RMIT University

MATH 2239 – Mathematics 1 – Tutorial 1

Vectors and Its Applications - Solutions

Question 1:

Given 2 vectors 𝑎⃗ = 2𝑖 + 4𝑗 − 3𝑘 and vector 𝑏⃗⃗ = [−4, −8, 𝑥], where 𝑥 is a real number of
unknown value.

a) Find 𝑥 such that 𝑎⃗ is perpendicular to 𝑏⃗⃗.

b) Using the value of 𝑥 from (a), find the resolution of a vector perpendicular to both 𝑎⃗ and 𝑏⃗⃗.
Solution:
(a) Since the question is asking for perpendicularity between 2 vectors, we should be using
the Dot Product.

Step 1: Perform Dot Product between 𝑎⃗ and 𝑏⃗⃗:

𝑎⃗ ∙ 𝑏⃗⃗ = 2 ∗ (−4) + 4 ∗ (−8) + (−3) ∗ 𝑥

= −8 − 32 − 3𝑥 = −40 − 3𝑥
Step 2: Recall that if 2 vectors are perpendicular to each other, their Dot product will
be equal to zero. Hence:

𝑎⃗ ∙ 𝑏⃗⃗ = −40 − 3𝑥 = 0
−40
→𝑥=
3
−40
Thus, for 𝑎⃗ and 𝑏⃗⃗ to be perpendicular to one another, 𝑥 = .
3

(b) To find a vector that is perpendicular to both 𝑎⃗ and 𝑏⃗⃗, we should perform a Cross
Product between 𝑎⃗ and 𝑏⃗⃗ as the result of a cross product will always be a vector
perpendicular to both parent vectors.
4 −3 2 −3
⃗
⃗
𝑎⃗ × 𝑏 = [ 40] 𝑖 − [ 40] 𝑗 + [ 2 4
]𝑘
−8 − −4 − −4 −8
3 3
232 116
=− 𝑖+ 𝑗 + 0𝑘
3 3
Thus a vector perpendicular to both 𝑎⃗ and 𝑏⃗⃗ shall have the resolution of
232 116
[− 3 , 3 , 0].

1
RMIT University
MATH 2239 – Mathematics 1 – Tutorial 1
Vectors and Its Applications - Solutions

Question 2:

A car travels due NORTH at speed 50 km/h for 30 minutes, then turns and travels at speed 80
km/h along a freeway due EAST in 1.5 hour. It finally travels in the S 300 E direction at speed
50km/h for 1 hour. Find the final position of the car relative to its starting point.

Solution:

(1) First, let’s impose a 2D Cartesian Coordinate system onto the journey of this car. North
corresponds to the positive y-axis and East corresponds to the positive x-axis.
(2) From the problem statement, we can identify 3 velocity vectors for the Car: ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑣1 = [0, 50]
𝑜 𝑜
km/hr, ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑣2 = [80, 0] km/hr, ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑣3 = [50 sin(30 ) , −50 cos(30 )] km/hr.
(3) Hence, we can invoke the relationship between the Displacement vector and Velocity vector to
find the corresponding displacement associated to each velocity vector:

⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗1 = 0.5 ℎ𝑟 ∗ [0, 50] = [0, 25] 𝑘𝑚

𝑑1 = 𝑡 ∗ 𝑣

⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ 𝑣2 = 1.5 ℎ𝑟 ∗ [80, 0] = [120, 0] 𝑘𝑚

𝑑2 = 𝑡 ∗ ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗

⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ 𝑣3 = 1 ℎ𝑟 ∗ [50 sin(30𝑜 ) , −50 cos(30𝑜 )] = [25, −43.3] 𝑘𝑚

𝑑3 = 𝑡 ∗ ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗

(4) Finally, we can add all the displacement vectors up to find its total displacement relative to its
origin:

⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑑 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 = 𝑑1 + 𝑑2 + 𝑑3 = [0, 25] + [120, 0] + [25, −43.3] = [145, −18.3]𝑘𝑚

Thus, its final position is (145, −18.3) 𝑘𝑚 from its starting point (0, 0).

2
RMIT University
MATH 2239 – Mathematics 1 – Tutorial 1
Vectors and Its Applications - Solutions

Question 3:

A crane onboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor is pulling a string along with velocity 𝑎⃗ = 2𝑖 +
3𝑗 − 2𝑘 meter/second for the purpose of hoisting a cargo along the railing of 𝑏⃗⃗ = 2𝑖 + 2𝑗 − 𝑘
meter in space. Determine the velocity vector of the cargo.

Solution:

CARGO
𝑏⃗⃗ = 2𝑖 + 2𝑗 − 𝑘 meter

Since the cargo must travel along a fixed railing not in the same direction as the pulling cable,
we can conclude that this is a Vector Projection problem. Specifically, we are looking for the
projection of vector 𝑎⃗ in the direction of vector 𝑏⃗⃗.

(1) First, let’s calculate the unit vector 𝑏̂:

|𝑏⃗⃗| = √22 + 22 + (−1)2 = √9 = 3 𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠

𝑏⃗⃗ 2𝑖 + 2𝑗 − 𝑘 2 2 1
→ 𝑏̂ = = = 𝑖+ 𝑗− 𝑘
|𝑏⃗⃗| 3 3 3 3

(2) Recall the formula to find the Scalar Projection of one vector in the direction of another
vector:

2 2 1 4 6 2 12
𝑎𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑗 = 𝑎⃗ ∙ 𝑏̂ = 2 ∗ + 3 ∗ + (−2) (− ) = + + = = 4 (𝑚/𝑠)
3 3 3 3 3 3 3

(3) Hence, we can calculate the Vector Projection of vector 𝑎⃗ in the direction of vector 𝑏⃗⃗
as:

2 2 1 8 8 4
𝑎
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ ̂
𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑗 = 𝑎𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑗 ∗ 𝑏 = 4 ∗ ( 𝑖 + 𝑗 − 𝑘) = 𝑖 + 𝑗 − 𝑘 (𝑚/𝑠)
3 3 3 3 3 3

3
RMIT University
MATH 2239 – Mathematics 1 – Tutorial 1
Vectors and Its Applications - Solutions

Question 4:

A woman on the South bank of a river wants to cross to the North bank on a boat. The river is
50 meters wide and it is flowing from West to East at the speed of 0.3 m/s. The boat has the
speed of 0.8 m/s. Assume her destination is directly North of where she starts, determine her
velocity vector such that she can arrive at her destination.

Solution:

(1) First, let us impose a 2D Cartesian Coordinate system onto this problem with point A
being the origin with coordinate 𝐴(0, 0). Hence, point B will have coordinate
𝐵 (0, 50) 𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠.

(2) Thus, the displacement vector ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗

𝐴𝐵 is:

⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ = (0, 50) − (0, 0) = [0, 50] 𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠

𝐴𝐵

(3) Next, let’s identify the velocity vector of the river’s current and call it ⃗⃗⃗⃗:
𝑣𝑐

𝑣𝑐 = [0.3, 0] 𝑚/𝑠
⃗⃗⃗⃗

(4) Now let’s call the velocity vector of the boat (which we are looking for) as ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑣𝑚 =
[𝑣𝑥 , 𝑣𝑦 ] and the True Course vector for the trip as ⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑣𝑟 = 𝑣
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ 𝑣𝑐 Hence, we have the
𝑚 + ⃗⃗⃗⃗.
relationship:

⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ = 𝑡 ∗ ⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐴𝐵 𝑣𝑟 = 𝑡 ∗ (𝑣
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑚 + ⃗⃗⃗⃗)
𝑣𝑐

(5) The relationship above can be written as a system of equation according to the 𝑥 and 𝑦
components of the vector as:

0 = 𝑡 ∗ (0.3 + 𝑣𝑥 )
{
50 = 𝑡 ∗ (𝑣𝑦 + 0)

4
RMIT University
MATH 2239 – Mathematics 1 – Tutorial 1
Vectors and Its Applications - Solutions

(6) Notice that we now have 2 equations and 3 unknowns. Thus, we need 1 more equation.
The 3rd equation will be the speed of the boat expressed as the magnitude of the velocity
vector ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗.
𝑣𝑚

|𝑣
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗| 2 2
𝑚 = 0.8 = √𝑣𝑥 + 𝑣𝑦

→ 0.64 = 𝑣𝑥2 + 𝑣𝑦2

(7) Now we have a system of 3 equations and 3 unknowns:

0 = 𝑡 ∗ (0.3 + 𝑣𝑥 )
{ 50 = 𝑡 ∗ (𝑣𝑦 + 0)
0.64 = 𝑣𝑥2 + 𝑣𝑦2

(8) Solving the system of equations above, we shall obtain:

𝑣𝑥 = −0.3 𝑚/𝑠
{𝑣𝑦 = 0.741 𝑚/𝑠
𝑡 = 67.42 𝑠
Therefore, the boat should have a velocity vector of ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑣𝑚 = [−0.3, 0.741]𝑚/𝑠 to ensure that it
goes to its intended destination.

5
RMIT University
MATH 2239 – Mathematics 1 – Tutorial 1
Vectors and Its Applications - Solutions

Question 5:

Show that the triangle with vertices 𝑃 (−2, 4,0), 𝑄 (1, 2, −1), 𝑅 (−1, 1, 2) is an equilateral
triangle.

Solution:

Question 6:

Determine whether the points lie on a straight line.

(a) 𝐴 (5, 1,3), 𝐵 (7, 9, −1), 𝐶 (1, −15,11)

(b) 𝐾 (0, 3, −4), 𝐿 (1,2, −2), 𝑀 (3, 0,1)

Solution: