1. For each of the following statements, circle T if the statement is always true and F if it can be false.

Give a one-sentence justification for your answer.

[2] ~ be non-zero vectors in R3 . If ~u and ~v are both orthogonal to w,
(a) Let ~u, ~v , and w ~ then ~u is parallel
to ~v .

Solution: False. For example, ~u = [1, 0, 0], ~v = [0, 1, 0] and w

~ = [0, 0, 1] are all orthogonal.
[2] (b) Let ~u and ~v be vectors in Rn . Then k~u − ~v k ≤ k~uk + k~v k.

Solution: True. This follows from the triangle inequality. A picture would be a sufficient expla-
nation.
[2] (c) The planes 2x − 3y + z = 4 and −4x + 6y − 2z = 1 in R3 are parallel.

Solution: True. The normal vector of the second one is [−4, 6, −2], which is twice the normal
vector of the first one.
[2] (d) Let A denote the coefficient matrix of a system of 4 linear equations in 4 unknowns. If the rank of
A is 3, then this system has infinitely many solutions.

Solution: False. The system may not be consistent.

[2] 2. Given that ~u · ~v = 0, ~u · w

~ = 1, ~v · w
~ = 2 and kvk = 1, compute (2~u + ~v ) · (2~v + 3w).
~

Solution: (2~u + ~v ) · (2~v + 3w)

~ = 2~u · (2~v + 3w) ~ + ~v · (2~v + 3w)~
= 4~u · ~v + 6~u · w
~ + 2~v · ~v + 3~v · w
~
2
= 4(0) + 6(1) + 2k~v k + 3(2) = 14.

√
3. Let ~u = [1, 2, 1] and ~v = [0, 0, 1] be vectors in R3 .
[2] (a) Find the unit vector in the same direction as ~u.
Solution: q
√ 2 √
k~uk = 12 + 2 + 12 = 4 = 2
so the unit vector in the same direction as ~u is
 √
1 √

1 1 2 1
~u = [1, 2, 1] = , , .
2 2 2 2 2

[2] (b) Compute the angle between ~u and ~v .

Solution: The cosine of the angle θ between ~u and ~v is
~u · ~v 1
cos θ = = = 1/2.
k~ukk~v k 2·1

So the angle is 60◦ .

4. Let ` be the line through the points P = (1, 2) and Q = (5, 5).
[2] (a) Find a direction vector for the line ` and write parametric equations of the line `.
 M1600A Midterm exam 1 3 October 2013 Page 2 of 3

Solution: A direction vector for ` is d~ = P~Q = [4, 3], and the position vector for P is p~ = [1, 2].
So the parametric equations are
x = 1 + 4t
y = 2 + 3t.

[4] (b) Find the distance from the point R = (6, 12) to the line `.
Solution: The distance is
d(R, `) = k~v − projd~(~v )k,
where ~v = P~R = [5, 10]. We compute

d~ · ~v ~ 50
projd~(~v ) = d = [4, 3] = [8, 6]
d~ · d~ 25
and
~v − projd~(~v ) = [5, 10] − [8, 6] = [−3, 4],
p
which has length (−3)2 + 42 = 5.

5. Let P be the plane in R3 given by the parametric equations

x = −5 + s
y= − 2s + t
z= 1 + 6s − 3t

[3] (a) Find a normal vector to the plane P.

Solution: Directions vectors for P are ~u = [1, −2, 6] and ~v = [0, 1, −3]. One way to get a vector
orthogonal to both of these is to use the cross product:

~n = ~u × ~v = [−2(−3) − 6(1), 6(0) − 1(−3), 1(1) − (−2)(0)] = [0, 3, 1].

(Note that this can be easily checked!)

[2] (b) Find a general equation for the plane P.
Solution: We compute ~n · ~x = [0, 3, 1] · [x, y, z] = 3y + z, so the equation is of the form 3y + z = d.
Since (−5, 0, 1) is a point on P (taking s = t = 0 in the parametric equations), we determine that
d = 3(0) + 1(1) = 1, so the answer is 3y + z = 1.
[3] (c) Give the general equation for a plane P 0 that intersects P in a line, and explain how you know that
the intersection is exactly a line.
Solution: We can choose any plane whose normal vector is not parallel to ~n, For example, x = 0
will work, or x + y + z = 17, or many others. If the normal vectors are not parallel, then the planes
are not parallel, so they must intersect in a line.

6. Recall that the Universal Product Code (UPC) uses code words in Z12
10 and has check vector ~
c =
[3, 1, 3, 1, 3, 1, 3, 1, 3, 1, 3, 1].
[3] (a) Find the missing digit y in the UPC [0, 4, 3, 7, 0, 6, 5, y, 9, 1, 2, 1].
 M1600A Midterm exam 1 3 October 2013 Page 3 of 3

Solution: Writing ~v for [0, 4, 3, 7, 0, 6, 5, y, 9, 1, 2, 1], we compute that

~c · ~v = 0 + 4 + 9 + 7 + 0 + 6 + 15 + y + 27 + 1 + 6 + 1 = 6 + y (mod 10)

So to get 0 modulo 10, we need to take y = 4.

[2] (b) Find a valid UPC code with only one non-zero digit, or explain why this is not possible.
Solution: This is not possible. If there is only one non-zero digit y, then ~c · ~v would equal either
y or 3y, and we would need this to be a multiple of 10. But for y = 1, 2, . . . , 9, neither y nor 3y is
a multiple of 10.

7. Consider the system of linear equations

2x + 4y − 2z = 2
2x + y + z = 5
x + 4y − 3z = −1

[1] (a) Write down the augmented matrix of this linear system.
Solution:  
2 4 −2 2
 2 1 1 5 
1 4 −3 −1

[3] (b) Compute the reduced row-echelon form of the augmented matrix above. Indicate all elementary
row operations that you are performing.
Solution: Row reduction leads to:
 
1 0 1 3
 0 1 −1 −1 
0 0 0 0

The details must be shown. Common mistakes:

1) Getting to row echelon form, but not reduced row echelon form.
2) Arithmetic errors. If you find messy fractions, this is a hint that you made a mistake. Be careful!
3) Disorganized approach. Follow the guidelines when doing row reduction, clearing one column at
a time.
4) Using row operations that are not one of the elementary row operations given in the text, e.g.,
3R1 + 4R2 .
[2] (c) Use the result of the previous part to find all solutions of the linear system.
Solution: x and y are leading variables, and z is a free variable, so we get:

x= 3−t
y = −1 + t
z= t

[1] (d) What is the rank of the augmented matrix you found in part (a)?
Solution: It has rank 2, because there are two nonzero rows in the reduced row echelon form.