Section 13.

2 Derivatives and Integrals of Vector Functions

Alveen Chand

Definition. For a vector function r(t) = hf (t), g(t), h(t)i = f (t)i + g(t)j + h(t)k where f , g and h are
differentiable functions, then the derivative of r(t) is

r0 (t) = hf 0 (t), g 0 (t), h0 (t)i = f 0 (t)i + g 0 (t)j + h0 (t)k

and the indefinite integral of r(t) is

ˆ ˆ  ˆ  ˆ 
r(t) dt = f (t) dt i + g(t) dt j + h(t) dt k.

The definite integral of r(t) over the interval [a, b] is given by

ˆ b ˆ b ! ˆ b ! ˆ b
!
r(t) dt = f (t) dt i + g(t) dt j + h(t) dt k.
a a a a

Definition. Given the vector function r(t), the unit tangent vector T (t) is defined by

r0 (t)
T(t) = .
||r0 (t)||

Theorem. (Properties of Differentiation of Vector Functions) Suppose u(t) and v(t) are differentiable
vector functions, c is a scalar, and f is a real-valued function. Then
1. d
dt [u(t) + v(t)] = u0 (t) + v0 (t).

2. d
dt [cu(t)] = cu0 (t).

3. d
dt [f (t)u(t)] = f 0 (t)u(t) + f (t)u0 (t).

4. d
dt [u(t) · v(t)] = u0 (t) · v(t) + u(t) · v(t)0 .

5. d
dt [u(t) × v(t)] = u0 (t) × v(t) + u(t) × v0 (t).

6. d
dt [u(f (t))] = f 0 (t)u0 (f (t)).
Example.
1. Find the derivative of r(t) = (1 + t3 )i + te−t j + sin 2tk.
2. Find the unit tangent vector at the point where t = 0.
Solution.
1. r0 (t) = 3t2 i + (1 − t)e−t j + 2 cos 2tk.
2.
r0 (0) j + 2k 1 2
T (0) = 0
=√ = √ j + √ k.
||r (0)|| 1+4 5 5

1
 √
Example. For the curve r(t) = ti + (2 − t)j, find r0 (t) and sketch the position vector r(1) and the
tangent vector r0 (1).
Solution.
1
r0 (t) = √ i − j.
2 t

Note that r(1) = i + j and r0 (1) = 12 i − j, so we obtain the sketches below.

Example. Find the parametric equations for the tangent line to the helix with parametric equations

x = 2 cos t, y = sin t, z=t

at the point (0, 1, π2 ).

Solution. The vector equation of the helix is r(t) = h2 cos t, sin t, ti, so

r0 (t) = h−2 sin t, cos t, 1i.

The parameter value corresponding to the point (0, 1, π2 ) is t = π

2, so the tangent vector there is
π
r0 ( ) = h−2, 0, 1i.
2
The tangent line is the line through (0, 1, π2 ) parallel to the vector h−2, 0, 1i, so its parametric equations
are
x = −2t, y = 1, z = π2 + t .

2
 ´ π
Example. Find the integral 2
0
r(t) dt for r(t) = 2 cos ti + sin tj + 2tk.
Solution.
ˆ ˆ  ˆ  ˆ 
r(t) dt = 2 cos t dt i + sin t dt j + 2t dt k

= 2 sin ti − cos tj + t2 k + C.

Then ˆ π
2 π2
r(t) dt = 2i + j + k.
0 4