Supplementary Problems

1. Using the Euclidean metric for polar coordinates, compute the length of are for the curve
π
ϑ : x i=2 acost , x 2=t (0 ≤ t ≤ )
2
And interpret geometrically.
Solution:
d s 2=d r 2 +r 2 d θ 2
d s 2=d ( x 1 )2+(x 1)2 d (x¿¿ 2)2 ¿
1 2 2
ds 2 d ( x ) 2
1 2 d x
( ) ( ) ( )
dt
=
dt
+( x )
dt
2 2 2

( dsdt ) =( d 2 acost
dt ) +(2 acost ) ( dtdt ) 2

( dsdt ) =4 a sin t +4 aco s t

2 2 2

1/ 2
ds=( 4 a 2 sin2 t+ 4 a 2 co s2 t ) dt
1/ 2
ds=( 4 a 2 sin2 t+ 4 a 2 co s2 t ) dt
1 /2
ds=( 4 a 2(sin2 t +co s2 t) ) dt
1/2
ds=( 4 a 2) dt
ds=2 adt
π
2

∫ ds=∫ 2adt
0

π
2
s=2 at | 0

π
s=2a
2
s=a π

2 2 2
2. Is the form Q ( U 1 ,U 2 , U 3 ) ≡8 ( U 1 ) + ( U 2) −6 U 1 U 3+ ( U 3 ) Positive definite?
Solution:
Q ( 1,0,3 ) ≡ 8 ( 1 )2+ ( 0 )2−6 ( 1 ) (3)+ ( 3 )2
Q ( 1,0,3 ) ≡ 8−18+ 9
Q ( 1,0,3 ) ≡−1
 Is not a positive definite.

3. Using the metric

12 4 0
G= 4 1
[ 1
0 1 ( X1)
2 ]
Calculate the length of the curve given by x 1=3−t , x2 =6 t+3 , x 3=lnt where 1 ≤t ≤ e .
Solution:
d s 2=gij d x i d x j
2
d s 2=g11 ( d x 1 ) + g 12 d x 1 d x 2 + g13 d x 1 d x 3+ ¿
2
g21 d x 2 d x 1+ g 22 ( d x 2) + g23 d x 2 d x 3 +¿
2
g31 d x 3 d x 1+ g 32 d x3 d x2 + g33 ( d x 3 )

¿
2
g 21 d x2 d x1 g22 ( d x 2 ) g23 d x 2 d x 3
+ + +¿
dt2 dt2 d t2
2
g 31 d x3 d x1 g32 d x 3 d x 2 g33 ( d x 3 )
+ +
dt2 d t2 d t2

1 2
ds 2 12 ( d x ) 4 d x 1 d x 2 0 d x 1 d x 3
( ) dt
=
dt2
+
dt2
+
dt2
+¿
2 2
4 d x2 d x1 1( d x ) 1 d x2 d x3
+ + +¿
dt2 dt2 d t2
1 3 2 2
0 d x3 d x1 1 d x3 d x2 ( x ) ( d x )
+ +
d t2 dt2 dt2

ds 2
( )
dt
2
=12 (−1 ) + 4 (−1∗6 ) +0+¿

6
4 (−1∗6 )+ 1 ( 6 )2+1
t
+¿ ()
0+1 ( 6t )+( x ) ( t1 )
1
2
2

2
ds 2 6 6 ( 3−t )
( ) dt
= + + 2
t t t
2 2

( dsdt ) = 12t +( 3t −1)

 ds 2 9 6
( )
dt
= 2 + +1
t t
9 6
t t√
ds= 2 + +1 dt
2
3
ds=
√( t
e
+1 dt )
∫ ds=∫ 3t +1 dt
1

s=3lnt |e1 +t |e1

s=3 ( lne−ln 1 )+(e−1)
e
(
s=3 ln ⁡( ) +(e−1)
1 )
s=3+e−1
s=2+ e

4. A draftsman calculated several distances between points on his drawing using a set of
vertical lines and his T-square. He obtained the distance from (1,2) to (4,6) the usual way:
2 2
√ ( 4−1 ) +( 6−2 ) =5
Then he noticed his T-square was out several degrees, throwing off all measurement. An
accurate reading showed his T-square measured 95.8°. Find, to three decimal places, the
error commited in his calculations for the answer 5 obtained above. [Hint: Use Problem 5.9
in the special case x 31=x 32=0 , with α=95.8°]
Solution:

gij = [ cosα1 cosα

1 ]
=¿ α=95.8°
i i j j
√ g ( x −x )(x −x )
ij 1 2 1 2
1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 2
√ g ( x −x )( x −x )+ g ( x −x )( x −x )+ g ( x −x )( x −x ) + g ( x −x )( x −x )
11 1 2 1 2 12 1 2 1 2 21 1 2 1 2 22 1 2 1 2
1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 2
√ ( x −x )( x −x )+cosα ( x −x )( x −x )+ cosα ( x −x )( x −x )+( x −x )( x −x )
1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2

1 2 2 2
√ ( x −x ) +2 cosα ( x −x )( x −x )+( x −x )
1
1 2
1
1
1
2
2
1
2
2
2
1 2
1 2 2 2
√ ( x −x ) +2 cos 95.8 ° ( x −x )( x −x )+( x −x )
1
1 2
1
1
1
2
2
1
2
2
2
1 2
1 2 2 2
√ ( x −x ) −0.2 0211 ( x −x )( x −x )+( x −x )
1
1 2
1
1
1
2
2
1
2
2
2
1 2

5. In curvilinear coordinates ( x i) , show that the contravariant vectors

x´1 1
U =( − 2 , 1,0)
x´ ( ) x ( )
V =( ´2 , 0,0)

Are an orthonormal pier, if ( x i) is related to rectangular coordinates ( x́ i) through

 x 1=x́ 2 x 2=x́ 3 x 3= x´1 x́2
Where x́ 2 ≠ 0.
Solution:
∂ x1 ∂ x 1 ∂ x 2 ∂ x2 ∂ x 3 ∂ x3
gij = i + +
∂ x́ ∂ x́ j ∂ x́ i ∂ x́ j ∂ x́ i ∂ x́ j
∂ x1 ∂ x1 ∂ x2 ∂ x2 ∂ x3 ∂ x3 2
g11 = 1 1 + 1 1 + 1 1 =( x́ ¿¿ 2) ¿
∂ x́ ∂ x́ ∂ x́ ∂ x́ ∂ x́ ∂ x́
∂ x1 ∂ x 1 ∂ x 2 ∂ x 2 ∂ x 3 ∂ x3 1 2
g12= 1 2
+ 1 2
+ 1 2
= x́ x́
∂ x́ ∂ x́ ∂ x́ ∂ x́ ∂ x́ ∂ x́
∂ x1 ∂ x 1 ∂ x2 ∂ x 2 ∂ x3 ∂ x 3
g13= 1 + + =0
∂ x́ ∂ x́ 3 ∂ x́1 ∂ x́ 3 ∂ x́1 ∂ x́ 3
∂ x1 ∂ x 1 ∂ x 2 ∂ x 2 ∂ x 3 ∂ x 3 1 2
g21= 2 + + = x́ x́
∂ x́ ∂ x́ 1 ∂ x́ 2 ∂ x́ 1 ∂ x́ 2 ∂ x́ 1
∂ x1 ∂ x 1 ∂ x2 ∂ x 2 ∂ x 3 ∂ x 3 1 2
g22= 2 2
+ 2 2
+ 2 2
=1+ ( x́ )
∂ x́ ∂ x́ ∂ x́ ∂ x́ ∂ x́ ∂ x́
∂ x1 ∂ x 1 ∂ x 2 ∂ x 2 ∂ x3 ∂ x 3
g23= 2 3 + 2 3 + 2 3 =0
∂ x́ ∂ x́ ∂ x́ ∂ x́ ∂ x́ ∂ x́
∂ x1 ∂ x 1 ∂ x2 ∂ x 2 ∂ x3 ∂ x 3
g31= 3 + + =0
∂ x́ ∂ x́ 1 ∂ x́3 ∂ x́ 1 ∂ x́3 ∂ x́ 1
∂ x1 ∂ x 1 ∂ x2 ∂ x 2 ∂ x3 ∂ x 3
g32= 3 + + =0
∂ x́ ∂ x́ 2 ∂ x́3 ∂ x́ 2 ∂ x́3 ∂ x́ 2
∂ x1 ∂ x 1 ∂ x 2 ∂ x 2 ∂ x 3 ∂ x 3
g33= 3 + + =1
∂ x́ ∂ x́ 3 ∂ x́ 3 ∂ x́ 3 ∂ x́ 3 ∂ x́ 3

( x́ ¿¿ 2)2 ¿ x́ 1 x́ 2 0
gij = ( x́ 1 x́ 2 ¿
0¿0 ¿0¿1¿ )
u . v=g ij ui v j
u . v=g 11 u 1 v1 + g12 u 1 v 2+ g 13 u1 v 3 +¿
g21 u 2 v1 + g22 u2 v 2+ g 23 u2 v 3 +¿
g31 u 3 v 1+ g32 u3 v 2+ g 33 u3 v 3

u . v=g 11 u 1 v1 + g21 u2 v 1
u . v=( x́ ¿¿ 2)2 ¿ ¿
u . v=− x́ 1 + x́ 1
u . v=0

6. Express in ( x i) the covariant vectors associated with U and V of Problem 5.25.

Solution:
 vi =gij v j=¿ ui =g ij u j
v1 =g 11 v 1 + g12 v 2+ g 13 v 3
1
v1 =( x́ ¿¿ 2)2 2 + 0+0 ¿
x´
v1 = x́2
v 2=g 21 v1 + g22 v 2 + g23 v 3
1
( )
v 2= x́1 x́ 2 ´2
x
v 2= x́1
v3 =g31 v 1+ g32 v 2 + g33 v 3
v3 =0

vi =( x́ 2 , x́ 1 ,0)

u1=g 11 u 1+ g 12 u2 + g13 u3

x´
1
u1=( x́ ¿¿ 2)2 −
( ) x´2
+ x́1 x́ 2( 1)¿

u1=0

u2=g 21 u1 + g22 u2 + g23 u3

x´1 (
( )
u2= x́ 1 x́2 −
x´2
+ 1+ x́ 1 )
2

u2=1

u3=g 31 u1 + g32 u2 + g33 u3

u3=0

ui=(0,1,0)

7. Even though (gij) may define a non-Euclidean metric, prove that the norm (5.10) still obeys
the following “Euclidean” laws: (a) the law of cosines, (b) the Pythagorean theorem.
Solution:
 a 2=b2 +c 2−2 bccosα

2 2 2
||U + V || =||U|| +||V || −2||U||||V ||COSα

a 2=b2 +c 2
 2 2 2
||U + V || =||U|| +||V || −2||U||||V ||cos 90
2 2 2
||U + V || =||U|| +||V ||

8. (a) Solve system (1) of Problem S.18 (b) Does the solution found in (a) include all curves
orthogonal to the given pseudo-helix? Explain.

9. Find the family of orthogonal trajectories in polar coordinates for the family of spirals
x 1=c x2 (c=const.) [Hint: Parameterize the family as x 1=c et , x 2=et .]
Solution:
1 0
gij =
[ 0 ( x1 )2 ]
1 1 2
d ( x )+ ( x ) d (x ¿¿ 2)=0 ¿
2
d ( x 1 )=−( x 1 ) 𝑑 (𝑥2
d ( x1 )
¿=−d( x ¿¿ 2)¿
x1 ¿

10. Find the condition for two curves, z=f (θ )∧z=g(θ) , on a right circular cylinder of radius
a orthogonal.