WTW124 Tutorial 2

Dr. Madanha and Ms Beharie

Tut 2 1/7
Assignment 1
Question 2
Throughout this question, time is measures in seconds, and distance in
meters. A particle travels through space along a straight line L1 at
constant velocity. At time t = 0, the particle is at the point p̄ = h3, 3, 1i.
Two seconds later, the particle is at the point q̄ = h7, 5, 5i.
(a) At what speed does the particle move? (Use speed = distance ÷
time.)
(b) Let x̄(t) denote the position of the particle at time t. Write a formula
for x̄(t), that is your formula satisfies: x̄(0) = h3, 3, 1i and
x̄(1) = h7, 5, 5i.
A second particle also moves along a straight line, L2 , at constant velocity.
At time t = 0, the particle is at the point ā = h2, 1, 9i, and at time t = 1
the particle is at b̄ = h3, 2, 7i.
(c) Show that the paths along which the two particles travel do intersect.
(d) Do the two particles collide? Explain fully
Tut 2 2/7
Assignment 1

Question 2(a)- Solution

speed = distance ÷ time
||q̄ − p̄||
=
2−0
||h4, 2, 4i||
=
√ 2
16 + 4 + 16
=
2
= 3 m/s

Question 2(b)-Solution
x(t) = p + 2t (q̄ − p̄)
= h3, 3, 1i + 2t h4, 2, 4i
= h3 + 2t, 3 + t, 1 + 2ti
where t ∈ R.

Tut 2 3/7
Assignment 1
Question 2(c)-Solution
Line 2
x(t) = sb + (1 − s)(ā − b̄)
= sh3, 2, 7i + (1 − s)h2, 1, 9i
= h2 + s, 1 + s, 9 − 2si
where s ∈ R.
If x̄ ∈ L1 ∩ L2 , then x̄ ∈ L1 and x̄ ∈ L2 .
So x = h3 + 2t, 3 + t, 1 + 2ti, for some t ∈ R and
x = h2 + s, 1 + s, 9 − 2si, for some s ∈ R.
3 + 2t = 2 + s (1)
3+t =1+s (2)
1 + 2t = 9 − 2s (3)
From (1) -(3): 2 = −7 + 3s
s =3
From (1): 3 + 2t = 5
t =1
Tut 2 4/7
Assignment 1

Question 2(c)-Solution
t = 1 gives h5, 4, 3i ∈ L1
and s = 3 gives h5, 4, 3i ∈ L2 .
So L1 ∩ L2 = {h5, 4, 3i}.
Thus a unique point on both paths.

Question 2(d)-Solution
No.
If particles collided they would be at the point h5, 4, 3i at the same time.
Particle one is at point h5, 4, 3i at time t = 1.
Particle two is at point h5, 4, 3i at time s = 3.

Tut 2 5/7
Exercise 1.5

Question 4(d)
Consider a triangle with vertices ā, b̄ and c̄. Find ||ā − b̄|| if ||ā − c̄|| = 3,
the angle at ā has magnitude π3 and the angle at c̄ has magnitude π2 .

Solution
NB Use Cosine Law (on page 36) on both angles given
Applying the Cosine Law on the angle at ā, we have that,
||b̄ − c̄||2 = ||b̄ − ā||2 + ||c̄ − ā||2 − 2||b̄ − ā||||c̄ − ā|| cos π3
||b̄ − c̄||2 = ||b̄ − ā||2 + 32 − 2 · 3||b̄ − ā|| 21
||b̄ − c̄||2 = ||b̄ − ā||2 + 9 − 3||b̄ − ā|| (1)
Applying the Cosine Law on the angle at c̄, we have that
||ā − b̄||2 = ||ā − c̄||2 + ||b̄ − c̄||2 − 2||ā − c̄||||b̄ − c̄|| cos π2
||ā − b̄||2 = 9 + ||b̄ − c̄||2 − 0
||ā − b̄||2 = 9 + ||b̄ − c̄||2 (2)

Tut 2 6/7
Exercise 1.5

Question 4(d) - Solution

Adding (1) and (2), we have that,
||b̄ − c̄||2 + ||ā − b̄||2 = ||b̄ − ā||2 + 9 − 3||b̄ − ā|| + 9 + ||b̄ − c̄||2
0 = 18 − 3||b̄ − ā||
||b̄ − ā|| =6
||ā − b̄|| =6

Tut 2 7/7