Assignment: Week 1 - Vectors

Engineering Math and Computation (IY1)

Part A: Length and unit vector

Find the lengths and unit of the following vectors

(i) (4, −2, 7)

(ii) (−8, 2, 5)

Part B: Scalar and addition calculations

Calculate the following operations of these two vectors: v = −2i + 9j + 5k and w = i − j
(i) 3v − 2w

(ii) ŵ

(iii) 2(v + w) + 3w

Part C: Dot product

Given that u = (4, 0, −2), v = (3, 1, −1), w = (2, 1, 6) and s = (1, 4, 1). Evaluate:
(i) u · v

(ii) (u · w) · (v · s)

(iii) (v · s)û

(iv) 2(u · v) + 4(w · s)

Part D: Cross product

(i) if a = i + j − k, b = i − j and c = 2i + k. Find:

(a) b × c
(b) (a × b) × c

(ii) Find the area of the parallelogram with adjacent sides u = (3, 2, 0) and v = (0, 2, 1).
The area is given by |u × v|

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Assignment: Week 1 - Vectors
Engineering Math and Computation (IY1)

Part E: Application with vectors

(i) Determine the work (in Joules) done by a force, F , in moving an object through a
displacement r when F = 3i − j − k and r = i − j − k

W =F ·r

(ii) The velocity, V , and acceleration, a, of a particle are given by V = 2i + 3j + 4k

and a = 2i + 2j + 2k.
Find the angle between these vectors (in degrees). Are these vectors perpendicular?
Why?

(iii) A and B have the following position points

A = 2i − 3j + k
B = 7i − 4j − k

The force F = 3i − j + 5k passess through the point A. Determine the vector

moment (M ) of F about the point B. The moment of the force is given by:
−→
M = (BA) × F

(iv) Let r = ai + bj + ck and s = di + ej + f k be any vectors. Show that:

r × s = −(s × r)

(v) Show that the vectors u = 8i + 2j − 3k and v = −i + 7j + 2k are perpendicular

to each other

(vi) Are the following vectors a, b and c coplanar?


a = (2, 4, −1)


b = (8, −10, 5)


c = (5, −3, 2)
