MATH 32A Discussion Worksheet October 2, 2018

1. Individually, plot several points

(a) (1, 1, 2)
(b) (3, 2, 1)
(c) (−1, 0, 0)
(d) (0, 1.5, 1.5)

Compare your answers to those of the other members of your group. Explain any
differences you see in the pictures.
Choose a point on a desk to be the origin. Indicate which are then your coordinate
axes and point to the place in space where the points above are. Connect this to your
plots.

2. In class, we saw that vector addition is “commutative”:

~v + w
~ =w
~ + ~v .

Vector addition is also “associative”:

(~v + w)
~ + ~u = ~v + (w
~ + ~u).

Now break into two groups.

(a) One group should draw a picture and show this geometrically.
(b) One group should use coordinates and show this algebraically.

After your group is comfortable with what you have, each group should explain it to
the other.

3. Sketch the parallelogram spanned by ~v = h1, 4i and w ~ = h5, 2i. Add the vector
~u = h2, 3i to the sketch and express ~u as a linear combination of ~v and w.
~

4. If R is the point (−2, 3), then

−−→
(a) find a point P such that P R has components h−2, 3i.
−−→
(b) Find a point Q such that RQ has components h−2, 3i.

5. Show geometrically and algebraically that

~v + (−1)~v = ~0.

Discuss in a group why this is a reasonable definition then for (−1)~v .