Math 200/105

Term 1 2010

MIDTERM I

Your Name (Last, First Middle):

Student ID number:

Signature:

INSTRUCTIONS:

This is a closed-book exam. You may not use any books, notes, papers,

calculators, or other aids. Do all work on the sheets provided. There is an extra sheet on the back
for scratch work. If you need an extra sheet, raise your hand and one will be provided. If you need
more space for your solution, use the back of the sheets and leave an arrow for the grader. Please
draw a box around your final answer. Good Luck!

Problem

Points Received

Maximum Points

10

10

10

10

10

Total

50

Problem 1 (10 points)

Midterm I

Let u =< 1, 1, 1 > and v =< 2, 0, 1 >, two vectors in R3 .

a) Find two unit vectors perpendicular to u and v.

Solution:

Let
w = u v =< 1, 1, 2 > .

Then w is perpendicular to u and v, but since |w| =

1+1+4=

6, it is not a unit vector.

Thus we divide by the length to get one unit vector. We get the other by multiplying by 1.
Thus our answer is
1
1
< 1, 1, 2 > and < 1, 1, 2 >
6
6
b) Find an equation for a plane containing u and v and passing through the point (5, 10, 15).

Solution:

We take the cross product as our normal direction. Thus we have the following

equation:
1(x 5) + 1(y 10) 2(z 15) = 0
x + y 2z + 15 = 0.

Problem 2 (10 points)

Midterm I

(a) Find the angle between the planes

x+y+z1=0
x + 2y + 3z + 4 = 0.
Simplify your answer as much as reasonably possible.

Solution:

Let n1 =< 1, 1, 1 > and n2 =< 1, 2, 3 > be the normal vectors of our two planes.

To find the angle between the two planes, we find the angle between the two normal vectors.

n1 n2 = < 1, 1, 1 > < 1, 2, 3 >= 6

|n1 | = 1 + 1 + 1 = 3

|n2 | = 1 + 4 + 9 = 14.
Thus
= arccos

 n n 
 6 
1
2
.
= arccos
|n1 ||n2 |
3 14

(b) Find parametric and symmetric equations for the line of intersection.

Solution:

We set x = 0, and solve the following system for y and z:

y+z =1
2y + 3z = 4.

We find that y = 7 and z = 6, so (0, 7, 6) is a point on the line.

Problem 2 (10 points)

Midterm I

Since this line is contained in each plane, it is perpendicular to both normal vectors. So we
may take the cross product of the normal vectors to find a


i j



< 1, 1, 1 > < 1, 2, 3 > = 1 1



1 2

direction parallel to the line.



k


1 



3

=< 1, 2, 1 > .
So we have the following parametric and symmetric equations for the line:
x=t
y = 7 2t
z = 6 + t,
and
x
y7
z+6
=
=
1
2
1

Problem 3 (10 points)

Midterm I

Let a =< 1, 2 > and b =< 1, 3 >.

(a) What is the angle between a and b?

Solution:

|a| =
|b| =

1+4=

1+9=

10

a b = 1 6 = 5.
Thus,
 ab 
|a||b|
 5 
= arccos
5 10
 1 
= arccos
2

= arccos

3
4

(b) Find proja (b), and |proja (b)|.

Solution:

a a = 5. So
proja (b) =

a b
aa

a=

5
a = a =< 1, 2 > .
5

|proja (b)| = | a| = |a| =

(c) Find |b proja (b)|.

Problem 3 (10 points)

Midterm I

Since b, proja (b), and b proja (b) form a right triangle with b along the hypotenuse, by
the Pythagorean theorem we know
|b|2 = |b proja (b)|2 + |proja (b)|2 .
Thus |b proja (b)|2 =

10 5 =

5.

Problem 4 (10 points)

Midterm I

Find an equation for the plane containing the three points

(3, 1, 2), (4, 2, 4), (0, 2, 3).
Solution:

Let
u =< 4 3, 2 (1), 4 2 > =< 1, 3, 2 >
and v =< 0 3, 2 (1), 3 2 > =< 3, 1, 5 > .

Then




 i
j
k 





< 1, 3, 2 > < 3, 1, 5 > =  1
3
2 






3 1 5
=< 13, 1, 8 > .
Thus an equation for the plane is
13(x 3) (y + 1) + 8(z 2) = 0
13x y + 8z + 22 = 0.

Problem 5 (10 points)

Midterm I

Show that the two lines L1 and L2 given by the following parametric equations
x=1+t

x = 2s

y = 1 + 2t

y =7s

z = 1 + 3t

z = 5 + 2s

are skew lines (i.e. not parallel and they do not intersect.)

Solution:

These two lines are not parallel, since the vectors < 1, 2, 3 > and < 2, 1, 2 > are not

parallel. If they were, there would be a scalar c such that

c < 1, 2, 3 >=< 2, 1, 2 > .
So we would have c = 2 and 2c = 1. Clearly, this is impossible.
If these lines intersect, then we can find values for s and t such that
1 + t =2s
1 + 2t =7 s
1 + 3t =5 + 2s.
Solving the first two equations, we see that t = 3 and s = 2. Plugging those values into the third
equation, we have
1 + 3(3) = 10 6= 9 = 5 + 2(2).
Thus we see that these two lines do not intersect, and thus they must be skew.

Scratch Paper ( points)

Use this page for your scratch work:

Midterm I