1. Compute the unit tangent vector of the curve y = x2 . Compute the curvature of this curve. Solution: Let, x= u y = f(u).

z=0 = <u, f(u), 0 >, = <1, f(u), 0 >, taking the second derivative. = < 2, f(u), 0 >.: The tangent vector to the curve | | = 1 + f (u)2 and the unit tangent vector to the curve is given by K = | = 1 2 <1, f(u), 0 >. | 1+f (u) = 1N To compute the curvature of the curve we are going to use the Frenet formula. K= kN
1 . And to nd |K| we will dierentiate (i). Takin the magnitude of both sides of (i) i,e; = |K | y (1+y 2 )y 2 y y y y y , , y , 0 ) therefore, = , 0) Thus, K = ( (1+ K = ( y 2 )2 (1+y 2 )2 2 2 2 2 1+f (u) (1+y ) 1+f (u) 1+f (u) 1 (y
2 y 2 +y 2 1 )2 (1+y 2 )4

(1+y |y |

3 2) 2

Therefore the curve is y = x2 y = 2x, y = 2 Thus = 1 . the given is | x=0 = 2

2 2

(1+4x2 ) 2 2

at x = 0 the curvature for

2. Compute the curvature of the ellipse x +y = 1, where 0 <b <a. Find the maximum and a2 b2 minimum of the curvature, and nd the points(s) where they are reached. Solution If a=b then this ellipse is circle. If a >b then the major-axis direction is horizontal. Let a >b >0. We have r(t) = <-asin(t), bcos(t) >; r(t) = <-acos(t), -bsin(t) > r(t) r(t) = <0, 0, absin2 (t)+abcos2 (t) >. Thus, | r(t) r(t) | = ab. Therefore, we obtain | r(t)| = a2 sin2 (t) + b2 cos2 (t). So, the curvature is k(t) = 2 2 ab 2 2 3 . Taking the special
( a sin (t)+b cos (t))

Which is the curvature of a circle of radius . Holding b case when a=b= then k(t) = xed and a to a min. The ellipse turns at and the points of the ellipse on the x axis curves a ab a to zero. At the point the curvature equals K= 2 2 ab 3 = 3 = b2 . The lima b2 = 0. 2 2 2
(a 0 +b (1) ) 2 (b ) 2

1 .

On the other hand, holding b xed and sending a max to the ellipse streches horizontally, and the curvature at the x-axis points of the ellipse send the curvature to 3. Consider the curve x = t, y = t2 , z = t3 . Compute its curvature, and nd the point(s) where they are reached. Solution t) = (t, t2 , t3 ) is then (1, 2t, 3t2 ) Now, | | = 1 + 4t2 + 9t4 ThereThe position vector ( = [ 4t18t3 , 218t4 , 6t+12t3 ]. Now, fore, K= 1+41 <1, 2t, 3t2 >. Now, K 3 3 3 t2 +9t4 2 4 2 4 2 4
(1+4t +9t ) 2 (1+4t +9t ) 2 (1+4t +9t ) 2

1 = K | | =

2 1+9t2 +9t4
3

1 (1+4t2 +9t4 )2

<-4t-18t3 , 2-18t4 , 6t+12t3 >. So, the curvature of k =

(4t+18t3 )2 +(218t4 )2 +(6t+12t3 )2 (1+4t2 +9t4 )

(1+4t2 +9t4 ) 2

. 1

4. Consider a curve (s) and its projection to the plane (s), i,e; =
+dy 6. Consider the metric ( the upper half plane model of hyperbolic space) dx y , y 2 2 >i,e; g11 = g22 = y and g12 = g21 = 0. i) Compute all the Christoeel symbols. ii) Compute the Gauss curvature of this space. Solution iii) Write the geodesic equation in full detail. iv) Prove that (s) = (0, es ) is a geodesic, s is the arclength parameter. . Find the v) Assme R >0, a . Consider the curve () = ( a+ Rsin, Rcos), - 2 2 arclenght parameter s. Review calculus textbook/Check a table of integration if necessary. Solution
2 2

ds =
0

dx2 +dy 2 y2

i ds =

dy 2 dx 2 ( d ) +( d )

d. Thus, the arclenght parameter is s() =

ds =

2 vi) Continue with (iv). Although it is not easy to solve s in term of , by way of implicit dierentiation in elementary calculus prove that in v. with arclength parameter s is a geodesic. vii) Sketch in (iv). and in (v). in the x,y coordinate system. viii) By elementary geometry show that there is only one geodesic linking two points (x1 , y1 ), (x2 , y2 ); here y1 , y2 >0.

d(Rcos d(a+Rsin)2 + d )2 ( d

Final Homework
Math 451 Dierential Geometry Spring 2013, 11:00am-12:15pm Professor Yu Ding Jaime R. Sandoval May 14, 2013