# Math Help - exam in a couple hours... vector field question

1. ## exam in a couple hours... vector field question

I dont thoroughly understand this... I know I shouldve seeked more help on campus but I got wrapped up in studying for my other exams.

given
dx/dt = (-1/2 3/2 ) (x)
dy/dt (3/2 -1/2 ) (y)

first told to sketch vectors on line y = 0

-1/2x + 3/2y -1/2x
3/2 x -1/2y = 3/2x

How can I tell slope and direction of vectors from this?

Here is the link with this problem on it (example 2)

http://www.math.umass.edu/~norman/33...1lastnotes.pdf

2. Originally Posted by plopony
I dont thoroughly understand this... I know I shouldve seeked more help on campus but I got wrapped up in studying for my other exams.

given
dx/dt = (-1/2 3/2 ) (x)
dy/dt (3/2 -1/2 ) (y)

first told to sketch vectors on line y = 0

-1/2x + 3/2y -1/2x
3/2 x -1/2y = 3/2x

How can I tell slope and direction of vectors from this?

Here is the link with this problem on it (example 2)

http://www.math.umass.edu/~norman/33...1lastnotes.pdf
On the line $y = 0$ then

$
\frac{dx}{dt} = - \frac{1}{2}x\; \text{and} \; \frac{dy}{dt} = \frac{3}{2}x
$
.

Picking values of $x$ say $x = -2, -1, 0, 1, 2$ will give both $\frac{dx}{dt}$ and $\frac{dy}{dt}$ or dividing $\frac{dy}{dx}$.

3. thanks for the help =)