Math F412: Homework 6 Solutions

February 25, 2005

Let R be the rotation map given by the matrix

2-3.11.

cos()

sin()
0

sin()
cos()
0

0
0
.
1

Then R is a smooth map from R3 to R3 . Moreover, if S is a surface of revolution about

the z axis, then if p S then p can be written as (f (v) cos(u), f (v) sin(u), g(v). But then
R (p) = (f (v) cos(u + ), f (v) sin(u + ), g(v)), which is also an element of S. So R
maps S to S. It is a smooth function and has a smooth inverse function (R ) which also
maps S to S. Hence R is a diffeomorphsim of S.
The patch (u, v) = (v cos(u), v sin(u), au) is injective, for if (u1 , v1 ) =
(u2 , v2 ), then looking at the third coordinate we see u1 = u2 . But then it is clear
that v1 = v2 also. It is regular since

2-4.9.

u = (v sin(u), v cos(u), a)
v = (cos(u), sin(u), 0)
and these are linearly independent. To see it has a continuous inverse function, define
q

G(x, y, z) = ( x2 + y 2 , z/a).
Then G((u, v)) = (u, v). So 1 is the restriction of G to the helicoid. Hence the helicoid
is a surface. A normal vector is given by
u v = (a sin(u), a cos(u), v)
Normalizing to unit length we have
N(u, v) =

1
(a sin(u), a cos(u), v).
a2 + v 2

If is the angle between the plane and the z axis, then

sin() = hN(u, v), (0, 0, 1)i =
But then
tan() = v/a
so the tangent of this angle is proportional to v.
2-4.1.

We showed in class that the normal is given by

N = Df = (fx , fy , fz ).

v
.
a2 + v 2

Math F412: Homework 6 Solutions

February 25, 2005

So if p = (x0 , y0 , z0 ) is in the surface, then the the tangent plane is given by

hDfp , x pi = 0.
This is a compact way of writing
fx (x0 , y0 , z0 )(x x0 ) + fy (x0 , y0 , z0 )(y x0 ) + fz (x0 , y0 , z0 )(z x0 ).
2-4.10.

We compute
s = 0 (s) + r(n0 (s) cos(v) + b0 (s) sin(v))
v = r(n(s) sin(v) + b(s) cos(v)).

Using the Frenet equations we can write

s = (1 rk(s))t(s) cos(v) (s)b(s) cos(v) + (s)n(s) sin(v).
A computation shows that
s v = r sin(v)(1 rk(s) cos(v))b(s) r cos(s)(1 rk(s) cos(s))n(s).
Normalizing to unit length we have
N(s, v) = sin(v)b(s) cos(s)n(s).