Precalculus : Matrices and Vectors

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Precalculus

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Example Questions

Example Question #7 : Parametric Equations

A pitcher throws a fastball, and the batter swings and connects with the ball. If the ball has an initial velocity of 150 f/s and an angle of 20o about the horizontal, what parametric equations will model the motion of the ball? What height will the ball be at when it has travelled 400 feet horizontally?

Possible Answers:

Height of ball when it has travelled 400 ft is 15.52 feet above the ground

Height of ball when it has travelled 400 ft is 21.59 feet above the ground

Height of ball when it has travelled 400 ft is 16.65 feet above the ground

Height of ball when it has travelled 400 ft is 14.38 feet above the ground

Correct answer:

Height of ball when it has travelled 400 ft is 16.65 feet above the ground

Explanation:

To solve this problem, we need to know that the path of a projectile can be described with the following equations:

In these equations, t is time and g is the acceleration due to gravity.

First, you need to write the position of the ball as a pair of parametric equations that define the path of the ball at anytime, t, in seconds:

As you set up the equation for y, use the value g = -32.

Finally, find x and y when t = .05:

To find the height that the ball will be at when it has travelled horizontally, plug 400 feet (horizontal distance) in for x.

This tells us that the ball has travelled 400 feet horizontally when 2.84 seconds have passed. Let's use the value of t = 2.84 and plug it into our equation for y to see how high the ball is at this time:

This means that when the ball has travelled 400 feet horizontally, 2.84 seconds have passed, and the ball is 16.65 feet above the ground.

Example Question #1 : Find The Sum Or Difference Of Two Matrices

Subtract:

 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

In order to subtract matrices, they have to be of the same dimension. In this case, they are both 2x2. 

The formula to subtract matrices is as follows:

Using this formula we plug in our values and solve:

8

Example Question #1 : Sum Or Difference Of Two Matrices

Subtract:

 

Possible Answers:

No Solution

Correct answer:

No Solution

Explanation:

In order to subtract matrices, they have to be of the same dimension. In this case, they are not. One is 2x2 while the other is 2x1.

As such, we cannot find their difference. 

The answer is No Solution

Example Question #1 : Find The Sum Or Difference Of Two Matrices

Subtract

  

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The first step in solving this problem is to multiply the matrix by the scalar.

We then have to make sure we can subtract the matrices.

In order to subtract matrices, they have to be of the same dimension. In this case, they are both 2x2.

Using our new matrix from multiplying the scalar and subtracting it from our other matrix we get the following:

 

Example Question #2 : Find The Sum Or Difference Of Two Matrices

We consider the following matrices:

 

Find .

Possible Answers:

We can't find .

Correct answer:

We can't find .

Explanation:

To be able to subtract matrices, the matrices must have the same size.

A is 3x3 and B is 3x4. Therefore we can't perform this operation.

Example Question #2 : Matrices

Given the following matrices, what is the product of  and ?

 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

When subtracting matrices, you want to subtract each corresponding cell.

 

 

Now solve for  and 

 

 

Example Question #2 : Find The Sum Or Difference Of Two Matrices

If , what is ?

 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

You can treat matrices just like you treat other members of an equation. Therefore, you can subtract the matrix

from both sides of the equation.  This gives you:

Now, matrix subtraction is simple. You merely subtract each element, matching the correlative spaces with each other:

Then, you simplify:

Therefore, 

Example Question #7 : Find The Sum Or Difference Of Two Matrices

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find the difference between two matrices with the same dimensions, we simply subtract each entry from the right matrix from the corresponding entry of the left matrix. After performing the operation 9 times, we get the following matrix:

Example Question #2 : Sum Or Difference Of Two Matrices

Find the difference if it exists

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Because the two matrices have the same dimension, the difference exists

Example Question #1 : Find The Sum Or Difference Of Two Matrices

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To solve this problem, subtract the corresponding numbers in each matrix: . Then, put those answers in the corresponding places in the answer matrix, so that you get: .

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