Finding Perpendicular Line & Area with Vector Method

In summary, for the first question, we can use the del operator and substitute the given point to find the parametric equation of a line perpendicular to the tangent plane of a surface. For the second question, we can use vector method and the properties of vector addition and subtraction to show that the sum of three areas is equal to the area of a square. It may be helpful to review the concept of taking the product of vectors and how one of the methods can give the area of a geometric shape.
  • #1
Kenji Liew
25
0
1) If given a surface with the equation z=x^2+ y^2 and we need to find the parametric equation of line perpendicular to the tangent plane at the point (a, b, a^2+b^2).
We can find the del (x,y,z) and then substitute the point to the del and finally we write it into the parametric form of line(a+t(b)) ?

2) If ABCD is a square, M and N be the midpoint of AB and BC respectively. Lines AN and DM intersect at P, lines AN and CM intersect at Q, lines CM and DN intersect at R.
how we are going to show that the [area AMP+ area BMQN + area of CNR ]=area DPQR if we using vector method? Using the properties of addition and subtraction of vector?
 
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  • #3
Thanks for your helpful tip for the first question .
 
  • #4
I could be off base here, but try thinking about this. Have you learned about how to take the product of vectors? How many ways to do it are there? Have you been taught that one of them gives an area of a certain geometric shape? You might be able to use this fact to show the areas are equal.
 

FAQ: Finding Perpendicular Line & Area with Vector Method

What is the vector method for finding perpendicular lines?

The vector method for finding perpendicular lines involves using the dot product of two vectors to determine if they are perpendicular. If the dot product is equal to zero, then the vectors are perpendicular.

How do you find the area of a parallelogram using the vector method?

To find the area of a parallelogram using the vector method, you first find the cross product of two adjacent sides. The magnitude of the resulting vector is equal to the area of the parallelogram.

What is the relationship between perpendicular lines and dot products?

Perpendicular lines have a dot product of zero, meaning that they are perpendicular to each other. The dot product is used to determine the angle between two vectors and is equal to the product of their magnitudes and the cosine of the angle between them.

Can the vector method be used to find the area of any shape?

No, the vector method can only be used to find the area of parallelograms and triangles. Other shapes require different methods, such as integration, to find the area.

What are some real-world applications of finding perpendicular lines and areas using the vector method?

The vector method is commonly used in physics and engineering to determine the forces acting on an object. It can also be used in navigation to determine the shortest distance between two points on a map. Additionally, the concept of perpendicular lines and dot products is used in computer graphics to create 3D models and animations.

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