DEPARTMENT OF APPLIED MATHEMATICS

Tutorial Sheet - I
Mathematics-II: Vector Calculus
1. Prove that necessary and sufficient condition for a vector → −a (t) to have constant magnitude is
d→−
a
→
−a. = 0.
dt
d − d→
−a d2 →
−a
2. If →
−
a (t) is a differentiable vector, then prove that (→ a × )=→ −
a × 2
.
dt dt dt
π
3. Find unit vectors to the curve x = 4cost, y = 4sint, z = 6t at t = 0 and t = .
√ √ 2
[Ans. At t = 0, b t = (4b k)/ 52; at t = π/2, b
j + 6b t = (−4bi + 6bk)/ 52].
4. A particle moves so that its position vector at times t is given by r(t) = cos(ωt)bi + sin(ωt)b
j,
where ω is constant. Show that
(a) the velocity of the particle is perpendicular to →
−
r,
(b) the acceleration is directed towards origin and has magnitude proportional to the distance
from the origin, and
d→−
r
(c) →
−r × is constant vector.
dt
5. A particle moves along the curve x = e−t , y = cos3t, z = 2sin3t, where t is the time. Determine
velocity and acceleration of the particle at time t = 0. Also find their magnitude at t = 0 in
j − 2b
the direction bi + 3b k.
−13 −26
Ans.[ −i + 6k, i − 9j, √ , √ ].
b b b b
14 14
6. Prove that grad(f ) is a vector in the direction of which the maximum value of directional
derivative of f occurs.
y
7. Find the value of directional derivative of the function f = 2 making an angle 30◦ with
x + y2
1
the positive x-axis at (0, 1). Ans:
2
8. Find the directional derivative of φ = xyz at the point (2, 2, 2) in the direction
(a)bi (b)b
j (c)b k (d)bi + bj+b k.
(xy + yz + xz)
Ans: (a)yz (b)xz (c)yx (d) √ .
3
9. Find the angle between the surface x2 + y 2 + z 2 = 9 and z = x2 + y 2 − 3 at the point (2, −1, 2).
8
Ans: cos−1 ( √ ).
3 21
10. Find the maximum value of the directional derivative of φ = x2 yz at the point (1, 4, 1).
Ans: 9.
11. Find the directional derivative of 1/r in the direction of →
−
r , where →
−
r = xbi + xb
j + zb
k.
xbi + xb
j + zb
k 2
Ans: −( 2 ) .
x + y2 + z2
12. Find the directional derivative of the function φ = x2 − y 2 + 2z 2 at the point P (1, 2, 3) in the
direction of the line PQ, where Q is (5, 0, 4).
28
Ans: √ .
21
. (S.P. Tiwari)