R3 Vectors in R3 Vector Operations Exercises

The Cartesian Coordinate Space

and
Vectors in R3
Mathematics 54 - Elementary Analysis 2

Institute of Mathematics
University of the Philippines-Diliman

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Distance Midpoint Spheres

The Three Dimensional Coordinate System

Recall:
A point in R2 corresponds to an ordered pair (a, b).

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Cartesian Coordinate System

To locate a point in space, three numbers are required. We represent any

point in space by (a, b, c), an ordered triple of real numbers.

Definition
The correspondence between points in space and the set of all ordered
triples (x, y, z) of real numbers is called the 3-dimensional rectangular
coordinate system or Cartesian Space, and is commonly denoted by R3 .

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Coordinate Axes

To represent points in space:

Choose a fixed point O, called the origin
Construct 3 perpendicular lines passing thru O, called the coordinate
axes
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These three coordinate axes determine

the three coordinate planes.
These three coordinate planes divide
space into eight parts, called octants.

The direction of the z-axis is determined by

the right-hand rule.

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Distance Midpoint Spheres

To locate the point P(a, b, c):

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Example
Locate the following points in space.
1

A : (4, 3, 5)

B : (3, 2, 6)

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Distance Midpoint Spheres

Distance Formula

Recall that in R2 , the distance between two points P1 = (x1 , y1 ) and

P2 = (x2 , y2 ) is given by
d(P1 , P2 ) =

q
(x1 x2 )2 + (y1 y2 )2

while in R3 , we have
Theorem (Distance Formula)
The distance of between the points P1 = (x1 , y1 , z1 ) and P2 = (x2 , y2 , z2 ) is
d(P1 , P2 ) =

q
(x1 x2 )2 + (y1 y2 )2 + (z1 z2 )2

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Distance Midpoint Spheres

Example

The distance between A(1, 0, 2) and B(9, 1, 2) is

p
d(A, B) =
(1 9)2 + (0 1)2 + (2 2)2
p
p
=
64 + 1 + 16 = 81 = 9

The distance between Q(3, 5, 1) and R(2, 7, 3) is

d(Q, R)

=
=

(3 2)2 + (5 (7))2 + (1 3)2

p
1+4+4 = 3

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Distance Midpoint Spheres

Midpoint Formula
In R2 , the midpoint of the line segment connecting P1 = (x1 , y1 ) with
P2 = (x2 , y2 ) is given by
M=

x +x y +y
1
2
1
2
,
2
2

In R3 , we have
Theorem (Midpoint Formula)
The midpoint M of the line segment connecting the points P1 = (x1 , y1 , z1 )
and P2 = (x2 , y2 , z2 ) is
M=

x +x y +y z +z
1
2
1
2
1
2
,
,
2
2
2

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Example

The midpoint of the line segment connecting points A(4, 5, 1) and

R(2, 7, 3) is

4 + 2 5 7 1 3
,
,
M=
= (3, 6, 1)
2
2
2

The midpoint of the line segment connecting the points P(3, 2, 9)

and Q(5, 2, 7) is

3 5 2 + 2 9 7
,
,
M=
= (1, 0, 1)
2
2
2

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Distance Midpoint Spheres

Spheres

Definition
A sphere is the set of all points P(x, y, z) whose distance from the point C is
r > 0. The point C is called the center of the sphere, and r its radius.

Consider a sphere centered at C(h, k, l) with radius r.

Thus,
d(P, C) = r

r2

(x h)2 + (y k)2 + (z l)2

(x h)2 + (y k)2 + (z l)2

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Spheres

Equation of a Sphere
The equation of the sphere centered at C(h, k, l) with radius r is given by
(x h)2 + (y k)2 + (z l)2 = r 2
Specifically, the sphere centered at the origin with radius r has equation
x2 + y 2 + z2 = r 2

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Examples

Find the equation of the sphere centered at (3, 1, 5) with diameter of

8 units.

Solution:
The radius of the sphere is 4, which is half of the diameter.
Hence it equation is
(x 3)2 + (y 1)2 + (z + 5)2 = 16

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Examples

Show that x2 + y 2 + z2 4x + 2y + 6z 11 = 0 is a sphere, and find its

center and radius.

Solution:
By completing the squares, we have
(x2 4x + 4) + (y 2 + 2y + 1) + (z2 + 6z + 9)

11 + 4 + 1 + 9

25

(x 2) + (y + 1) + (z + 3)

Thus, its center

p is at (2, 1, 3)
Radius: r = 25 = 5.

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Examples

Find the equation of the sphere centered at A(3, 5, 1) and contains

the point B(1, 0, 1).

Solution:
The radius r of this sphere is given by the distance between the points A
and B, i.e.,
p
r = d(A, B) = (3 1)2 + (5 0)2 + (1 (1))2
p
p
=
4 + 25 + 4 = 33
Hence, this sphere will have an equation
(x 3)2 + (y + 5)2 + (z 1)2 = 33

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R3 Vectors in R3 Vector Operations Exercises

Representation Norm Direction

Vectors
A vector is a quantity that has both magnitude and direction. Examples
are displacement, velocity, force, etc.
z

Consider the directed line segment from

the origin going to the point (a, b, c).

(a, b, c)

This is position representation of the

vector a, b, c.

~v
y
b

A vector is:

geometrically represented by an arrow. The length of the arrow

represents the magnitude of the vector and the arrow points in the
direction of the vector.
denoted by a letter with an arrow above it.
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Representation Norm Direction

Remark
1

If the position representation of~v has terminal point (a, b, c) then a, b

and c are called the components of~v.

A vector~v can be represented by any directed line segment that has

the same magnitude and direction as of~v.
z

~
u
~v
y

Here we say that~v and ~

u are equal (or equivalent) and write~v =~
u.
Remark
3

Two vectors~v = a, b, c and ~

u = d, e, f are equal if and only if
a = d, b = e and c = f .
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Representation Norm Direction

On that note, we can define a vector from an initial point to another point.
Remark
4

Let~v be the vector from the point P(a, b, c) going to the point Q(d, e, f ),

then~v = d a, e b, f c. Often times, we write this vector as PQ.

Q(d, e, f )
P(a, b, c)

PQ

Remark
5

If the third component of~v is zero, then we can think of~v as a vector
in the xy-plane.
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Representation Norm Direction

Example
1

The vector from the point (4, 1, 3) to the origin is given by

~v

0 4, 0 1, 0 (3)

4, 1, 3

The vector from the point (2, 5, 1) to the point (0, 2, 4) is given by
~v

0 2, 2 (5), 4 1

2, 7, 5

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Representation Norm Direction

Norm of a Vector

Definition
The magnitude (or length) of the vector~v = a, b, c, called its norm, is
given by
p
k~vk =

a2 + b2 + c2

Note
A vectors norm is always non-negative, i.e., k~vk 0

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Representation Norm Direction

Example
Find the magnitude of the following vectors.
1

3, 5, 8

1 3 5
, ,
2 2 2

1
2
1
p , p , p
10 10 2

Solutions:
1

p
p
k3, 5, 8k = 9 + 25 + 64 = 98
p

r
1 3 5
1 9 25
35

2, 2,2 = 4 + 4 + 4 = 2

1
4
1 p
p1 , p2 , p1 =
+
+ = 1=1

10
10
2
10 10 2

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Representation Norm Direction

Remarks
1

A vector of length or magnitude 1 is called a unit vector.

If k~vk = 0 then~v =~0 = 0, 0, 0, and is called the zero vector.

Note
The zero vector is the only vector that has zero magnitude and no specific
direction.

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Representation Norm Direction

Directional Angles
The direction angles of a nonzero vector~v are the angles , , and (in the
interval [0, ]) that it makes with the positive x, y, and z-axes.

The cosines of these direction angles, , , and are called the directional
cosines of the vector~v.
So for~v = a, b, c, we have
cos =

a
b
c
, cos =
and cos =
k~vk
k~vk
k~vk
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Representation Norm Direction

Directional Angles

Example
Find the directional angles of the vector~v = 2, 1, 3.

Solution:
Since k~vk =

p
p
4 + 1 + 9 = 14 , then
1
3
2
and cos = p
cos = p , cos = p
14
14
14

and so

2
1
3
= cos1 p
, = cos1 p
and = cos1 p
14
14
14

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R3 Vectors in R3 Vector Operations Exercises

Addition Scalar Mult.

Vector Operations
Vector Addition

When adding two vectors

z

~
u

u+v
~
u

~v

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Addition Scalar Mult.

Vector Operations
Vector Addition

And when subtracting

z

~
u
~
u
~v

uv
y

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Addition Scalar Mult.

Vector Operations
Vector Addition

So if ~
A = a1 , a2 , a3 and ~
B = b1 , b2 , b3
Definition (Vector Addition / Subtraction)
~
A ~
B = a1 b1 , a2 b2 , a3 b3
~
A

~
C
~
A +~
B

~
B

~
D
~
D ~
C

Theorem (Triangle Inequality)

k~v ~
uk k~vk + k~
uk
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Addition Scalar Mult.

Vector Operations
Scalar Multiplication

Let ~
A = a1 , a2 , a3 and c R
Definition (Scalar Multiplication)
c~
A = ca1 , ca2 , ca3
z

2v

1 v
2

~v

x
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Addition Scalar Mult.

Remark
1

The length of c~
A = |c| kAk
kc~
Ak

kc~
Ak

2
3
4

q
(ca1 )2 + (ca2 )2 + (ca3 )2
q
|c| a12 + a22 + a32

|c| kAk

If c > 0, then c~
A has the same direction as ~
A.
~
And if c < 0, then cA has the opposite direction as ~
A.
0~
A =~0.

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Addition Scalar Mult.

Example

Given ~
A = 1, 2, 3 and ~
B = 4, 5, 6

~
A +~
B = 1, 2, 3 + 4, 5, 6 = 3, 7, 3

2~
A ~
B = 2, 4, 6 4, 5, 6 = 6, 1, 12

1
3
5
9
3
1 11 3
~
B+ ~
A = 2, , 3 +
, 3,
= , ,
2
2
2
2
2
2 2 2

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Addition Scalar Mult.

Now let us consider the following unit vectors:

z

:= 1, 0, 0
:= 0, 1, 0
k := 0, 0, 1

Note that any vector~v = a, b, c can be written as

~v

a1, 0, 0 + b0, 1, 0 + c0, 0, 1

a + b + ck

For this reason, , and k are called the standard basis vectors for R3 .
Example
1
2

3, 5, 2 = 3 + 5 2k
0, 7, 4 = 7 4k
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Addition Scalar Mult.

Given a vector~v 6=~0, we can normalize~v, i.e., transform it into a unit

vector having the same direction as~v, by:
~v =

1
~v
k~vk

Note

1 1
~v =
=

1
~
v
k~vk k~vk k~vk = 1 (since k~vk > 0)
2
k~vk~v =~v and since k~vk > 0, then ~v and~v have the same direction.
3

It is easy to see that the components of ~v are the directional cosines

of~v, which implies that
cos2 + cos2 + cos2 = 1.

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Addition Scalar Mult.

Example

Find a unit vector~v that has the same direction as the vector PQ, where
P(3, 2, 1) and Q(0, 5, 1).

Solution:

PQ = 3, 3, 2
p
p

PQ = 9 + 9 + 4 = 22
1
Hence,~v = p 3, 3, 2 =
22

3
3
2
p ,p ,p
22 22 22

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Exercises
1

Locate the following points

1
2

(2, 4, 1)
(3, 1, 2)

3
4

(7, 2, 6)
(2, 3, 4)

Let A(1, 5, 2), B(3, 2, 4) and C(4, 1, 3). Find

1

the midpoint of DC where D is the midpoint of AB.

a point in the z-axis that is equidistant to both A and B.

the sphere centered at C, containing B.

Define~v as the vector from (3, 1, 2) to (1, 5, 2). Find k~vk and its
directional cosines.
If ~
u = 2, 3, 1,~v = 1, 0, 1 and ~
w = 1, 3, 2, find:
1
2
3

2~
u ~v
~
u ~v + ~
w

~
w 0.5~
u + 1.5~v
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