Northwestern University NetID:

Math 230 Test 1

Fall Quarter 2013
October 21, 2013

Solutions
Put a check mark next to your instructors name and section, and write your NetID
in the upper right corner of this page! Do not write your name on this exam!

Prob. Points Score

Instructions:
possible
0 2 Read each problem carefully.
1 10 Write legibly.
2 12 Show all your work on these sheets. Feel free to
use the opposite side.
3 12
Make sure that your final answer is clearly indi-
4 12 cated. If two answers are presented then the av-
5 14 erage of the points for each answer will be given!
6 10 This exam has 12 pages, and 9 problems. Please
make sure that all pages are included.
7 8
You may not use books, notes or calculators.
8 10 Good luck!
9 10
TOTAL 100
Math 230 Test 1 Fall Quarter 2013 Page 2 of 12

t3
Question 1. (10 points) Find the length of the following curve: x = 2t + ,
3
y = 2t2 , 0 t 2.
Solutions
We know the arclength formula for a curve hx(t), y(t)i between t0 and t1 :
Z t1 q
L= (x0 (t))2 + (y 0 (t))2 dt.
t0

So with x0 (t) = 2 + t2 , y 0 (t) = 2 2t, t0 = 0, t1 = 2, we get
Z 2r  2
L = (2 + t2 )2 + 2 2t dt
Z0 2
= 4 4t2 + t4 + 8t2 dt
0
Z 2
= 4 + 4t2 + t4 dt
0
Z 2q
= (2 + t2 )2 dt
Z0 2
= 2 + t2 dt
0
t3 2 (23 03 ) 8 20
= 2t +  = 2(2 0) + =4+ = .
3 0 3 3 3
Math 230 Test 1 Fall Quarter 2013 Page 3 of 12

Question 2. (12 points) Find an equation of the plane that contains both the point
(1, 3, 4) and the line x = 2t, y = 3 + t, z = 1 + 4t.
Solution to question 2 (12pts):
To find equation for plane, need a normal vector and a point in plane.
Point in plane is given: (1, 3, 4).
For normal vector: find a point on the line, say at t = 0 which gives the point (0, 3, 1).
The vector between (0, 3, 1) and (1, 3, 4) then lies in the desired plane. This is the
vector
h1 0, 3 3, 4 1i = h1, 0, 3i

The direction vector of the line, which is h2, 1, 4i is another vector in the desired
plane. Hence the cross product
 
 i j k
 
h1, 0, 3i h2, 1, 4i = 1 0 3 
2 1 4 
     
0 3  1 3  1 0 
= i   j
  + k
 
1 4 2 4 2 1
= h3, 2, 1i

is a normal vector for the plane.

Thus an equation for the plane is

3(x 1) + 2(y 3) + (z 4) = 0

or
3x + 2y + z = 7
Math 230 Test 1 Fall Quarter 2013 Page 4 of 12

Question 3. (12 points)

(a) (8 points) Find an equation of the plane containing the points (3, 2, 1), (6, 7, 2),
(16, 11, 2).

Let us denote P = (3, 2, 1), Q = (6, 7, 2), R = (16, 11, 2), and let us define the vectors

~a = P Q = h3, 5, 1i

and
~b =
P R = h13, 9, 1i .
Thus the normal vector to the plane may be computed

~n = ~a ~b = h4, 10, 38i .

Our plane is thus given by the equation

4(x 3) + 10(y 2) 38(z 1) = 0.

(b) (4 points) Find the area of the triangle formed by the three points in part (a).

The area of the triangle is half the area of the parallelogram spanned by ~a and ~b.
Thus
1 1
Area = |~a ~b| = 1560.
2 2
Math 230 Test 1 Fall Quarter 2013 Page 5 of 12

Question 4. (12 points)

(a) (9 points) Find parametric equations for the line of intersection of the two planes
x + 2y + z = 1 and 3x + y + z = 1.
Solution: The corresponding orthogonal vectors to the planes are x1 = (1, 2, 1) and
x2 = (3, 1, 1). The vector parallel to the line of intersection is then the cross product
 
 i j k
 
x1 x2 = 1 2 1 = (1, 2, 5)
3 1 1 

Find a point on the line of intersection by letting x = 0. Then 2y + z = 1 and

y + z = 1 so y = 0 and z = 1. Hence the line of intersection is given by the equation
(0, 0, 1) + t(1, 2, 5), or coordinate wise

x(t) = t
y(t) = 2t
z(t) = 1 5t

Alternative Solution I
Find two points on the line of intersection. P (0, 0, 1) and set for example z = 0
to find a second point Q(1/5, 2/5, 0). A direction of the line is given by the vector

P Q = h1/5, 2/5, 1i.

Hence the line of intersection is given by the equation h0, 0, 1i + th1/5, 2/5, 1i, or
coordinate wise
x(t) = 1/5t
y(t) = 2/5t
z(t) = 1 t

Alternative Solution II
Set z = t, solve (
x + 2y + t = 1
3x + y + t = 1
Solve x, y in terms of t
1 1 2 2
x= t+ , y = t+
5 5 5 5

The line of intersection is

x = 15 t +


1
5
y = 25 t + 2
5
.


z = t
Math 230 Test 1 Fall Quarter 2013 Page 6 of 12

(b) (3 points) Find the cosine of the angle between those planes in part (a).
Use the formula
n1 n2 6 6
cos() = = =
|n1 ||n2 | 6 11 11
Math 230 Test 1 Fall Quarter 2013 Page 7 of 12

Question 5. (14 points) Consider the quadric surface: x2 + 3z 2 4x y + 6 = 0

(a) (9 points) Sketch the following traces of the equation x2 + 3z 2 4x y + 6 = 0
in the appropriate planes below.
Math 230 Test 1 Fall Quarter 2013 Page 8 of 12

(b) (5 points) Which of the following surfaces best matches the quadric surface with
these traces? Circle your answer! D

A. B.

C. D.
Math 230 Test 1 Fall Quarter 2013 Page 9 of 12

Question 6. (10 points)

True or False? Circle the correct answer.
(a) Two non-parallel lines in the three dimensional space must intersect.

False

(b) If ~u and ~v are unit vectors, then ~u ~v is also a unit vector.

False

(c) |~c (~a ~b)| = |~a (~b ~c)|.

True

(d) The equation x = z in R3 represents a line.

False

(e) The plane x + y 2z = 1 is perpendicular to the plane x + y + z = 1.

True
Math 230 Test 1 Fall Quarter 2013 Page 10 of 12

Question 7. (8 points) Consider the surface whose equation in spherical coordinates

is
= 4 sin() sin().
Find an equation of the surface in rectangular coordinates and describe the surface.
Solutions:
Multiply both sides by , we have

2 = 4 cos() sin().

this is, in rectangular coordinates,

x2 + y 2 + z 2 = 4y

Complete the square for y,

x2 + (y 2)2 + z 2 = 22

This is a sphere of radius 2 centered at (0, 2, 0).

Math 230 Test 1 Fall Quarter 2013 Page 11 of 12

Question 8. (10 points)

Find all the points on the space curve

t3 4 5t6
r(t) = h 3t, 3t , i
3 3
where the tangent line is parallel to the line

x = 1 + 2t, y = 12t, z = 2 + 10t.

Solution to problem 8:
The tangent vector to the curve is v = ht2 3, 12t3 , 10t5 i. The direction vector of
the line is w = h2, 12, 10i. That these vectors should be parallel is expressed by the
equation
v = aw,
i.e.,
t2 3 = 2a, 12t3 = 12a, 10t5 = 10a
for some a inR. The last two of these equations yield t5 = a = t3 and hence t2 = 1.
(We can divide by t3 since at t = 0 v = h3, 0, 0i, which is easily seen not to be
parallel to w.) Thus t = a = 1. If t = a = 1, the first equation reads 1 3 = 2 and
is not satisfied, while if t = a = 1 we have 1 3 = 2, i.e. this equation is also
satisfied in this case. Thus, the unique point along the curve when the tangent line
is parallel to the line is at t = 1, i.e., at the point
8 5
h , 3, i R3 .
3 3
Note that presupposing that a = t accidentally leads to the correct answer, but 4
points were taken off for this serious error.
Math 230 Test 1 Fall Quarter 2013 Page 12 of 12

Question 9. (10 points)

(a) (5 points) Fill in the table.
r = 3 + 2 cos for 0 2.

3 + 2 cos

0 5

2
3

3
2
3

2 5

(b) (5 points) Sketch the graph of r = 3+2 cos and label all the points of intersection
with the x- and y-axis.