ME673: Assignment 1 Due: 17/1/19

1. If α, β are any scalers and u, v, w are any vectors, then prove the following property:

(αu + βv) · w = αu · w + βv · w

2. Derive the Lagrange identity,

| u × v |2 =| u |2 | v |2 −(u · v)2 .

3. Assuming u = u1 î + u2 ĵ + u3 k̂, v = v1 î + v2 ĵ + v3 k̂, w = w1 î + w2 ĵ + w3 k̂, prove the identity,

u × (v × w) = (u · w)v + (u · v)w.

4. Use identity derived in the previous question and show,

(u × v) × w = (w · u)v − (w · v)u.

5. Derive the formula,

d u · du(τ )/dτ
| u(τ ) |= .
dτ |u|

6. Given A = sin θeˆr − rθ2 eˆθ + reˆz ; r = t2 , θ = 3t. Compute dA/dt.

7. Convince yourself that the position vector R(τ ) = a cos τ î+a sin τ ĵ+bτ k̂; a > 0, b > 0, 0 ≤ τ ≤
∞ describes a circular helix. Applying Serret-Frenet formulae, calculate s(τ ), T̂(τ ), N̂(τ ), B̂(τ ), κ(τ ), ν(τ ).