MATH005 - Advanced Precalculus

Exercise Sheet 1
Vectors In The Plane & In Three Dimensions
Exercise 1. For the following exercises, consider points P (−1, 3), Q(1, 5), and R(−3, 7). Determine the
requested vectors and express each of them
a. in component form and
b. by using the standard unit vectors.
−→
1. P Q
−→
2. QP
−→ −→
3. P Q + P R
−→ −→
4. P Q − P R
−→ −→
5. 2P Q − 2P R
−→ 1 −→
6. 2P Q + P R
2
−→
7. The unit vector in the direction of P Q

Exercise 2.
1. A vector ⃗v has initial point (−1, −3) and terminal point (2, 1). Find the unit vector in the
direction of ⃗v . Express the answer in component form.
2. The vector ⃗v has initial point P (1, 0) and terminal point Q that is on the y-axis and above the
initial
√ point. Find the coordinates of terminal point Q such that the magnitude of the vector ⃗v
is 5.

Exercise 3. Let ⃗a be a standard-position vector with terminal point (−2, −4). Let ⃗b be a vector with
initial point (1, 2) and terminal point (−1, 4). Find the magnitude of vector −3⃗a + ⃗b − 4⃗i + ⃗j.

Exercise 4. Let ⃗u and ⃗v be two nonzero vectors that are non-collinear. Consider the vectors ⃗a = 4⃗u +5⃗v
and ⃗b = ⃗u + 2⃗v defined in terms of ⃗u and ⃗v . Find the scalar λ such that vectors ⃗a + λ⃗b and ⃗u − ⃗v are
equivalent.

Exercise 5. Consider the vector ⃗a(t) = ⟨cos t, sin t⟩ with components that depend on a real number t.
As the number t varies, the components of ⃗a(t) change as well, depending on the functions that define
them.
1. Write the vectors ⃗a(0) and ⃗a(π) in component form.
2. Show that the magnitude ||⃗a(t)|| of vector ⃗a(t) remains constant for any real number t.

Exercise 6. Find vector ⃗v with the given magnitude and in the same direction as vector ⃗u.
1. ||⃗v || = 7, ⃗u = ⟨3, 4⟩

Exercise 7. Calculate the coordinates of point D such that ABCD is a parallelogram, with A(1, 1),
B(2, 4), and C(7, 4).
−→
Exercise 8. Find terminal point Q of vector P Q = ⟨7, −1, 3⟩ with the initial point at P (−2, 3, 5).

Exercise 9. Determine the vectors (⃗a · ⃗b)⃗c and (⃗a · ⃗c)⃗b. Express the vectors in component form.
1. ⃗a = ⟨2, 0, −3⟩, ⃗b = ⟨−4, −7, 1⟩, ⃗c = ⟨1, 1, −1⟩
2. ⃗a = ⃗i + ⃗j, ⃗b = ⃗i − ⃗k, ⃗c = ⃗i − 2⃗k

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 MATH005 - Advanced Precalculus

Exercise 10. For the following cases, the two-dimensional vectors ⃗a and ⃗b are given.
1. Find the measure of the angle θ between a and b. Express the answer in radians rounded to
two decimal places, if it is not possible to express it exactly.
2. Is θ an acute angle ?
a. ⃗a = ⟨3, −1⟩, ⃗b = ⟨−4, 0⟩
b. ⃗a = 3⃗i, ⃗b = 4⃗i + 4⃗j
c. ⃗a = ⟨3, −1, 2⟩, ⃗b = ⟨1, −1, −2⟩

Exercise 11. Determine whether the given vectors are orthogonal.

1. ⃗a = ⟨x, y⟩,⃗b = ⟨−y, x⟩, where x and y are nonzero real numbers.
2. ⃗a = 3⃗i − ⃗j − 2⃗k, ⃗b = −2⃗i − 3⃗j + ⃗k

Exercise 12. Determine the real number α such that vectors ⃗a = 2⃗i+3⃗j and ⃗b = 9⃗i+α⃗j are orthogonal.

Exercise 13 (Work of a force (Physics)). Some science students build their own electric scooters. For
this, they have a motor capable of exerting a tractive force of 400N represented by a vector T⃗ . They
wonder on which slope they will be able to use it.
π
In the Euclidean plane provided with the canonical coordinate system, let 0 < α < and A =
  2
cos(α) −→
. Along the movement of the scooter on the ride OA, three forces work on the couple “scooter
sin(α)
 
−→ 0
+ student” : traction, corresponding to T⃗ = 400 OA ; the weight, represented by a vector P⃗ = ,
−800
 
and the ground reaction force represented by a vector R ⃗ parallel to − sin(α) .
cos(α)
On a rectilinear displacement from O to A, the work of each force is the dot product between the
−→
vector representing this force and the vector OA.
1. Compute the work of the 3 forces.
2. In order for traction to be possible, the sum of the work of the three forces must be positive :
determine the value of α (in radians) up to which the students can climb.
3. On a road, the slopes 1 are rather expressed as a percentage. Do you know how to express the
value found in these terms ?
   
1 −3
Exercise 14. Let ⃗u = and ⃗v =
−2 2
1. Sketch the vectors ⃗u and ⃗v in the coordinate plane.
2. Show that {⃗u, ⃗v } is a basis of R2 .
3. Compute 2⃗u + ⃗v .
 
−1
4. Deduce the components of the vector w
⃗= in the basis {⃗u, ⃗v }.
−2

Rise ∆y
1. Slope is a measure of the steepness of a line. It can be seen as Slope = =
Run ∆x