Learning Outcome 2: Vectors, Lines and Planes

Understand vectors in two- and three-space, lines and planes in three-space, and be able to perform associated computations.

Tablet and Phone users: Tap any box to expand its menu.

Performance Criteria:
  1. Find the distance between two points in   R2 & nbsp; or   R3.
  2. Give the vector from one point to another in   R2 & nbsp; or   R3,   give the initial or terminal point of a vector. Determine the magnitude of a vector in   R2 & nbsp; or   R3.
  3. Add or subtract vectors, multiply a vector by a scalar, both algebraically and geometrically. Illustrate both the parallelogram method and tip-to-tail method for adding two vectors.
  4. Give the unit vector in the direction of a given vector. Determine whether two vectors are parallel.
  5. Find a vector satisfying given direction and magnitude criteria. In particular, give a vector with a specified magnitude in the direction of a given vector, or in the perpendicular or opposite direction.
  6. Find the dot product of two vectors, and know that it is a scalar. Determine whether two vectors are orthogonal (perpendicular), find a vector orthogonal to a given vector. Find the angle between two vectors.
  7. Find the projection of one vector on another, both algebraically and geometrically.
  8. Draw the vector components of a vector   {\bf v}   that are parallel and perpendicular to a vector   {\bf b}.   Find the vector components algebraically.
  9. Find the parametric equations or vector equation for a line
  10. Find the cross product of two vectors in 3-space. Know that the cross product of two vectors in 3-space is {\it a vector} that is orthogonal to both original vectors.
  11. Find the equation of a plane, given
  12. Determine whether two planes are parallel, perpendicular, or neither. Determine whether a line and a plane are parallel, perpendicular, or neither.
Return to Math 254 page