MATH 215 – Winter 2005

First Exam – Solutions

Problem 1. (3x5= 15 points) This problem consists of three unrelated questions on vector algebra
and geometry.
(a) Two vectors ~v and w ~ are of the form ~v = a(−~ı + ~), and w
~ = b~ı + ~, where a and b are scalars.
~ + 10~ı − ~ = ~0, find the scalars a and b.
If ~v + w
Solution. The vector equation is
h0, 0i = h−a, ai + hb, 1i + h10, 0i + h0, −1i,
which is to say h0, 0i = h−a + b + 10, ai.

Answer: (a)a = 0, b = −10

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(b) A constant force F~ = h−1 , 2 , −5i acts on a particle as it moves from A(2, 4, 1) to B(−2, 1, 3).
Find the work done by the force.
Solution. The work is the dot product
F~ · AB
~ = h−1 , 2 , −5i · h−4 , −3 , 2i = 4 − 6 − 10.

Answer: (b)Work = −12

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(c) Find the area of the parallelogram spanned by the vectors h1 , 0 , −1i and h−2 , 2 , 0i.
Solution. Compute the cross product:
h1 , 0 , −1i × h−2 , 2 , 0i = h2 , 2 , 2i.
√
The area of the parallelogram is the magnitude |h2 , 2 , 2i| = 4 · 3.

√
Answer: (c)Area = 2 3.
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Problem 2. (5+5= 10 points) Throughout this problem ~v = h1 , −2 , 3i and P = (2, −1, 4).
(a) If Q = (5, −2, 1), find the vector projection of P~Q onto ~v .

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Solution. One computes:
P~Q = h3, −1, −3i, P~Q · ~v = 3 + 2 − 9 = −4, ~v · ~v = 1 + 4 + 9 = 14.
Therefore,

Answer: (a)proj~v P~Q = − 27 h1, −2, 3i

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(b) Let ` denote the line through P parallel to ~v , and consider the point Q = (5, −2, 1).
Find the point R on ` such that RQ~ is perpendicular to ~v . (R is the orthogonal projection of Q
onto `.) Hint: Draw a figure; you may want to use part (a).
Solution. R is the point such that P~R =proj~v P~Q, as is clear from a picture. If R = (a, b, c) then
2
ha − 2, b + 1, c − 4i = − h1, −2, 3i.
7
Solving for a, b, c from this equation we get:

Answer: (b) R = (12/7, −3/7, 22/7)

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Problem 3. (7+8+5=20 points) Consider the parametric curve

~r(t) = ht , t2 , t3 i
(a) Find the parametric equation ~q(s) of the tangent line to the curve at a time t = T .
Solution. The velocity at time T is: ~v = h1, 2T, 3T 2 i. A parametrization of the tangent line is then
~q(s) = s~v + ~r(T ),
or

Answer: (a) ~q(s) = hs + T, 2sT + T 2 , 3sT 2 + T 3 i

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(b) If T = 2, find the point of intersection of the tangent line of part (a) with the xy plane.
Solution. The parametrization of the tangent line at T = 2 is
~q(s) = hs + 2, 4s + 4, 12s + 8i.
To find the intersection of this line with the xy plane we set the z component equal to zero and
solve for s:
12s + 8 = 0 ⇒ s = −2/3.
Substituting back into ~q(s) we get the answer:
2
 Answer: (b)The point of intersection is (4/3, 4/3, 0)
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(c) Set up an explicit definite integral equal to the length of the arc of the curve from the origin to
the point (2, 4, 8). You do not have to evaluate the integral. Circle your answer.
Solution. The origin corresponds to t = 0, while the point (2, 4, 8) corresponds to t = 2. The speed
at time t is √
|h1, 2t, 3t2 i| = 1 + 4t2 + 9t4 .
Therefore, by the length of the given arc equals

R2√
0
1 + 4t2 + 9t4 dt
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Problem 4. (7+8 =15 points) Throughout this problem f (x, y) = e−x (1 + 4y).
(a) Compute the equation of the tangent plane to the graph of the function f at the point (0, 2, 9).
Solution. The partial derivatives of the function are
fx (x, y) = −e−x (1 + 4y), fy (x, y) = 4e−x ,
and therefore fx (0, 2) = −9, fy (0, 2) = 4. The tangent plane is the graph of the linearization of the
function at (0, 2), or
z = −9(x − 0) + 4(y − 2) + 9.

Answer: (a) z = −9x + 4y + 1.

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(b) Suppose that the values of x and y are known to be within the ranges x = 0 ± 0.2, y = 2 ± 0.3.
Using differentials, estimate the corresponding range of possible values of z = f (x, y).
Solution. By the calculations of part (a), at (0, 2), the differential of the function is df = −9dx+4dy.
We are going to use the estimate in the change of the function,
∆z ∼ = −9∆x + 4∆y.
Given that −0.2 ≤ ∆x ≤ 0.2 and that −0.3 ≤ ∆y ≤ 0.3, the right-hand side is greatest if we take
∆x = −0.2 and ∆y = 0.3, and the corresponding value of ∆z is 9 · 0.2 + 4 · 0.3 = 3. Similarly, the
lowest value of ∆z is −3. Recalling that the value of z at (0, 2) is 9, we get:

Answer: (b) 6 ≤ z ≤ 12.

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Problem 5. (5+5+10=20 points) Throughout this problem
f (x, y, z) = cos(xy) + z 2
(a) Compute ∇f at an arbitrary point (x, y, z).

Answer: (a) h−y sin(xy), −x sin(xy), 2zi.

(b) Find the directional derivative of f at (1, π/2, 1) in the direction of the vector 4~ı − 3~k.
Solution. The unit vector in the direction of 4~ı − 3~k is ~u = h4/5, 0, −3/5i. On the other hand,
∇f (1, π/2, 1) = h−π/2, −1, 2i. Therefore
D~u f (1, π/2, 1) = h4/5, 0, −3/5i · h−π/2, −1, 2i = −2π/5 − 6/5.

Answer: (b)D~u f (1, π/2, 1) = −(2π + 6)/5.

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(c) Find the equation of the plane tangent to the surface cos(xy) + z 2 = 1 at the point (1, π/2, 1).
Solution. The surface is a level surface of the function f , and therefore a normal vector is ∇f (1, π/2, 1) =
h−π/2, −1, 2i. Since the point (1, π/2, 1) is on the plane, the equation is
π
0 = − (x − 1) − (y − π/2) + 2(z − 1),
2
or

Answer: (c)− π2 x − y + 2z + π − 2 = 0.
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Problem 6. (5x4=20 points) On the following page you will find five plots. Assume that the
scales of the x and y axes are the same.
You are also given the following statements about plots:
p
(1) This plot represents the graph of the function f1p (x, y) = x2 + y 2 .
(2) This is a contour plot of the function f1 (x, y) = x2 + y 2 .
(3) These are curves with equations sin(x2 + y 2 ) = c, for several evenly-spaced values of the
constant c.
(4) This is a portion of the graph of the function f2 (x, y) = sin(x2 + y 2 ).
(5) This is part of the image of the parametric surface ~r(s, t) = (s, t, sin(s 2 + t2 )).
(6) These are some level curves of the function f3 (x, y) = x2 + 2y 2 .
(7) This is a portion of the graph of the function f4 (x, y) = (x2 − y 2 )/(1 + x2 )
(8) This represents a level surface of the function g(x, y, z) = z − (x2 − y 2 )/(1 + x2 ).
(9) These are some level curves of the function f4 (x, y) = (x2 − y 2 )/(1 + x2 )
(10) This is a portion of the graph of the function f5 (x, y) = x + y(1 − y).
(11) These are some level curves of the function f5 (x, y) = x + y(1 − y).
(12) This is a portion of the graph of the function f6 (x, y) = 2 cos(2x)2 + y 2 .
(13) These are some level curves of the function f6 (x, y) = 2 cos(2x)2 + y 2 .

Fill in the following table with the numbers of the above statements that apply to
each plot.
Note: Not all statements apply to some plot, and some plots may have more than one statement
that applies to them.

Plot No. Statements that apply

1 12
2 11
3 4, 5
4 3
5 7, 8

5
 1.5

6 0.5
5
4
y 0
3 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5

2 x
-0.5
1 -2
0 -1
-2
-1 -1
0
0 x
y 1
1
2 2 -1.5

Plot 1 Plot 4

0
2
-2

-4
y 0
-4 -2 0 2 4 -6
x
-8
-3
-3
-2 -2
-2
-1 -1
0 0
y x
1 1
2 2
-4
3 3

Plot 5
Plot 2

-1.5
-1
-0.5 y
0
0.5
1
1
1.5
0.5
-1.5
-1
0
-0.5
0
-0.5 0.5 x
1
-1 1.5

Plot 3