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Lecture 2 Math 263 Calculus III Syllabus Fall 2021 NU

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27 views

Lecture 2 Math 263 Calculus III Syllabus Fall 2021 NU

Uploaded by

asylansson
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lecture 2: Vectors

August 18, 2021

Lecture 2: Vectors
Overview

Previously: We discussed the 3-dimensional coordinate system (or


3-space).
We saw that it works more or less just like the 2-dimensional
coordinate system, just with an additional direction.
The directions are oriented so that we work in a right-handed
coordinate system.

Today: We introduce vectors.

Lecture 2: Vectors
Vectors

Definition
A vector is a quantity with an associated direction.

Example 1: The following quantities are examples of vectors:


i. Forces: when you push on something, you push in a particular
direction, with a certain strength.
ii. Velocity: when we move, we move in a certain direction with
a certain speed.
iii. Acceleration: we can accelerate in different directions.

Lecture 2: Vectors
Vectors

We distinguish vectors from quantities without directions:

Definition
A scalar is a quantity without an associated direction.

Example 2: The following quantities are examples of scalars:


i. Mass
ii. Time
Note: Despite the fancy name, a scalar is nothing more than just
a number.

Lecture 2: Vectors
More about Vectors

In this course, we will (mostly) discuss vectors whose


directions are in either 2-space or 3-space.
We represent a vector in 2-space using the notation hx, y i. In
3-space, we write hx, y , zi.
The numbers x, y , and z are called the components of the
vector.
To make the notation easier, we often write a single letter to
represent a vector.
In printed books, vectors are denoted by bold letters:

v = hx, y i.

Handwritten vectors are marked with an arrow above the letter:


→
−
v = hx, y i.

Lecture 2: Vectors
Graphical Representations of Vectors
We can represent vectors graphically in 2-space or 3-space, using
arrows which begin at the origin and end at the coordinate whose
components are the same as the vector’s.
Example 3: Graph the vector → −
v = h1, 1i.
Solution: Each vector is an arrow which begins at the origin and
ends at the coordinate (x, y ). So the vector should look like this:

Lecture 2: Vectors
Graphical Representations of Vectors

Example 4: Graph the vector →−


w = h−1, 3i.
Solution: The vector →
−
w should look like this:

Lecture 2: Vectors
Graphical Representations of Vectors

Example 5: Graph the vector →−


u = h1, 0, 1i.
Solution: The vector →
−
u should look like this:

Lecture 2: Vectors
Graphical Representations of Vectors

Example 6: Graph the vector →−


z = h2, −1, 1i.
Solution: The vector →
−
z should look like this:

Remark: It is a fact of life that vectors in 3-space are really hard


to draw on a 2-dimensional piece of paper.

Lecture 2: Vectors
Vector Algebra

To use vectors in applications, we have to explain how we do


math with them.
To do math with vectors, we have to define different
mathematical operations with them.
For today, we focus on the more obvious vector operations:
addition, subtraction.
We will also introduce one type of multiplication for vectors.
(There is more than one!)

Lecture 2: Vectors
Vector Algebra

Definition
Let v = hx1 , y1 i and w = hx2 , y2 i. We define the vector sum v + w
by
v + w = hx1 + x2 , y1 + y2 i.
The definition for vectors in 3-space is analogous.

Example 7: Compute v + w for the following vectors:


i. v = h1, 2i, w = h5, −1i
ii. v = h−3, 4, 5i, w = h2, 1, −3i
Solution: The sums are:
i. v + w = h6, 1i
ii. v + w = h−1, 5, 2i

Lecture 2: Vectors
Vector Algebra

Definition
Let v = hx1 , y1 i and w = hx2 , y2 i. We define the vector difference
v − w by
v − w = hx1 − x2 , y1 − y2 i.
The definition for vectors in 3-space is analogous.

Example 8: Compute v − w for the following vectors:


i. v = h1, 2i, w = h5, −1i
ii. v = h−3, 4, 5i, w = h2, 1, −3i
Solution: The differences are:
i. v − w = h−4, 3i
ii. v − w = h−5, 3, 8i

Lecture 2: Vectors
Vector Algebra

Definition
Let v = hx, y i and k be a scalar. We define the scalar product kv
of the vector v and the scalar k by

kv = hkx, ky i.

In the special case where k = −1, we write (−1)v = −v.

Example 9: Let k and v be as given below. Compute kv.


i. k = 2, v = h2, 5i
ii. k = −1/2, v = h2, −10, 6i
Solution: The scalar products are:
i. kv = h4, 10i
ii. kv = h−1, 5, −3i

Lecture 2: Vectors
Vector Algebra

We will also need to introduce an operation on vectors which is


analogous to the absolute value for numbers.

Definition
Let v = hx, y i. We define the norm kvk of v as the length of the
vector. By the distance formula, this is given by
p
kvk = x 2 + y 2 .

For vectors v = hx, y , zi in 3-space, we define


p
kvk = x 2 + y 2 + z 2 .

Lecture 2: Vectors
Vector Algebra

Example 10: Compute kvk for the vectors below.


i. v = h1, 2i
ii. v = h3, 0, 4i
Solution: The norms are:
√ √
i. kvk = 12 + 22 = 5
√ √
ii. kvk = 32 + 02 + 42 = 25 = 5

Remark: Earlier in the lecture, we defined a vector as a quantity


with a direction. In this definition, the quantity is the norm of the
vector, and the direction is determined by the components of the
vector.

Lecture 2: Vectors
Vector Algebra

Definition
A unit vector is a vector vector whose norm is 1.

Note that any vector can be scaled to be a unit vector. That is, if
v is ANY vector, then
1
u= v
kvk
is a unit vector. The process of scaling a vector so that it is a unit
vector is called normalizing.

Lecture 2: Vectors
Special Notation

Some vectors will play a special role in our computations. Since


they are special, we use a special notation.

Definition
In 2-space, we define
i = h1, 0i,
j = h0, 1i.
In 3-space, we define
i = h1, 0, 0i,
j = h0, 1, 0i,
k = h0, 0, 1i.

Remark: When writing it by hand, these vectors are usually


written as ı̂, ̂, and k̂, respectively.

Lecture 2: Vectors

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