Math 20550 Calculus III Tutorial Name:

February 4, 2016

Tutorial Worksheet

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1. A particle moves with position function r(t) = hcos t, sin t, cos2 ti. Find the tangential
and normal components of acceleration when t = π/4.
Solution: r0 (t) = h− sin t, cos t, −2 cos t sin ti = h− sin t, cos t, − sin(2t)i.
r00 (t) = h− cos t, − sin t,−2 cos(2t)i. 
π   1 
0 π 1 1 1
 
00
At t = π/4, r = − √ , √ , −1 and r = −√ , −√ , 0 .
4 2 2 4 2 2
π  π 
r0 •r
00

aT =  π   4 = 0
4
 0
r

4

 π    
 00  1 1 
Since aT = 0, a = aN N and since aN > 0, aN =  r  =  − √ , − √ , 0  =

s 4 2 2
2  2
1 1
√ + √ = 1.
2 2

2. Let C be the curve of intersection of the parabolic cylinder x2 = 2y and the surface
3z = xy. Find the exact length of C from the origin to the point (6, 18, 36).
Solution: The projection of the curve C onto the xy-plane is the curve x2 = 2y or y = 12 x2 ,
z = 0. Then we can choose the parameter x = t, and y = 12 t2 . Since C also lies on the
surface 3z = xy, we have z = 31 xy = 31 (t)( 12 t2 ) = 61 t3 . Then parametric equations for C are
x = t, y = 21 t2 , z = 61 t3 and the corresponding vector equation is r(t) = t, 12 t2 , 16 t3 . The

origin corresponds to t = 0 and the point (6, 18, 36) corresponds to t = 6, so

R6 R6
R q
 1, t, 1 t2  dt = 6 12 + t2 + ( 1 t2 )2 dt
0

L= 0
| r (t) | dt = 0 2 0 2
R6q 6
q
= 0 1 + t2 + 14 t4 dt = 0 (1 + 21 t2 )2 dt
R
R6
= 0 (1 + 21 t2 )dt = 42.
3. Find the equation for the normal and osculating planes to the curves r(t) = (t− 32 sin(t))i+
(1 − 32 cos(t))j + tk at the point (π, 52 , π).

Solution: First find t so that r(t) = π, 25 , π so t − 32 sin(t), 1 − 23 cos(t), t) = π, 25 , π .





Clearly t = π is the only possible solution from looking at the z-coordinates and this is a
solution since

sin(π) = 0 and cos(π)  = −1.
r0 (t) = 1 − 32 cos(t), 32 sin(t), 1 and r0 (π) = 52 , 0, 1 .



The vector r0 (π) is a normal vector for the normal plane and π, 25 , π is a point so an



equation is      
5 5 5 7
, 0, 1 • hx, y, zi = , 0, 1 • π, , π = π
2 2 2 2
or 5x + 2z = 7π.
A normal
3 vector to the osculating plane is
r0 (π) ×r00 (π).
00 00
r (t) = 2 sin(t), 2 cos(t), 0 and r (π) = 0, − 23 , 0 .
3


 
 i j k  
0 00
5  3 15
r (π) × r (π) =  2 0 1  = , 0, −
0 − 3 0  2 4
2
Hence an equation for the osculating plane is
     
3 15 3 15 5 9
, 0, − • hx, y, zi = , 0, − • π, , π = − π
2 4 2 4 2 4
or 2x − 5z = −3π.
4. Find the unit tangent, the unit normal, and the binormal vectors T, N and B to the
curve r(t) = hsin 2t, cos 2t, 3t2 i at t = π.
Solution:
r0 (t) = h2 cos(2t), −2 sin(2t), 6ti and r0 (π) = h2, 0, 6πi.
r00 (t) = h−4 sin(2t), −4 cos(2t), 6i and r00 (π) = h0, −4, 6i.
T(t) and r0 (t) point in the same direction so
1 1 1
T(π) = h2, 0, 6πi = √ h2, 0, 6πi = √ h1, 0, 3πi
| h2, 0, 6πi | 4 + 36π 2 1 + 9π 2

The binormal and r0 (t) × r00 (t) point in the same direction and
 
i j k 
 
2 0 6π  = h24π, −(12), −8i = h24π, −12, −8i
 
0 −4 6 

Hence
1 1
B(π) = h24π, −12, −8i = h6π, −3, −2i =
| h24π, −12, −8i | | h6π, −3, −2i |
1 1
√ h6π, −3, −2i = √ h6π, −3, −2i
36π 2 + 9 + 4 13 + 36π 2
Finally N(t) = B(t) × T(t) so
 
i j k 
1 1 6π −3 −2 = √ 1
  1
2

N(π) = √ √ √ −9π, −(18π + 2), 3 =
1 + 9π 2 13 + 36π 2  1 0 3π 
 1 + 9π 2 13 + 36π 2

1 1
−9π, −18π 2 − 2, 3


√ √
1 + 9π 2 13 + 36π 2
5. Find equations of the normal and osculating planes of the curve r(t) = ht2 , ln t, t ln ti at
the point (1, 0, 0).
Solution: From r(t) = ht2 , ln t, t ln ti, we have r0 (t) = h2t, 1/t, 1 + ln ti and r00 (t) = h2, −1/t2 , 1/ti.
The point (1, 0, 0) corresponds to t = 1, and r0 (1) = h2, 1, 1i, r00 (1) = h2, −1, 1i, r0 (1) ×
r00 (1) = h2, 0, −4i. Since r0 (1) is a normal vector to the normal plane, an equation for the
normal plane is
2(x − 1) + y + z = 0 or 2x + y + z = 2.
Since r0 (1) × r00 (1) is normal to the osculating plane, an equation for the osculating plane
is
2(x − 1) − 4z = 0 or 2x − 4z = 2.

6. Find equations of the normal and osculating planes of the curve of intersection of the
parabolic cylinders x = y 2 and z = x2 at the point (1, 1, 1)
Solution: First we parametrize the curve of intersection. We can choose y = t; then
x = y 2 = t2 and z = x2 = t4 , and the curve is given by r(t) = ht2 , t, t4 i. r0 (t) = h2t, 1, 4t3 i
and the point (1, 1, 1) corresponds to t = 1, so r0 (1) = h2, 1, 4i is a normal vector for the
normal plane. Thus an equation of the normal plane is
2(x − 1) + 1(y − 1) + 4(z − 1) = 0 or 2x + y + 4z = 7.
0
T(t) = | rr0 (t)
(t) |
1
= √4t2 +1+16t 3 0 1 2 6 −3/2
6 h2t, 1, 4t i and T (t) = − 2 (4t +1+16t ) (8t+96)5 h2t, 1, 4t3 i+
(4t2 + 1 + 16t6 )−1/2 h2, 0, 12t2 i. A normal vector for the osculating plane is B(1) = T(1) ×
N(1), but r0 (1) = h2, 1, 4i is parallel to T(1) and T0 (1) = − 21 (21)−3/2 (104) h2, 1, 4i +
(21)−1/2 h2, 0, 12i = 21√2 21 h−31, −26, 22i is parallel to N(1) as is h−31, −26, 22i, so h2, 1, 4i ×
h−31, −26, 22i = h126, −168, −21i is normal to the osculating plane. Thus an equation for
the osculating plane is 126(x − 1) − 168(y − 1) − 21(z − 1) = 0 or 6x − 8y − z = −3.