Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur

Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Curves: Assignment 1
Subject: Several variables calculus & differential geometry (MTH305A)
Semester: 2020-2021, I
Instructor: Dr. Bidyut Sanki

DISCLAIMER
The instructor of this course owns the copyright of all the course materials. This lecture
material was distributed only to the students attending the course MTH305A: Several Vari-
ables Calculus and Differential Geometry of IIT Kanpur and should not be distributed in
print or through electronic media without the consent of the instructor. Students can make
their own copies of the course materials for their use.

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(1) Let α : (a, b) → R3 be a parameterized curve does not pass through the origin. If
α(t0 ) is the point on the trace of α closest to the origin and α0 (t0 ) 6= 0, then the
position vector α(t0 ) is orthogonal to α0 (t0 ).

(2) Let α : I → R3 be a parametrized curve and let v ∈ R3 be a fixed vector. Assume

that α0 (t) ⊥ v for all t ∈ I and that α(0) ⊥ v. Prove that
α(t) ⊥ v, for all t ∈ I.

(3) Let α : I → R3 be a parameterized curve, with α0 (t) 6= 0, for all t ∈ I. Show that
kα(t)k is a non-zero constant if and only if α(t) if orthogonal to α0 (t) for all t ∈ I.

(4) Is α(t) = (t2 , t4 ) is a parameterisation of y = x2 ?

(5) Find the parametric equation of the level curves:

(a) y 2 − x2 = 1
2 2
(b) x4 + y9 = 1.