32A-3 Practice Midterm 1 Solution

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April 13, 2015

Instructions
This is a 50-minute closed-book exam. The textbook, lecture notes, and all personal scratch papers
are not allowed during the test. Discussing or cheating is strictly prohibited. The use of electronic devices
is also not allowed. To receive the full credit, you must explain each step thoroughly. You are
not allowed to use your own scratch paper. There are blank pages at the end of the exam. You can use
the blank pages or back side of any page, but please make a note when you do so.

Problem
1
2
3
4
5
Total

Points

Problem 1 Find the following where i = h1, 0, 0i, j = h0, 1, 0i, and k = h0, 0, 1i:
(a)
(i + j) (j + k). (6 pts)
Solution.
This is the dot product of two vectors h1, 1, 0i and h0, 1, 1i. Their dot product is 1 0 + 1 1 + 0 1 = 1.
(b)
(i + j) (j + k) (6 pts)
Solution.
The cross product of two vectors




 i j k 
 1



1 1 0  = 
 1



0 1 1 

h1, 1, 0i and h0, 1, 1i is











1 0
1 1
0
i 
j + 
 k = i j + k = h1, 1, 1i.





0 1
0 1
1

Problem 2 Let v = h3, 5i and w = h1, 2i.

(a) Show that v and w are not colinear. (6 pts)
Solution .
We find the cross product of h3, 5, 0i and h1, 2, 0i. This is





 i j k 

 3 5


 k = k = h0, 0, 1i.
3 5 0  = 

 1 2


1 2 0 
Since the result is a nonzero vector, the two vectors are not colinear.
(b) Find a and b in the expression h1, 1i = av + bw. (6 pts)
Solution.
Checking componentwise, we have 1 = 3a + b, and 1 = 5a + 2b. This gives 2a + b = 0. Then b = 2a.
Then 1 = 3a 2a, a = 1, and b = 2a = 2.
Problem 3 Find an equation for the intersection of two planes x y + z = 1 and 2x 3y + 4z = 2.
Solution.
The intersection is a line which is contained in both planes. Therefore the direction vector v of the
line must be perpendicular to the normal vectors of two planes. A normal vector n1 for the first plane, is
h1, 1, 1i. The second one is n2 = h2, 3, 4i. Then we can take v = n1 n2 , which is









 i j k 





 1 1




1
1
1
1
 


 k = (1)i 2j + (1)k = h1, 2, 1i.



j+
i
1 1 1  = 



 3 4

2 4
2 3


2 3 4 
We need a point that the line is through. Set z = 0, and find x, y. We have x y = 1 and 2x 3y = 2.
Then 2x 2y = 2 gives y = 0 and x = 1. Thus, we use (1, 0, 0). We can also use v = h1, 2, 1i as a
direction vector. Then
r(t) = h1, 0, 0i + th1, 2, 1i.

Problem 4 Suppose that you have two lines r1 (t) = h0, 1, 0i + th1, 1, 0i and r2 (s) = h0, 1, 1i + sh1, 1, 1i
(a) Find the intersection of the two lines. (6 pts)
Solution.
Set up the equation r1 (t) = r2 (s) componentwise, we have t = s, 1 + t = 1 s, and 0 = 1 + s. This
does have a solution t = 1, s = 1. Therefore, the intersection is
r1 (1) = h0, 1, 0i + h1, 1, 0i = h1, 2, 0i.
(b) Find an equation of a plane which contains both lines. (6 pts)
Solution.
From (a), we have a point h1, 2, 0i on the plane. We need a normal vector of the plane. Since both lines
are contained in the plane, the direction vectors v1 = h1, 1, 0i and v2 = h1, 1, 1i are both perpendicular
to the normal vector n of the plane. We can take n = v1 v2 .









 i
j k 





  1 0




1
0
1
1

 
i 
j + 
 k = 1i 1j + 0k = h1, 1, 0i.
1
1 0 = 






 1 1




1
1
1
1


1 1 1 
An equation of the plane is thus,
1(x 1) + (1)(y 2) + 0(z 0) = 0
or
x y = 1.
Problem 5 Let r(t) = ht, t2 , t4 i h1, t, t2 i. Find a parametrization of the tangent line at t = 1.
Solution .
We need r0 (1) as a direction vector of the tangent line, and r(1) as a point the line is through.
By the product rule,
r0 (t) = ht, t2 , t4 i h0, 1, 2ti + h1, 2t, 4t3 i h1, t, t2 i.
Thus, r0 (1) = h1, 1, 1i h0, 1, 2i + h1, 2, 4i h1, 1, 1i = h1, 1, 1i (h0, 1, 2i h1, 2, 4i).
This is h1, 1, 1i h1, 1, 2i









 i j k 





 1 1
1 1 
1 1

 




 k = 1i 1j + 0k = h1, 1, 0i,
i
1 1 1  = 
j + 


 1 2
1 2 
1 1


1 1 2 
r(1) = h1, 1, 1i h1, 1, 1i gives h0, 0, 0i.
Then an equation of the tangent line is
l(s) = h0, 0, 0i + sh1, 1, 0i
or
l(s) = hs, s, 0i.