Beruflich Dokumente
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Geometry of Space
Section 1.2
Space Coordinates and Vectors in Space
Three-Dimensional Space
Previously you studied vectors in the Cartesian plane or 2-dimensions, now
we are going to expand our knowledge of vectors to 3-dimensions. Before
we discuss vectors, lets look at 3-dimensional space.
To construct a 3-dimensional system, start with a yz plane flat on the paper
(or screen).
Next, the x-axis is perpendicular
through the origin. (Think of the
x-axis as coming out of the screen
towards you.)
y
x
x
y
yz plane
xy plane
y
x
xz plane
P (3, 4, 2)
y
Q (-3, 4, -5)
x
x 2 x1 2 y 2 y1 2 z 2 z 1 2
Take a look at the next two slides to see how we come up with this formula.
x 2 x1
z2 z1
y 2 y1
x 2 x1 2 y 2 y1 2
Note that RQ is z 2 z 1 .
Starting with
PQ = PR + RQ
2
2
PR = x 2 x1 y2 y1
and RQ = z 2 z 1
2
2
2
Thus, PQ = x 2 x1 y 2 y1 z 2 z 1
x 2 x1
x 2 x1 2 y 2 y1 2 z 2 z 1 2
z2 z1
P
R
y 2 y1
x 2 x1 2 y 2 y1 2 z 2 z 1 2
3 2 2 4 3 2 2 1 2
5 2 1 2 1 2
d 25 1 1
d 27 3 3 5.2
Example 2:
Find the lengths of the sides of triangle with vertices (0, 0, 0), (5, 4, 1) and
(4, -2, 3). Then determine if the triangle is a right triangle, an isosceles
triangle or neither.
Solution: First find the length of each side of the triangle by finding the
distance between each pair of vertices.
(0, 0, 0) and (5, 4, 1)
d
5 0 2 4 0 2 1 0 2
4 0 2 2 0 2 3 0 2
4 5 2 2 4 2 3 1 2
d 25 16 1
d 16 4 9
d 1 36 4
d 42
d 29
d 41
These are the lengths of the sides of the triangle. Since none of them are
2
2
2
equal we know that it is not an isosceles triangle and since 42 29 41
we know it is not a right triangle. Thus it is neither.
x1 x 2 y1 y 2 z 1 z 2
,
,
2
2
2
Midpoint
Solution :
7
2 4 3 4 0 2 2 7 2
,
,
,
,
1
,
,1
2
2 2 2 2
2
2
Equation of a Sphere
A sphere is the collection of all points equal distance from a center point.
To come up with the equation of a sphere, keep in mind that the distance
from any point (x, y, z) on the sphere to the center of the sphere, xo , yo , zo
is the constant r which is the radius of the sphere.
Using the two points (x, y, z), xo , yo , zo and r, the radius in the distance
formula, we get: r
xo 2 y yo 2 z z o 2
is the center.
Example 4:
Find the equation of the sphere with radius, r = 5 and center, (2, -3, 1).
Solution: Just plugging into the standard equation of a sphere we get:
x 2 2 y 3 2 z
1 25
2
Example 5:
Find the equation of the sphere with endpoints of a diameter (4, 3, 1) and
(-2, 5, 7).
Solution: Using the midpoint formula we can find the center and using the
distance formula we can find the radius.
4 2 3 5 1 7
Center
,
,
2
2
2
1, 4, 4
Radius
4 1 2 3 4 2 1 4 2
919
19
Example 6:
Find the center and radius of the sphere,
x 2 y 2 z 2 4x 6y 8z 7 0 .
Solution: To find the center and the radius we simply need to write the
2
2
2
2
equation of the sphere in standard form, r x xo y yo z zo .
Then we can easily identify the center, xo , yo , zo and the radius, r. To do
this we will need to complete the square on each variable.
x 2 y 2 z 2 4x 6y 8z 7 0
x 2 4x
y 2 6y
z 2 8z
x 2 4x 4 y 2 6y 9 z 2 8z 16 7 4 9 16
x 2 2 y 3 2 z 4 2 36
Thus the center is (2, -3, -4) and the radius is 6.
PQ v q1 p1 , q2 p2 , q3 p3 v1 ,v 2 ,v 3
Be sure to subtract the initial points coordinates
from the terminal points coordinates.
v v1i v 2 j v 3k
We will look at examples using both forms.
u
,
u
,
u
and
v
v 1 ,v 2 ,v 3 and let c be a scalar.
Let
1
2
3
o Vector Equality: u v if and only if u1 v1 , u2 v 2 and u3 v 3 .
u
u1 2 u2 2 u3 2
o Magnitude or Length of a Vector:
o Vector Addition: u v u1 v 1 , u2 v 2 , u3 v 3
u:
u
1
u1 , u2 , u3
u
u
Example 1 Continued:
Second, find the component form of the vector. Do this by subtracting
the initial points coordinates from the terminal points coordinates.
Component form
PQ 3 2, 5 1, 4 0 1, 4, 4
and
PQ i 4 j 4k
PQ 12 42 42 1 16 16 33
Unit Vector
1
1
4
4
33 4 33 4 33
1,4,4
,
,
,
,
33 33
33
33
33 33 33
Note: You can verify its a unit vector by finding its magnitude.
2
33
33
33
1 16 16
33
1 1
33 33 33
33
Example 2:
Given the vectors
find the following:
a. u v
c. 2u v z
b. u 3z
Solution:
a. u v
b.
2,5,3 1,7,4
2 1, 5 7 , 3 4
1, 2, 1
u 3z
2,5,3 3 0,5,6
2 0, 5 15 , 3 18
2 , 10 , 21
c. 2u v z
Parallel Vectors
You may recall from the previous section that a nonzero scalar multiple of
a vector has the same direction as the vector (positive scalar) or the
opposite direction as the vector (negative scalar). Since this is the case,
any nonzero scalar multiple of a vector is considered a parallel vector.
In other words, if two vectors, u and v, are parallel, then there exists
some scalar, c such that v cu . The zero vector does not have direction
so it cannot be parallel.
To get the idea, look at these vectors on the Cartesian Plane.
y
v 2u
u
x
z 2u
Example 3:
Determine if the vector with initial point,
P(3,2,-2) and terminal point,
PQ 7 3, 5 2, 3 2
PQ 4, 3, 1
Second, if the two vectors
are parallel, then there exists some
c = -3
c = -3
c = -3
Example 4:
Determine whether the points A(2,3,-1), B(0,1,3) and C(-3,-2,8) are collinear.
Solution: We need to find two vector between the three points and
determine if they are parallel. If the two vectors are parallel and pass
through a common point then the three points must be in the same line.
To be parallel: -2 = -5c
-2 = -5c
4 = 9c
c = 2/5
c = 2/5
c = 4/9
Since c is not the same in each case, the vectors are not parallel and the
points are not collinear.
Example 5:
v 32 2 2 12 9 4 1 14
1
3i 2 j k
14
1
5
15 10
5
5
3i 2 j k
3i 2 j k
i
j
k
14
14
14
14
14
5
3i 2 j k
14
5
Obviously the scalar multiple is 14 .
You can verify the magnitude is 5 by finding the magnitude of the form:
15 10
5
i
j
k
14
14
14
Magnitude
15
14
10
14
14
225 100 25
14
14
14
350
25 5
14
Example 6:
The weight of an 80lb. chandelier hanging 2.5 feet from the ceiling is
distributed over 3 chains. If the chains are located as shown below,
represent the force exerted on each chain with a vector.
(-1,-1,0)
1 ft
1 ft
(1,-1,0)
1 ft
(0,0,-2.5)
1 ft
(0,1,0)
Solution to Example 6:
First find the vectors from the chandelier to the three points on the
ceiling.
Each force is a multiple of the vector since we can find the direction, but we
dont know the magnitude.
F2 b 1,1,2.5
(-1,-1,0)
1 ft
1 ft
(1,-1,0)
1 ft
F3 c 1,1,2.5
(0,0,-2.5)
1 ft
(0,1,0)
F1 a 0,1,2.5
0,0,80 F1 F2 F3
b c 0
a b c 0
2.5a 2.5b 2.5c 80
Solving the system, you get a = 16, b = 8 and c = 8.
Thus the three forces are F1 0,16,40 , F2 8,8,20 and F3 8,8,20 .
You can find your practice problems for this lesson in Blackboard
under the Assignments button under Lesson 7.2.