Math 236 - Multivariable Calculus
Reading Assignments - January & February 2003

I'll use Maple syntax for mathematical notation on this page.
All numbers indicate sections from Multivariable Calculus by Ostebee/Zorn.

For January 29

• To read : All
• Be sure to understand : The section "Equations and their graphs"

Appendix A Polar coordinates and polar curves

• To read : All
• Be sure to understand : The section "Trading polar and rectangular coordinates"

Reading Questions :

1. Give an example of an equation whose graph in 3-space is a cylinder that is unrestricted in the y-direction.
2. Let P be the point in the plane with polar coordinates (1, Pi/2). Give another pair of polar coordinates for P.

For January 31

• To read : All
• Be sure to understand : Examples 1, 4, and 7. The section "Tricks of the trade"

Reading Questions :

1. Is every parametric curve the graph of a function y=f(x)? Why or why not?
2. Can every graph y=f(x) be expressed in parametric form? Why or why not?
3. Give a parametrization of the line connecting the points P=(-1,2) and Q=(3,0).

For February 3

For February 5

• To read : All
• Be sure to understand : The section "What is a vector?"

• To read : Through Example 3
• Be sure to understand : The section "Derivatives of vector-valued functions"

Reading Questions :

1. What are the two quantities associated with a vector?
2. Find the unit vector in the direction of the vector v=(12,-5).
3. Explain why the velocity of an object moving in 2-space or 3-space is a vector rather than a scalar.

For February 7

• To read : Finish the section
• Be sure to understand : The section "Interpreting the difference quotient"

Reading Question :

Use vector derivatives to find a vector equation for the line tangent to the unit circle at (1/2, sqrt(3)/2).

For February 10

• To read : All
• Be sure to understand : The section "Speed and arclength" and Example 9

Reading Questions Let p(t) = (3t², 7t + t²) give the position of a particle at time t.

1. What is the velocity of the particle at time t=5?
2. What is its speed at time t=5?
3. Approximately how far has it traveled from time t=1 to t=5?

For February 12

For February 14

• To read : All
• Be sure to understand : The sections "Geometry of the dot product" and "Projecting one vector onto another"

Reading Questions :

1. If u and v are unit vectors, what geometric quantity does the dot product of u and v measure?
2. Let v=(3,4) and w=(5,2). Find the component of v in the w direction.

For February 17

• To read : All
• Be sure to understand : The section "Planes"

Reading Questions :

1. What information about a line L do you need to determine an equation for the line?
2. What information about a plane P do you need to determine an equation for the plane?

For February 19

• To read : All
• Be sure to understand : The definition of the cross product,

Reading Questions :

1. How is u x v related to u and v geometrically?
2. Why are we studying the cross product now?

For February 21

• To read : All
• Be sure to understand : The section "Level curves and contour maps" in Section 2.1, Example 2 in Setion 2.2, and the formal definition of partial derivatives

Reading Questions :

1. Is N(x,y) = 3x + 5y - x² a linear function? Why or why not?
2. Let f(x,y)=x²y + 3xy - y. Find f_x(x,y) and f_y(x,y). Is f increasing or decreasing in the x direction at the point (2,1)? Why?

For February 24

For February 26

• To read : All
• Be sure to understand : The section "Partial derivatives, the cross product, and the tangent plane" and the defintion of linear approximation

Reading Question :

Find the linear approximation to f(x,y)=x²y +3xy-y² at the point (2,1).

For February 28