Mr.

Simonds MTH 253 - Dot Products, Projection Vectors and Cross Products

Example 1 Find the dot product between the vectors

G G u = 3, 0 and v = 2, 2 .
Definition

G v

G G G G u v = u v cos ( )

45D
G u G G Figure 1: u = 3, 0 and v = 2, 2 .
Example 2 Use the Law of Cosines to establish that the dot product between the vectors

G G product of u and v .)

G v = v1 , v2

G u = u1 , u2

and

is equal to

u1 v1 + u2 v2 . (In linear algebra, this latter quantity is called the inner

A (u1 , u2 )

JJJG AB =

( v1 u1 )

+ ( v2 u2 )

B (v1 , v2 )

G 2 2 u = u1 + u2

O (0, 0)

G 2 2 v = v1 + v2

Figure 2: Law of Cosines:

G G u = u1 , u2 and v = v1 , v2 ; A, B, and O are points.

2

JJJ G AB

G = u

G + v

G G 2 u v cos ( )

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Mr. Simonds MTH 253 - Dot Products, Projection Vectors and Cross Products

Example 3 Draw onto Figure 3 the vectors

G G u = 2,10 and v = 9,3 . (Draw both vectors with their tail at

the origin. ) State a quickie visual estimate for the smaller angle formed by the two vectors. Then use the dot product to calculate the angle to the nearest tenth of a degree. Figure 3

Example 4 Use a dot product to prove that the vectors

G v1 = 2, 4, 7

and

G v2 = 2, 6, 4

are

perpendicular (form a right angle in the plane defined by the two vectors when the vectors are drawn tail to tail.)

Definition

So If

G G G G u v = u v cos ( )

G G G G u v = 0 and u 0 and v 0 , what just gotta be true?

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Mr. Simonds MTH 253 - Dot Products, Projection Vectors and Cross Products

Example 5 Constance has got herself quite the boyfriend. The emergency brake on her 3000 lb car busted a few weeks ago; this was a major problem because Constance lives on a street with a 10% grade. Luckily for Constance, her hunky sweetie Bruno volunteered to act as a hitching post and is always available to have the car strapped to his back when Constance is at home; or wherever. Lets determine just how much force Bruno has to counteract when Constances car is strapped to his back. Lets do so in a way that the concepts of projection vector and component are cleverly introduced.

Let

G v be any vector that points down the hill.

G u projv

Common tail point for all three vector

G u

Oh, he had other important things to attend to tonight. So Constance, wheres Bruno this evening?

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Mr. Simonds MTH 253 - Dot Products, Projection Vectors and Cross Products So does it make any difference if the vector being projected onto points down or up the hill? Turns out that the answer is no and yes. Curses! Example 6

G u where Find, and illustrate, projv

G G G G u . u = 5, 7 and v = 4, 1 . First find comp v

Example 7

G u where Find, and illustrate, proj w

G G G G u . u = 5, 7 and w = 4,1 . First find comp v

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Mr. Simonds MTH 253 - Dot Products, Projection Vectors and Cross Products

Example 8 Extreme case number 1: project

G G u = 3, 7 onto v = 9, 21 . Whaddup?

Example 8 Extreme case number 2: project

G G u = 3, 7 onto v = 14, 6 . Now what??

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Mr. Simonds MTH 253 - Dot Products, Projection Vectors and Cross Products Example 9: Projections put to geometric use Find the shortest distance between the parallel lines

y = 4 2 x and y = 3 2 x .

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Mr. Simonds MTH 253 - Dot Products, Projection Vectors and Cross Products Cross Product

G G G G u v and v u . State the geometric relationship between the cross G G G G products and each vector in the cross product. Show, too please, that u v = u v sin ( ) G G where is the smaller angle formed when u and v are drawn tail-to-tail. G G u = 1, 2, 3 and v = 7, 6, 5

Example 9 Find the cross products

Example 10 G G Find u v without a lick of calculator work. Then verify your result with a lick or two of calculator work. Oh yeah

G G u = 2, 4 and v = 1, 7 .

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Mr. Simonds MTH 253 - Dot Products, Projection Vectors and Cross Products

Example 11 Find the equation for the plane that passes through the points

A : ( 2, 5, 6 ) , B : ( 2,5, 4 ) and

C : ( 1, 7, 5 ) .

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