Cartesian, or Rectangular,

Coordinate System.
 Cartesian, or Rectangular,
Coordinate System.
Example
• A vector rP pointing from the origin to point
P(1, 2, 3) is written as rP = ax + 2ay + 3az.
And another vector rQ pointing from the
origin to point Q(2, -2, 1) is written as rQ =
2ax - 2ay + az. Find the distance from P to
Q.
 Solution
RPQ  rQ  rP
RPQ  (2  1)a x  (2  2)a y  (1  3)a z
RPQ  a x  4a y  2a z
 Cartesian, or Rectangular,
Coordinate System.
Example:
Given the vectors A  10a x  4a y  8a z
and B  8a x  7a y  2a z , find: (a) the
component of B along az, (b) a unit
vector along the direction of  A  2 B , (c)
magnitude of 5a x  A  3B , (d) A 2 B ( A  B)

Answer: -2; 0.92ax+0.36ay+0.14az; 33.67; -

580.483ax+3192.654ay-2902.413az
 Solution
(a)
scalar projection of B  B  az
scalar projection of B  (8a x  7 a y  2a z )  a z
scalar projection of B  8a x  a z  7 a y  a z  2a z  a z
scalar projection of B  8(0)  7(0)  2(1)  2
 Solution
(b)
 A  (10a x  4a y  8a z )  10a x  4a y  8a z
2 B  2(8a x  7a y  2a z )  16a x  14a y  4a z
 A  2 B  26a x  10a y  4a z
26a x  10a y  4a z 26a x  10a y  4a z
a A  2 B  
26  10  4
2 2 2
792
26a x  10a y  4a z
a A  2 B   0.924a x  0.355a y  0.142a z
28.143
 Solution
(c )
A  10a x  4a y  8a z
3B  3(8a x  7a y  2a z )  24a x  21a y  6a z
5a x  A  3B  5a x  (10a x  4a y  8a z )  (24a x  21a y  6a z )
5a x  A  3B  (5  10  24)a x  (4  21)a y  (8  6)a z
5a x  A  3B  29a x  17a y  2a z
| 5a x  A  3B | (29) 2  (17) 2  (2) 2  1134  33.67
(d )
Solution
A 2 B ( A  B)

A  10a x  4a y  8a z

A  (10) 2  (4 2 )  (8) 2  180  13.42

2 B  2(8a x  7a y  2a z )  16a x  14a y  4a z

2 B  16 2  14 2  (4) 2  468  21.63

( A  B)  (10a x  4a y  8a z )  (8a x  7a y  2a z )
( A  B)  2a x  11a y  10a z

A 2 B ( A  B)  (13.42)(21.63)(2a x  11a y  10a z )

A 2 B ( A  B)  580.48a x  3192.65a y  2902.41a z

 Cartesian, or Rectangular,
Coordinate System.
Example:
Given points P(1,-3,5), Q(2,4,6) and
R(0,3,8), find: (a) the position vectors of P
and R, (b) distance vector RQR ; (c)
distance between Q and R.

Answer: ax-3ay+5az; 3ay+8az; -2ax-ay+2az; 3

 Solution
P(1,3,5)
Q(2,4,6)
R(0,3,8)
(a)
rP  a x  3a y  5a z
rR  3a y  8a z
 Solution
(b)
rQ  2a x  4a y  6a z
rR  3a y  8a z
RQR  rR  rQ  (3a y  8a z )  (2a x  4a y  6a z )
RQR  2a x  a y  2a z
(c )
| RQR | (2) 2  (1) 2  2 2  9  3
 Dot Product
Example:
The three vertices of a triangle are located
at A(6,-1,2), B(-2,3,-4), and C(-3,1,5). Find:
(a) RAB; (b) RAC; (c) the angle θBAC at
vertex A; (d) the (vector) projection of RAB
on RAC.

Ans. -8ax + 4ay – 6az; -9ax + 2ay + 3az;

53.6O; -5.94ax + 1.319ay +1.979az
 Solution
A(6,1,2); rA  6a x  a y  2a z
B(2,3,4); rB  2a x  3a y  4a z
C (3,1,5); rC  3a x  a y  5a z
(a)
R AB  rB  rA  (2a x  3a y  4a z )  (6a x  a y  2a z )
R AB  8a x  4a y  6a z
 Solution
(b)
R AC  rC  rA  (3a x  a y  5a z )  (6a x  a y  2a z )
R AC  9a x  2a y  3a z
(c )
Solution
| R AC | (9) 2  2 2  3 2  94  9.695
| R AB | (8) 2  4 2  (6) 2  116  10.770
R AC  R AB  (9a x  2a y  3a z )  (8a x  4a y  6a z )
R AC  R AB  (9)(8)a x  a x  (2)(8)a y  a x  (3)(8)a z  a x
 (9)(4)a x  a y  (2)( 4)a y  a y  (3)(4)a z  a y
 (9)(6)a x  a z  (2)(6)a y  a z  (3)( 6)a z  a z
R AC  R AB  (9)(8)(1)  (2)( 8)(0)  (3)(8)(0)
 (9)(4)(0)  (2)(4)(1)  (3)(4)(0)
 (9)(6)(0)  (2)(6)(0)  (3)(6)(1)
R AC  R AB  (72)  (8)  (18)  62
R AC  R AB | R AC || R AB | cos  BAC
R AC  R AB
 BAC  cos 1
| R AC || R AB |
62
 BAC  cos 1  53.57 0
(9.695)(10.770)
 Solution
(d )
RAC  9a x  2a y  3a z
aRAC    0.9283a x  0.2063a y  0.3094a z
| RAC | 94
R AB   
 aRAC aRAC   8a x  4a y  6a z   0.9283a x  0.2063a y  0.3094a z 
  0.9283a x  0.2063a y  0.3094a z 
R AB 
 aRAC aRAC  7.4264  0.8252  1.8564 0.9283a x  0.2063a y  0.3094a z 
R AB  aRAC a R AC  6.3952 0.9283a x  0.2063a y  0.3094a z 
R AB  aRAC a R AC  5.9367a x  1.3193a y  1.9787a z
 Cross Product
Example:
Three field quantities are given by:
P  2a x  a z
Q  2a x  a y  2a z
R  2a x  3a y  a z
Find: (a) ( P  Q)  ( P  Q), (b)Q  ( R  P) , (c)
P  (Q  R) (d) P  (Q  R), (e) unit vector
perpendicular to both Q and R .
Answer: 2ax+12ay+4az; 14; 14; 2ax+3ay+4az;
±(0.745ax+0.298ay-0.596az)
 Solution
(a)
P  Q  ( 2a x  a z )  ( 2a x  a y  2a z )  4a x  a y  a z
P  Q  (2a x  a z )  (2a x  a y  2a z )  a y  3a z
ax a y az
( P  Q)  ( P  Q)  4 1 1
0 1 3
( P  Q)  ( P  Q)  (3a x  0a y  4a z )  (a x  12a y  0a z )
( P  Q)  ( P  Q)  2a x  12a y  4a z
 Solution
(b)
2 1 2
Q  ( R  P)  2  3 1
2 0 1
Q  ( R  P)  (6  2  0)  (12  0  2)
Q  ( R  P)  14
 Solution
(c )
2 0 1
P  (Q  R)  2  1 2
2  3 1
P  (Q  R)  (2  0  6)  (2  12  0)
P  (Q  R)  14
 Solution
(d )
P  (Q  R)  QP  R   R( P  Q)
P  R  (4  0  1)  3
P  Q  (4  0  2)  2
P  (Q  R)  (2a x  a y  2a z )3  (2a x  3a y  a z )(2)
P  (Q  R)  2a x  3a y  4a z
 Solution
( e)
Q  R  a N | Q || R | sin  QR
Q  R  a N | Q  R | sin  QR ; QR  90
ax a y az
Q R  2  1 2  (a x  4a y  6a z )  (6a x  2a y  2a z )
2 3 1
Q  R  5a x  2a y  4a z
| Q  R | 52  2 2  (4) 2  45  6.7082
5a x  2 a y  4 a z
aN    0.745a x  0.298a y  0.598a z 
 6.7082
 Cylindrical Coordinate System
Example
(a) Give the Cartesian coordinates of the
point C(ρ = 4.4, Φ = -115O, z = 2). (b) Give
the cylindrical coordinates of the point D(x
= -3.1, y = 2.6, z = -3). (c) Specify the
distance from C to D.

Ans. C(x = -1.860, y = -3.99, z = 2); D(ρ =

4.05, Φ = 140.0O,z = -3); 8.36.
 Solution
(a)
  4.4,   1150 , z  2
x   cos   4.4(cos 115)  1.86
y   sin   4.4(sin  115)  3.988
zz2
 Solution
(b)
x  3.1, y  2.6, z  3
  x 2  y 2  (3.1) 2  2.6 2  4.046
y 1 2.6
  tan1
 tan  39.990  1800  140.010
x  3.1
z  z  3
 Solution
(c )
RCD  (3.1  (1.86))a x  (2.6  (3.988))a y  (3  2)a z
RCD  1.24a x  6.59a y  5a z
| RCD | (1.24) 2  6.59 2  (5) 2  69.97  8.36
 Spherical Coordinate System
Example:
Given the points C(-3, 2, 1) and D(5, 20O, -
70O), find: (a) the spherical coordinates of
C; (b) the rectangular coordinates of D; (c)
the distance from C to D

Answer:
r=3.742,θ=74.5,Φ=146.3;x=0.585,y=-
1.607,z=4.698;6.288
 Solution
(a)
x  3, y  2, z  1
r  x 2  y 2  z 2  (3) 2  2 2  12  14  3.742
z 1
  cos 1
 cos 1
 74.5 0
r 3.742
1 y 1 2
  tan  tan  33.69 0  180 0  146.30
x 3
 Solution
(b)
r  5,   20 0 ,   70 0
x  r sin  cos   5 sin 20 0 cos 70 0  0.585
y  r sin  sin   5 sin 20 0 sin 70 0  1.607
z  r cos   5 cos 20 0  4.698
 Solution
(c )
RCD  (0.583  (3))a x  (1.607  2)a y  (0.4698  1)a z
RCD  3.585a x  0.393a y  3.698a z
| RCD | 3.585 2  (0.393) 2  3.698 2  5.165
 Example
Given point P(-2,6,3) and vector A = yax + (x
+ z) ay, express P and A in cylindrical and
spherical coordinates. Evaluate A at P in the
cartesian, cylindrical and spherical
coordinate systems.
 Solution
po int P : x  2, y  6, z  3
  (2) 2  6 2  6.32
6
  tan1
 71.56 0  180 0  108.430
2
z3
r  (2) 2  6 2  3 2  7
3
  cos 1
 64.62 0
7
 P(2,6,3)  P(6.32,108.430 ,3)  P(7,64.62 0 ,108.430 )
 Solution
• Cartesian coordinate
A  ya x  ( x  z )a y , P(2,6,3)
A at P  6a x  (2  3)a y  6a x  a y
 Solution
• Cylindrical coordinate
 A   cos  sin  0  y 
 A    sin  cos  0  x  z 
    
 Az   0 0 1  0 
A  y cos   ( x  z ) sin 
A   y sin   ( x  z ) cos 
Az  0
but : x   cos  , y   sin 
A   sin  cos    cos  sin   z sin 
A    sin  sin    cos  cos   z cos 
Az  0
 Solution
• Cylindrical coordinate
A  A a  A a  Az a z
A  (  sin  cos    cos  sin   3 sin  )a
 (  sin  sin    cos  cos   3 cos  )a ; P(6.32,108.430 ,3)
A  (6.32 sin 108.430 cos108.430  6.32 cos108.430 sin 108.430  3 sin 108.430 )a
 (6.32 sin 108.430 sin 108.430  6.32 cos108.430 cos108.430  3 cos108.430 )a
A  0.9487a  6.008a
 Solution
• Spherical coordinate
 Ar   sin  cos  sin  sin  cos    y 
   x  z
A
   cos  cos  cos  sin   sin   
 A    sin  cos  0   0 
 
Ar  y sin  cos   ( x  z ) sin  sin 
A  y cos  cos   ( x  z ) cos  sin 
A   y sin   ( x  z ) cos 
but : x  r sin  cos  , y  r sin  sin  , z  r cos 
Ar  r sin  sin  sin  cos   (r sin  cos   r cos  ) sin  sin 
A  r sin  sin  cos  cos   (r sin  cos   r cos  ) cos  sin 
A  r sin  sin  sin   (r sin  cos   r cos  ) cos 
A  Ar ar  A a  A a
 Solution
• Spherical coordinate
A  (r sin  sin  sin  cos   (r sin  cos   r cos  ) sin  sin  )ar
 ( r sin  sin  cos  cos   (r sin  cos   r cos  ) cos  sin  )a
 (r sin  sin  sin   (r sin  cos   r cos  ) cos  ) a ; P (7,64.620 ,108.430 )
A  (7 sin 64.620 sin 108.430 sin 64.620 cos 108.430  (7 sin 64.620 cos108.430  7 cos 64.620 ) sin 64.620 sin 108.430 )ar
 ( 7 sin 64.620 sin 108.430 cos 64.620 cos108.430  (7 sin 64.620 cos108.430  7 cos 64.620 ) cos 64.620 sin 108.430 )a
 (7 sin 64.620 sin 108.430 sin 108.430  (7 sin 64.620 cos108.430  7 cos 64.620 ) cos108.430 ) a
A  0.8571ar  0.4066a  6.008a