2
Solutions to Exercises
Problem Set 1.1, page 8
1 T
he combinations give (a) a line in R
3
(b) a plane in R
3
(c) all of R
3
.
2 v + w = (2, 3) and v − w = (6, −1) will be the diagonals of the parallelogram with
v and w as two sides going out from (0, 0).
3 This problem gives the diagonals v + w and v − w of the parallelogram and asks for
the sides: The opposite of Problem 2. In this example v = (3, 3) and w = (2, −2).
4 3v + w = (7, 5) and cv + dw = (2c + d, c + 2d).
5 u+v = (−2, 3, 1) and u+v+w = (0, 0, 0 ) and 2u+2v+w = ( add first answers) =
(−2, 3, 1). The vectors u, v, w are in the same plane because a combination gives
(0, 0, 0). Stated another way: u = −v −w is in the plane of v and w.
6 The components of every cv + dw add to zero because the components of v and of w
add to zero. c = 3 and d = 9 give(3, 3, −6). There is no solution to cv+dw = (3, 3, 6)
because 3 + 3 + 6 is not zero.
7 The nine combinations c(2, 1) + d(0, 1) with c = 0, 1, 2 and d = (0, 1, 2) will lie on a
lattice. If we took all whole numbers c and d , the lattice would lie over the whole plane.
8 The other diagonal is v − w (or else w − v). Adding diagonals gives 2v (or 2w).
9 The fourth corner can be (4, 4) or (4, 0) or (−2, 2). Three possible parallelograms!
10 i −j = (1, 1, 0) is in the base (x-y plane). i + j + k = (1, 1, 1) is the opposite corner
from (0, 0, 0). Points in the cube have 0 ≤ x ≤ 1, 0 ≤ y ≤ 1, 0 ≤ z ≤ 1.
11 Four more corners (1, 1, 0), (1, 0, 1), (0, 1, 1), (1, 1, 1). The center point is (
1
2
,
1
2
,
1
2
).
Centers of faces are (
1
2
,
1
2
, 0), (
1
2
,
1
2
, 1) and (0,
1
2
,
1
2
), (1,
1
2
,
1
2
) and (
1
2
, 0,
1
2
), (
1
2
, 1,
1
2
).
12 The combinations of i = (1, 0, 0) and i + j = (1, 1, 0) fill the xy plane in xyz space.
13 Sum = zero vector. Sum = −2:00 vector = 8:00 vector. 2:00 is 30
◦
from horizontal
= (cos
π
6
, sin
π
6
) = (
√
3/2, 1/2).
14 Moving the origin to 6:00 adds j = (0, 1) to every vector. So the sum of twelve vectors
changes from 0 to 12 j = (0, 12).