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu

Calculus II – Solutions to Practice Problems 357

 
 q 1   1  3  9 
u=  =
q 91
(
i + 3 j + 9k = ) 91
i+
91
j+
91
k

As a quick check, not really required of course, we can compute a quick magnitude to verify that we do
in fact have a unit vector.

2 2 2
  1   3   9  91
u =  +  + 1
 =91 =
 91   91   91 

So, we do have a unit vector!


4. Find a vector that points in the same direction as c = −1, 4 with a magnitude of 10.

Step 1
At first glance this doesn’t appear to be all that similar to the previous problem. However, it’s actually
very similar.

First, let’s check to see what the magnitude of this vector is.


( −1) + ( 4 )
2 2
c = = 17

Step 2
Okay, oddly enough let’s determine a unit vector that points in the same direction. This doesn’t seem all
that useful but it’s actually a very good thing to do in this case.

The unit vector is,


 c 1 1 4
u = = −1, 4 =− ,
c 17 17 17

1
Now, let’s think about what we did here. We took the original vector and multiplied it by a number, 17
in this case, to change its magnitude. The result is a new vector, pointing in the same direction as the
original vector, and has a new magnitude of one.

So, how can we use this new vector (and the process by which we found it) to get an answer for this
problem?

Step 3

© 2018 Paul Dawkins http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu

Calculus II – Solutions to Practice Problems 358

We know that scalar multiplication can change the magnitude of a vector. We’ve got a vector with
magnitude of one that points in the correct direction. To convert this into a vector with magnitude of 10
all we need to do is multiply this new unit vector by 10 to get,

  1 4 10 40
v=10u =
10 − , =
− ,
17 17 17 17

Now, let’s verify that this does what we want it to do with a quick magnitude computation.

2 2
  10   40  1700
v =−  +  =17 = 100 =
10
 17   17 

So, we do have a vector with magnitude 10 as predicted!

 
a
5. Determine if = 3, −5,1 and =
b 6, −2, 2 are parallel vectors.

Step 1
Recall that two vectors are parallel if they are scalar multiples of each other. In other words, these two
vectors will be scalar multiples if we can find a number k such that,

 
a =kb

Step 2
Let’s just take a look at the first component from each vector. It is obvious that 6 = 2 ( 3) . So, to

convert the first components we’d need to multiply a by 2. However, if we did that we’d get,

 
2a =6, −10, 2 ≠ b

This is clearly not b . The first component is correct and the third component is correct but the second
 
isn’t correct. Therefore, there is no single number, k, that we can use to convert a into b through
scalar multiplication.

 
This in turn means that a and b cannot possibly be parallel.

    
6. Determine if v = 9i − 6 j − 24k and w = −15,10, 40 are parallel vectors.

© 2018 Paul Dawkins http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu

Calculus II – Solutions to Practice Problems 359

Step 1
Recall that two vectors are parallel if they are scalar multiples of each other. In other words, these two
vectors will be scalar multiples if we can find a number k such that,
 
v =kw

Step 2
( 53 ) ( 9 ) .
Let’s just take a look at the first component from each vector. It is should be clear that −15 =−

So, to convert the first components we’d need to multiply v by − 53 .
if we did that we’d get,

 
− 53 v =−15,10, 40 =w
 
So, we were able to find a number k that we could use to convert v into w through scalar
multiplication and so the two vectors are parallel.

   
7. Prove the property : v + w = w + v .

Step 1
These types of proofs always seem mysterious to students the first time they run across them. The main
reason for the mystery is probably that it just seems obvious that it is true. That tends to make is
difficult to prove.

We know that this property is true for numbers. However, we can’t assume that just because it’s true
for numbers that it will be true for all other types of objects, vectors in this case!

So, let’s start off with two general vectors.

 
v v1 , v2 , , vn
= w w1 , w2 , wn

To do this type of proof all we need to do is start with the left side perform the indicated operation,
addition in this case, and then use properties about numbers that we already know to be true to try and
manipulate it to look like the right side.

Step 2
So, let’s start off with the vector addition on the left side. All we want to do here is use the definition of
vector addition to write the sum of the two vectors. This is,

 
v + w = v1 , v2 , , vn + w1 , w2 , wn = v1 + w1 , v2 + w2 , , vn + wn

Step 3

© 2018 Paul Dawkins http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu

Calculus II – Solutions to Practice Problems 360

Okay, as we noted above we know that 2 + 3 = 3 + 2 . In other words, we know that the order we do
addition of numbers doesn’t matter.

Why bring this up again?

Well, note that each of the components of the “new” vector on the right side is just a sum of two
numbers. Therefore, we can use this property to flip the order of the addition in each of the
components.

Doing this gives,

 
v + w =v1 + w1 , v2 + w2 , , vn + wn =w1 + v1 , w2 + v2 , , wn + vn

Step 4
Now, recall that according to the definition of vector arithmetic the first number in the sum in each
component of the vector on the right is the component of the first vector while the second number in
the sum is the component of the second vector.

So, all we need to do now is “undo” the sum that gave the vector on the right to get,

   
v + w = w1 + v1 , w2 + v2 , , wn + vn = w + v

This is exactly what we were asked to prove and so we are done!

© 2018 Paul Dawkins http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu

Calculus II – Solutions to Practice Problems 361

   
1. Determine the dot product, a b if=a 9,5, −4, 2 and b = −3, −2, 7, −1 .

Solution
Not really a whole lot to do here. We just need to run through the definition of the dot product.

 
a b = ( 9 )( −3) + ( 5 )( −2 ) + ( −4 )( 7 ) + ( 2 )( −1) = −67

      
2. Determine the dot product, a b if=a 0, 4, −2 and b = 2i − j + 7 k .

Solution
Not really a whole lot to do here. We just need to run through the definition of the dot product and do
not get excited about the “mixed” notation here. We know that they are equivalent notations!

 
a b = ( 0 )( 2 ) + ( 4 )( −1) + ( −2 )( 7 ) = −18

    3
3. Determine the dot product, a b if a = 5 , b = and the angle between the two vectors is
7
π
θ= .
12

Solution
Not really a whole lot to do here. We just need to run through the formula from the geometric
interpretation of the dot product.

  3
    π
=a b (=
5 )   cos   2.0698
7  12 

 
4. Determine the angle between v = 1, 2,3, 4 and w = 0, −1, 4, −2 .

Solution
Not really a whole lot to do here. All we really need to do is rewrite the formula from the geometric
interpretation of the dot product as,

© 2018 Paul Dawkins http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu

Calculus II – Solutions to Practice Problems 362

 
v w
cos θ =  
v w

This will allow us to quickly determine the angle between the two vectors.

We’ll first need the following quantities (we’ll leave it to you to verify the arithmetic involved in these
computations….).

   
=v  w 2=v 30
= w 21

The angle between the vectors is then,

2
cos θ= = 0.07968 ⇒ θ= cos −1 ( 0.07968=
) 1.49103 radians
30 21

    
5. Determine the angle between a =i + 3 j − 2k and b =−9,1, −5 .

Solution
Not really a whole lot to do here. All we really need to do is rewrite the formula from the geometric
interpretation of the dot product as,

 
a b
cos θ =  
a b

This will allow us to quickly determine the angle between the two vectors.

We’ll first need the following quantities (we’ll leave it to you to verify the arithmetic involved in these
computations….).

   
=a b 4=a 14 =b 107

The angle between the vectors is then,

4
θ
cos= = 0.1033 ⇒ θ cos −1 ( 0.1034
= = ) 1.4673 radians
14 107

    
q
6. Determine if = 4, −2, 7 and p =−3i + j + 2k are parallel, orthogonal or neither.

© 2018 Paul Dawkins http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu

Calculus II – Solutions to Practice Problems 363

Step 1
Based on a quick inspection of the components we can see that the first and second components of the
two vectors have opposite signs and the third doesn’t. This means there is no possible way for these
two vectors to be scalar multiples since there is no number that will change the sign on the first two
components and leave the sign of the third component unchanged.

Therefore, we can quickly see that the two vectors are not parallel.

Step 2
Let’s do a quick dot product on the two vectors next.
 
q p = 0

Okay, the dot product is zero and we know from the notes that this in turn means that the two
vectors must be orthogonal.

On a side note an alternate method for working this problem is to find the angle between the two
vectors and using that to determine the answer.

Depending on which method you find easiest either will get you the correct answer.

 
7. Determine if a = 3,10 and =
b 4, −1 are parallel, orthogonal or neither.

Step 1
Based on a quick inspection of the components we can see that the first components of the vectors have
the same sign and the second have opposite signs. This means there is no possible way for these two
vectors to be scalar multiples since there is no number that will change the sign on the second
components and leave the sign of the first component unchanged.

Therefore, we can quickly see that the two vectors are not parallel.

Step 2
Let’s do a quick dot product on the two vectors next.

 
a b = 2

Okay, the dot product is not zero and we know from the notes that this in turn means that the two
vectors are not orthogonal.

The answer to the problem is therefore the two vectors are neither parallel or orthogonal.

On a side note an alternate method for working this problem is to find the angle between the two
vectors and using that to determine the answer.

© 2018 Paul Dawkins http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu

Calculus II – Solutions to Practice Problems 364

Depending on which method you find easiest either will get you the correct answer.

       
8. Determine if w =i + 4 j − 2k and v =−3i − 12 j + 6k are parallel, orthogonal or neither.

Solution
Based on a quick inspection is seems (hopefully) fairly clear that we have,
 
v = −3w

Therefore, the two vectors are parallel.

On a side note an alternate method for working this problem is to find the angle between the two
vectors and using that to determine the answer.

Depending on which method you find easiest either will get you the correct answer.

  
9. Given a = −8, 2 and b = −1, −7 compute proj a b .

Solution
All we really need to do here is use the formula from the notes. That will need the following quantities.

  2
−6
a b = a =68

The projection is then,

 −6 12 3
proj a b = −8, 2 = ,−
68 17 17

        
10. Given u = 7i − j + k and w =−2i + 5 j − 6k compute proj w u .

Solution
All we really need to do here is use the formula from the notes. That will need the following quantities.

  2
−25
u w = w =65

The projection is then,

© 2018 Paul Dawkins http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu

Calculus II – Solutions to Practice Problems 365

 −25    10  25  30 
proj w u=
65
(
−2i + 5 j − 6k =)13
i−
13
j+ k
13

 1
11. Determine the direction cosines and direction angles for r = −3, − ,1 .
4

Solution
All we really need to do here is use the formulas from the notes. That will need the following quantity.

 161 161
=r =
16 4

The direction cosines and angles are then,

−3 12  12 
cos α = = − ⇒ α =−
cos −1  =2.8106 radians
161 161  161 
4
−1 1  1 
cos β = 4 = − ⇒ β =−
cos −1  1.6497 radians
=
161 161  161 
4
1 4  4 
cos γ = = ⇒ γ=
cos −1  =1.2501 radians
161 161  161 
4

© 2018 Paul Dawkins http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu

Calculus II – Solutions to Practice Problems 366

   
1. If w
= 3, −1,5 and
= v 0, 4, −2 compute v × w .

Solution
Not really a whole lot to do here. We just need to run through one of the various methods for
computing the cross product. We’ll be using the “trick” we used in the notes.

    
i j k i j
 
v=×w 0 4 −2 0 4
3 −1 5 3 −1
        
= 20i − 6 j + 0k − 0 j − 2i − 12k = 18i − 6 j − 12k

   
w
2. If= 1, 6, −8 and v = 4, −2, −1 compute w × v .

Solution
Not really a whole lot to do here. We just need to run through one of the various methods for
computing the cross product. We’ll be using the “trick” we used in the notes.

    
i j k i j
 
w × v 1 6 −8 1 6
=
4 −2 −1 4 −2
        
=−6i − 32 j − 2k − ( − j ) − 16i − 24k = −22i − 31 j − 26k

3. Find a vector that is orthogonal to the plane containing the points P = ( 3, 0,1) , Q
= ( 4, −2,1) and
R
= ( 5,3, −1) .

Step 1
We first need two vectors that are both parallel to the plane. Using the points that we are given (all in
the plane) we can quickly get quite a few vectors that are parallel to the plane. We’ll use the following
two vectors.
 
PQ = 1, −2, 0 PR = 2,3, −2

© 2018 Paul Dawkins http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu

Calculus II – Solutions to Practice Problems 367

Step 2
Now we know that the cross product of any two vectors will be orthogonal to the two original vectors.
Since the two vectors from Step 1 are parallel to the plane (they actually lie in the plane in this case!) we
know that the cross product must then also be orthogonal, or normal, to the plane.

So, using the “trick” we used in the notes the cross product is,
    
i j k i j
 
PQ × PR = 1 −2 0 1 −2
2 3 −2 2 3
        
(
= 4i + 0 j + 3k − ( −2 j ) − 0i − −4k = ) 4i + 2 j + 7 k

  
=
4. Are the vectors u 1, 2, −4 , v =−5,3, −7 and w = −1, 4, 2 are in the same plane?

Solution
As discussed in the notes to answer this question all we need to do is compute the following quantity,

1 2 −4 1 2
  
u ( v × w ) =−5 3 −7 −5 3
−1 4 2 −1 4
= 6 + 14 + 80 − ( −20 ) − ( −28 ) − 12 = 136

Okay, since this is not zero we know that they are not in the same plane.

© 2018 Paul Dawkins http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu