Vectors and Parametric Equations Transcript

The movement of this cheetah and antelope can be modeled using vector equations and
a related set called parametric equations.
A cheetah chases a gazelle.
Today you will learn how to write parametric equations and use them to model the
movement of objects.
In this figure, line l runs through points P sub 1 and P sub 2, and is parallel to vector a.
A coordinate plane shows point P Subscript 1 Baseline at left-parenthesis x Subscript 1
Baseline comma y Subscript 1 Baseline right-parenthesis. Point P Subscript 2 Baseline
is located at left-parenthesis x Subscript 2 Baseline comma y Subscript 2 Baseline rightparenthesis. Vector a originates at the origin and terminates at left-parenthesis a
Subscript 1 Baseline comma a Subscript 2 Baseline right-parenthesis.
The new vector P Subscript 1 Baseline P Subscript 2 Baseline is also parallel to vector
a.
Text reads: vector P Subscript 1 Baseline P Subscript 2 Baseline is parallel to vector a.
The vector P Subscript 1 Baseline P Subscript 2 Baseline is also some scalar factor, t,
larger than vector a.
Text reads: vector P Subscript 1 Baseline P Subscript 2 Baseline equals t vector a.
Since the vector points in the same direction as the line, it is called a direction vector.
The scalar factor, t, is called a parameter. Recall that vectors can be represented
algebraically as an ordered pair. Vector P Subscript 1 Baseline P Subscript 2 Baseline
can be represented as the difference between the x and y coordinates of the end points.
Text reads: vector P Subscript 1 Baseline P Subscript 2 Baseline equals left-anglebracket x Subscript 2 Baseline minus x Subscript 1 Baseline comma y Subscript 2
Baseline minus y Subscript 1 Baseline right-angle-bracket.
Vector a can also be represented as an ordered pair.
Text reads: vector a equals left-angle-bracket a Subscript 1 Baseline comma a Subscript
2 Baseline right-angle-bracket
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Substituting each of these representations into the original equation creates a vector
equation of the line.
Text reads: Left-angle-bracket x Subscript 2 Baseline minus x Subscript 1 Baseline
comma y Subscript 2 Baseline minus y Subscript 1 Baseline right-angle-bracket equals t
left-angle-bracket a Subscript 1 Baseline comma minus a Subscript 2 Baseline rightangle-bracket.
In this figure, the line passing through point P is parallel to vector a.
A coordinate plane shows point P at left-parenthesis 3 comma 5 right-parenthesis. Point
P Subscript 2 Baseline is located at left-parenthesis x comma y right-parenthesis. Vector
a originates at the origin and terminates at left-parenthesis 4 comma 1 right-parenthesis.
To find the vector equation of the line, begin by writing the general form of a vector
equation and then substituting in the x and y values.
A vector equation can be used to describe the coordinates for any point on the line if the
scalar value, t, is known. In this equation, the scalar value is 3.
Text reads: Vector P Q equals 3 vector a.
To find the values of the x and y coordinate of point Q, begin by writing the vector
equation of the line.
Text reads:
Left-angle-bracket x Subscript 2 Baseline minus x Subscript 1 Baseline comma y
Subscript 2 Baseline minus y Subscript 1 Baseline right-angle-bracket equals t
left-angle-bracket a Subscript 1 Baseline comma minus a Subscript 2 Baseline
right-angle-bracket.
Left-angle-bracket x minus 3 comma y minus 5 right-angle-bracket equals 3 leftangle-bracket 4 comma 1 right-angle-bracket.
Now separate the vector equation into two equations representing the x and y
coordinates, and solve for x and y.
Text reads:
x minus 3 equals 3 left-parenthesis 4 right-parenthesis
x minus 3 equals 12
x equals 15
y minus 5 equals 3 left-parenthesis 1 right-parenthesis
y minus 5 equals 3
y equals 8
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Q left-parenthesis 15 comma 8 right-parenthesis

The coordinates of point Q are left-parenthesis 15 comma 8 right-parenthesis.

To graph the line passing through point P and parallel to vector v, first write the general
form of the parametric equations. Then substitute in the values of x and y.
Text reads:
x equals x Subscript 1 Baseline plus t a Subscript 1 Baseline
x equals 3 plus 4 t
y equals y Subscript 1 Baseline plus t a Subscript 2 Baseline
y equals 7 plus 2 t
A coordinate plane shows point P at left-parenthesis 3 comma 7 right-parenthesis.
Vector v originates at the origin and terminates at left-angle-bracket 4 comma 2 rightangle-bracket.
Next, create a table and substitute the values of the t to determine the coordinates of
points on the line.
t
0
1
2
3

x equals 3 plus 4 t
3
7
11
15

y equals 7 plus 2 t
7
9
11
13

Now graph the line.

A coordinate plane shows a line containing point P at left-parenthesis 3 comma 7 rightparenthesis, along with points left-parenthesis 7 comma 9 right-parenthesis, leftparenthesis 11 comma 11 right-parenthesis, left-parenthesis 15 comma 13 rightparenthesis. Vector v originates at the origin and terminates at left-angle-bracket 4
comma 2 right-angle-bracket.
Notice from the previous example that each value of the scalar, t, creates a unique
ordered pair whose graph lies on the line.
Suppose the lines represent the path of a moving object and the scalar, t, represents a
unit of time, such as a second.
A billiards table is overlaid on the first quadrant of a coordinate plane.
Text reads:
x equals 3 plus 4 t
x equals 3 plus 4 left-parenthesis 0 right-parenthesis
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y equals 7 plus 2 t
y equals 7 plus 2 left-parenthesis 0 right-parenthesis

The ordered pairs represent the position of the object relative to the origin at any given
time, t.
Once the parametric equations are written, the equation of the line in slope-intercept
form can be determined.
A billiards table is overlaid on the first quadrant of a coordinate plane. A point t equals 0
is labeled at left-parenthesis 3 comma 7 right-parenthesis. Point t equals 1 is labeled at
left-parenthesis 7 comma 9 right-parenthesis. Point t equals 2 is labeled at leftparenthesis 11 comma 11 right-parenthesis. Point t equals 3 is labeled at left-parenthesis
15 comma 13 right-parenthesis.
Begin by solving each of the equations for t.
Text reads:
x equals 3 plus 4 t
x minus 3 equals 4 t
StartFraction x minus 3 over 4 EndFraction equals t
y equals 7 plus 2 t
y minus 7 equals 2 t
StartFraction y minus 7 over 2 EndFraction equals t
Since both equations equal t, create an equation without the value of t.
Text reads:
StartFraction x minus 3 over 4 EndFraction equals StartFraction y minus 7 over 2
EndFraction
Cross multiply and solve this new equation for y.
Text reads:
2 left-parenthesis x minus 3 right-parenthesis equals 4 left-parenthesis y minus 7
right-parenthesis
2 x minus 6 equals 4 y minus 28
2 x plus 22 equals 4 y
y equals one-half x plus eleven-halves.
This equation represents the path of the moving object.
Now respond to the following.

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Review
Question is displayed.
Question text: Write the slope-intercept form of the equation of the line parallel to
vector a that passes through point left-parenthesis 4 comma 5 right-parenthesis.
Pause your reader to answer the question.
Correct answer: y equals three-halves x minus 1
Feedback: A coordinate plane shows point P at left-parenthesis 4 comma 5 rightparenthesis and vector a that originates at the origin and terminates at left-anglebracket 2 comma 3 right-angle-bracket.
x equals 4 plus 2 t
x minus 4 equals 2 t
StartFraction x minus 4 over 2 EndFraction equals t
y equals 5 plus 3 t
y minus 5 equals 3 t
StartFraction y minus 5 over 3 EndFraction equals t
StartFraction x minus 4 over 2 EndFraction equals StartFraction y minus
5 over 3 EndFraction
y equals three-halves x minus 1
Parametric equations can be used to model the motion and position of two or more
moving objects. In this situation, a motorcycle racer going 71 miles per hour passes a
sports photographer.
Two motorcycles pass by a man with a camera.
Five seconds later a second racer passes the photographer going 73 miles per hour. To
find out how long it will take the second racer to catch the first and the distance both will
travel, begin by writing parametric equations to model the situation. Since their speed is
in miles per hour, first convert 5 seconds to hours so that the units are consistent.
Text reads: 5 seconds dot StartFraction 1 hour over 3,600 seconds EndFraction almost
equals 0.0014 hours
Since the riders are moving perpendicular to the photographers line of sight, only their
horizontal distance relative to the photographer is changing.
Text reads:
distance equals velocity dot time
x equals v dot t
The distance traveled by the first rider is found by multiplying her speed by the elapsed
time, t, since passing the photographer. Since the second rider covered the distance in 5
less seconds, her distance is equal to her speed times t minus 5 seconds.
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Text reads:
x Subscript 1 Baseline equals 71 dot t
x Subscript 2 Baseline equals 73 left-parenthesis t minus 0.0014 rightparenthesis
The distance they both traveled is the same. So set the equations equal to each other
and solve for time.
Text reads:
71 t equals 73 left-parenthesis t minus 0.0014 right-parenthesis
71 t equals 73 t minus 0.1022
Negative 2 t equals negative 0.1022
t equals 0.0511 hour
It will take a little over 0.05 of an hour, or about 3 minutes, for the second rider to catch
the first. Substitute the time back into the distance equation for the first rider to get a
distance of about 3.63 miles.
Text reads:
x Subscript 1 Baseline equals 71 dot 0.0511
x Subscript 1 Baseline almost equals 3.63 miles
Now respond to the following.

Review
Question is displayed.
Question text: A race car passes a marker post traveling at 215 miles per hour.
Three seconds later, a second car passes the same post traveling at 219 miles
per hour. How long will it take the second car to overtake the first, and what
distance will they have travelled from the post in that time?
A blue race car is labeled as traveling 215 miles per hour. A red race car is
behind the blue car by 3 seconds and is labeled as traveling 219 miles per hour.
Pause your reader to answer the question.
Correct answer: 2.7 minutes and 9.8 miles
Feedback:
3 seconds dot StartFraction 1 hour over 3,600 seconds EndFraction
almost equals 0.00083 hours
215 t equals 219 left-parenthesis t minus 0.00083 right-parenthesis
215 t equals 219 t minus 0.18177
Negative 4 t equals negative 0.18177
t equals 0.0454
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t equals 0.0454 hours dot StartFraction 3,600 seconds over 1 hour

EndFraction dot StartFraction 1 minute over 60 seconds EndFraction
almost equals 2.7 minutes
215 dot 0.0454 seconds almost equals 9.8 miles

The Vectors and Parametric Equations activity has concluded. Please continue with the
rest of todays lesson.

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