ParameterizingCurvesandSurfaces

Theabilitytoparameterizearbitrarycurvesandsurfacesisanessentialskillin multivariablecalculus.Thistemplateactsasaguidetoparameterizingdifferent typesofcurvesandsurfaces. Curves: Aparameterizationforacurvein3spaceisasetoffunctionsdependingonlyona parameter,suchasx=f(t),y=g(t),z=h(t),alongwithboundsfortheparameter.The parameter is simply a dummy variable that is introduced to facilitate later computation. It is important to remember, when representing a curve as a set of parametricequations,tomaintaintheinitialrelationshipsthatdefinethecurve.For example, if the curve is the unit circle, one must ensure that no matter what functionsarechosenforxandy,itistruethatx(t)2+y(t)2=1. The orientation of a curve must also be considered when creating a parameterization. As the parameter increases, the position vector r(t)=(x(t),y(t),z(t))movesinspace.Thedirectionofthismovementdeterminesthe orientation of the parameterization. Often it is of interest to maintain a counter clockwiseorientation,suchasinapplicationsofGreensTheorem. Examples: Considerwhenoneofthevariablescanbewrittenasanexplicitfunctionof theothervariable.Forexample,sayy=f(x);thatis,yisafunctionoftheother variable x. Then we parameterize this curve by x=t, y=f(t), using the appropriateboundsforx. Another common curve to consider is a line. Here, we consider a line in 3 dimensional space. Given two points P1,P2 on the line, this curve is parameterized by finding the vector v=P2P1 and defining r(t)=(x(t),y(t))=P1+tv. Aninterestingclassofcurvestoconsiderarecurvesthatcanbedefinedby the implicit function xa+yb=C, where a,b,C are all nonzero constants. These curves can always be parameterized using a combination of trigonometric functions. Let x = (C cos 2 t )1/ a and y = (C sin 2 t )1/ b . Notice that any circle centered at the origin is a member of this class of curves. Circles centered elsewherecanbeparameterizedusingasimilarmethod,withanappropriate shiftappliedtoxandy. Thelastexamplerepresentsacommoncaseinparameterizationofcurvesin 3dimensional space. If one of the coordinates is allowed to take on any numericalvalueweoftensimplyassignthisvariablethefunctionf(t)=t.For example, the helix can be parameterized by x(t)=cos(t), y(t)=sin(t), and z(t)=t.

CreatedbyHarrisonGammon(Fall2008)

Surfaces: Parameterizing surfaces is similar in structure to parameterizing curves. A parameterization for a surface is a set of functions depending on two parameters, usually u and v, where x=f(u,v), y=g(u,v), and z=h(u,v). We must also provide bounds for the two parameters u and v. As before, the most important concept to understandisthattheinitialrelationshipsthatdefinethesurfacemustbeobserved. For example, if the surface under consideration is the unit sphere, we must have thatx(u,v)2+y(u,v)2+z(u,v)2=1.Anysurfacecanbeparameterizedinmanydifferent ways and the best choice for a surface depends greatly on context. The skills necessarytoidentifyagoodparameterizationcanbedevelopedwithpractice. Examples:

Theeasiestclassofsurfacestoconsiderincludesurfacesinwhichone variablecanbewrittenasanexplicitfunctionoftheothervariables.For example,inthecasewherez=f(x,y)wecanwritezasanexplicitfunctionof theothervariablesxandy.Thenthemostsimpleparameterizationwouldbe x=u,y=v,z=f(u,v),withappropriateboundsforuandv. Planescanbeparameterizedbythemethodinthefirstexample. Rememberingthatanexplicitequationforaplanecanbefoundby generatinganormalvectorfromtwovectorsintheplane. Conescanbedefinedbytheimplicitfunctionz2=C(x2+y2).Inthiscase,the surfacewouldincludeconesaboveandbelowtheorigin.Sincethisimplicit functioncannotbesolvedexplicitlyadifferentmethodmustbeusedthan above,thoughifonlytheupperconeisofinterestwecanwrite z = C ( x 2 + y 2 explicitly.However,ifbothpartsoftheconeareconsidered wecanusetheparameterization x = C 1/ 2v cos u , y = C 1/ 2v sin u ,z=v.Notice thatwehavemaintainedtheinitialrequirementthatz2=C(x2+y2). Anotherimportantclassofexamplescanbeseenbyexaminingsurfacesthat aredefinedbytheequationxa+yb+zc=D,fornonzeroconstantsa,b,c,D.Inthis case,weusetheparameterization x = ( D cos2 ( u)sin 2 (v ))1/ a , y = ( D sin 2 ( u)sin 2 (v ))1/ b , z = ( D cos2 (v ))1/ c .Spherescenteredattheorigincan beparameterizedinthismanner. Finally,tetrahedronsandcubesoftenariseinpracticalapplicationsrequiring parameterization.Thesesurfacescanbeparameterizedinmultiplepiecesby firstparameterizingtheplanesthatcomprisethesesurfaces,thenusing appropriateboundstoextractthecorrectpieceoftheplane.

ReasonsforParameterizingCurvesandSurfaces: Byparameterizing,wecantreatcurvesandsurfacesasvectorvaluedfunctions. Doingsogivesrisetotheabilitytoperformvectorbasedalgebraicoperations. Applicationsincludelineintegrals,surfacearea,surfaceintegrals,StokesTheorem, GreensTheorem,andtheDivergenceTheorem. CreatedbyHarrisonGammon(Fall2008)

Thistemplatecanassiststudentswithaconceptthatoftenhinderstheir understandingofmultivariablecalculus.Theabilitytoparameterizecurvesand surfacesisoftenanimplicitskillthatisassumedbutneveremphasized.Itbecomes essentialtoachieveproficiencyinparameterizingcurvesandsurfacesinorderto succeedinmultivariablecalculus.IbelievethatthistemplatebestembodiesUDI Principle1:EquitableUse.Instructionismademorebyusefulbymakingexplicit someoftheimplicitprerequisitesrequiredforsuccess.

CreatedbyHarrisonGammon(Fall2008)