Finding the angle between 2 vectors problems

  • Thread starter Thread starter mr_coffee
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Angle Vectors
mr_coffee
Messages
1,613
Reaction score
1
The directions say, The helix r1(t) intersects the curve r2(t) at the point (1,0,0). Find the angle of intersection of these curves. Well here is my work, and I'm stuck, how am i suppose to find the dot product of these 2 vectors once i take the derivative? the sin(1) is not a pretty number, and the book gets an asnwer of Pi/2 i think. What did i do wrong? Thanks.
Work:
http://show.imagehosting.us/show/799218/0/nouser_799/T0_-1_799218.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
(1,0,0) refers to the (x,y,z) coordinates of the intersection point---not the value(s?) of the t-parameter at the intersection point.
From your work... [let P be the intersection]
r1(at P)=(cos t_P, sin t_P, t_P)
r2(at P)=(1+t_P,t_P^2,t_P^3)
and, P=(1,0,0).
So, from the first equation: cos t_P=1 , sin t_P=0, t_P=0,
and from the second equation: ... you can do this part
and finish off the problem.
 
There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...

Similar threads

Back
Top