Vectors

1. An object moving along a curve in the xy-plane has position (x(t), y(t)) at time t  0 with
dx
dt
 12t  3t 2 and
dy
dt
 
 ln 1   t  4 
4

At time t = 0, the object is at position (13, 5). At time t = 2, the object is at point P with x-coordinate 3.
(a) Find the acceleration vector at time t = 2 and the speed at time t = 2.
(b) Find the y-coordinate of P.
(c) Write an equation for the line tangent to the curve at P.
(d) For what value of t, if any, is the object at rest? Explain your reasoning.

2. A particle moving along a curve in the plane has position (x(t), y(t)) at time t, where
dx dy
 t 4  9 and  2et  5e t
dt dt
for all real values of t. At time t = 0, the particle is at the point (4, 1).
(a) Find the speed of the particle and its acceleration vector at time t = 0.
(b) Find an equation of the line tangent to the path of the particle at time t = 0.
(c) Find the total distance traveled by the particle over the time interval 0  t  3.
(d) Find the x-coordinate of the position of the particle at time t = 3.

4t
 sin 1 1  2e t  and
dx dy
3. An object moving along a curve in the xy-plane is at position (x(t), y(t)) at time t, where 
dt dt 1  t 3
for t  0 . At time t = 2, the object is at the point (6, 3). (Note: sin1 x  arcsin x )
(a) Find the acceleration vector and the speed of the object at time t = 2.
(b) The curve has a vertical tangent line at one point. At what time t is the object at this point?
(c) Let m(t) denote the slope of the line tangent to the curve at the point (x(t), y(t)). Write an expression for m(t) in terms of t and
use it to evaluate lim m  t  .
t 
(d) The graph of the curve has a horizontal asymptote y = c. Write, but do not evaluate, an expression involving an improper
integral that represents this value c.

4. A particle moves along the curve defined by the equation y  x3  3x . The x-coordinate of the particle, x(t), satisfies the
dx 1
equation  , for t  0 with initial condition x(0) = 4.
dt 2t  1
(a) Find x(t) in terms of t.
dy
(b) Find in terms of t.
dt
(c) Find the location and speed of the particle at time t = 4.

Two particles move in the xy-plane. For time t > 0, the position of particle A is given by x  t  2 and y   t  2  , and
2
5.
3t 3t
the position of particle B is given by x   4 and y   2 .
2 2
(a) Find the velocity vector for each particle at time t = 3.
(b) Set up an integral expression that gives the distance traveled by particle A from t = 0 to t = 3. Do not evaluate.
(c) Determine the exact tune at which the particles collide; that is, when the particles are at the same point at the same
time. Justify your answer.
(d) In the viewing window provided below, sketch the paths of particles A and B from t = 0 until they collide. Indicate
the direction of each particle along its path.

1 3
dx  6  dy
6. A particle moving along a curve in the xy-plane has position (x(t), y(t)) at time t > 0, where    3 and  tet .
dt  t  dt
At time t = 3, the particle is at the point (5, 4).
(a) Find the speed of the particle at time t = 3.
(b) Write an equation for the line tangent to the path of the particle at time t = 3.
(c) Is there a time t at which the particle is farthest to the right? If yes, explain why and give the value of t and the x-coordinate of
the position of the particle at that time. If no, explain why not.
(d) Describe the behavior of the path of the particle as t increases without bound.
7. A particle moves in the xy-plane with position vector (x(t), y(t)) such that x  t   t 3  6t 2  9t  1 and y  t   t 2  6t  2 in the
time interval 0  t  5.
a. At what time t is the particle at rest? Justify your answer.
b. Give the velocity vector at t = 5.
c. How fast is the particle moving when t = 5?
d. Is the speed of the particle increasing or decreasing when t = 5? Justify your answer.
e. What is the average speed of the particle for the time interval 0  t  5?

8. A particle moves in the xy-plane so that at any time t its coordinates are x  t 2 and y  4  t 3 . At t = 1, its acceleration
vector is
a. (2, 3) b. (2, 6) c. (1, 6) d. (2, 6) e. (1, 2)

9. The velocity vector of a particle moving in the coordinate plane is  4t,  2t  for t  0 . The path of the particle lies on
a. a hyperbola b. an ellipse c. a line d. a parabola e. a ray

10. The velocity vector of a particle moving in the xy-plane is given by v   2 sint,3 cos t  for t ≥ 0. At t = 0, the particle is at the
point (1, 1). What is the positive vector at t = 2?
a. (0, 3) b. (1.819, 1.248) c. (1.735, 0.532) d. (3.832, 3.728) e. (1.832, 1.728)

11. The position of a particle in the xy-plane is given by x  4t 2 and y  t . At t = 4, the acceleration vector is
 1   1   1   1   1
a.  8,   b.  8,   c.  8,  d.  32 ,   e.  32 , 
 64   32   32   32   4

12. The velocity vector of a particle moving in the xy-plane is  3  4 cos t, 4 sint  for all t  0. When t = 0, the particle is at the
point (0, 1). Which statement best describes the motion of the particle?
a. The particle moves around a circle.
b. The particle moves along a sine graph.
c. The particle moves to the left of all t.
d. The particle moves to the right with a regular up and down motion.
e. The particle moves generally to the right with a regular up and down motion, but periodically loops to the left.

13.  
If a particle moves in the xy-plane so that at time t > 0 its position vector is ln  t 2  2t  , 2t 2 , then at time t = 2, its velocity
vector is
3  3  1  1   5 
a.  , 8  b.  , 4  c.  , 8  d.  , 4  e.   , 4 
4  4  8  8   16 
Answers
32
1. a. x  2   0, y   2     1.882  a  2   0, 1.882
17
Speed = 122   ln 17    12.330
2

   du  y  2  5   ln 1  u  4   du  13.671
t
b. y  t   y  0   ln 1   u  4 
4 4

0 0

dy dt ln 17 
c. At t = 2, slope =   0.236
dx dt 12
y  13.671  0.236  x  3
d. x  t   0 if t = 0, 4
y   t   0 if t = 4
t=4
 x  0     y   0  
2 2
2. a. at time t = 0: Speed =  32  7 2  58
Acceleration vector = x   0  , y   0   0 ,  3
dy y   0  7 7
b.   Tangent line is y  1   x  4
dx x   0  3 3

    2e  5e
3


2
t 2
c. Distance =  t4  9 dt  45.226
t

0
3

d. x  3  4   t 4  9 dt  17.931
0
3. a. a(2) = <0.395, -0.741>
 x  2     y   2  
2 2
Speed =  1.208

 
b. sin 1 1  2et  0  1  2et  0  t  ln 2  0.693 and
dy
dt
 0 when t  ln 2

4t 1  4t 1  1
c. m  t    1  lim m  t   lim   1   0  1 0
1  t sin 1  2e 
3 t t   t    1  t sin 1  2e  
3  t
sin 1
 

4t
d. Since lim x  t    , c  lim y  t   3   dt
2 1 t
t  t  3

1
4. a. x (t )   dt  2t  1  C  x (0)  4  1  C  C  5  x (t )  2t  1  5
2t  1
 1 
 3   3 x 2  3   3  
2t  1  5  3 
dy dx dx dx 2
b. y  x3  3x   3x 2
dt dt dt dt    2t  1 
c. x(4)  9  5  2; y(4)  (2)3  3(2)  2 Location at t = 4 is (-2, -2)
dx 1 dy 3(3  5)  3 2
  3
dt t  4 3 dt t  4 3
2
1 2
Speed =    3  3.018
3

5. 
a. A: t  2,  t  2 
2
  3t 3t
B:   4,  2 
2 2


 3 3 
VA  1, 2  t  2   VB   , 
2 2
3 3
VA t 3  1, 2  VB t 3   , 
2 2
 3
b. S   1  4  t  2  dt
2

3t
c. xA  xB  t  2  4t  4
2
y A   4  2   4 and y B  4; t  4  x A  xB and y A  yB
2
When t  4,
Particles collide at t = 4
d. path of A: y  x 2 path of B: y  x  2
(Note: A and B arrive at (-1, 1) at different times).

 x  3    y   3 
2 2
6. (a) Speed =  1.011
dy y   3 3e3 3
(b) At t = 3,    3  0.149
dx x  3 1 e
3
An equation for the line tangent to the path at the point (5, 4) is y  4    x  5
e3
dx dx
(c) Since  0 for 0 < t < 2 and  0 for t > 2, the particle is farthest to the right at t = 2. The x-coordinate of the
dt dt
2 1 3
6 
position is x  2   5     3  dt  5.792
3 
t
dx dy
(d) Since lim   3 and lim
1 3
 0 , the particle will continue moving farther to the left while approaching a
t  dt t  dt

horizontal asymptote.
7. a.
x  t   3t 2  12t  9  3  t  1 t  3  0  t  1 or 3
y   t   2t  6  2  t  3  0  t 3
The particle is at rest at t = 3 because both x  3  0 and y   3  0
b.
x  5   3  5   12  5   9  24
2

y   5   2  5   6  4
The velocity vector at t = 5 is (24, -4)
2 2
 dx   dy 
 3t  12t  9    2t  6  .
2 2
    
2
c. The speed of the particle is
 dt   dt 
 24    4   592  24.331
2 2
At t = 5, the speed is
d 2 
  3t  12t  9    2t  6    18.084  0
2 2
d. Using the calculator,
dt   t 5
Since the derivative of the speed function is positive when t = 5, the speed is increasing at t = 5
5
1
 3t 2  12t  9    2t  6  dt  6.609
2

2
e.
50 0
8. B 9. E 10. D 11. B 12. E 13. A