Final answer:
The student is seeking a vector function that describes the curve of intersection between a paraboloid and a cylinder. Assuming general forms for these surfaces, the vector function for the curve of intersection, when the cylinder is centered about the z-axis, is
, where 't' is the parameter and 'r' the radius of the cylinder.
Step-by-step explanation:
Finding a Vector Function for the Curve of Intersection
The student is asking for a vector function that represents the curve of intersection of two surfaces: a paraboloid and a cylinder. Since the equation for each surface is not specified in the question, we'll assume general forms for both. A paraboloid can be represented by z = x² + y², and a cylinder centered around the z-axis can be represented by x² + y² = r², where 'r' is the radius of the cylinder. To find the curve of intersection, we set the equations equal to each other due to the similarity in their x and y terms, which leads to z = r².
To represent this curve with a vector function, we can parametrize it using trigonometric functions for x and y to satisfy the cylinder's equation. By letting x(t) = r*cos(t) and y(t) = r*sin(t), where 't' is the parameter, we consequently have z(t) = r². Therefore, the vector function that represents the curve of intersection is
.
To express the answer in a coordinate system with the origin as the center of the cylinder, no further action is necessary because the vector function is already centered around the origin.