2.

THE DOT AND CROSS PRODUCT

This product involves two vectors. We have two categories of products

which are dot product (Inner product) and cross product (vector product)

2.1 Dot Product

Definition: Let 𝑎⃗ and 𝑏⃗⃗ be the two vectors in n

then the dot product of

𝑎⃗ and 𝑏⃗⃗ is the scalar 𝑎⃗ ∙ 𝑏⃗⃗ defined by

a  b  a1b1  a2b2  a3b3

Where a  a1iˆ  a2 ˆj  a3kˆ and b  b1iˆ  b2 ˆj  b3kˆ

Example 01

If b  3iˆ  3 ˆj  2kˆ and b  2iˆ  2 ˆj  4kˆ are the two given vectors, Determine

𝑎⃗ ∙ 𝑏⃗⃗

Solution:

From the given vectors,

Notes By JD Madasi
 a  b   3  2    3  2    2  4   8

2.1.1 Properties of the dot product

If a , b and c are vectors in n

and  is a scalar, then

a a  a
2
i.

ii. a b  b  a

iii.  
a  b  c  a b  a c

iv.   a   b    a  b   a   b 

v. 0a  0

2.1.2 Angle between the vectors

If 𝑎⃗ and 𝑏⃗⃗ are the given vectors, then

By applying dot product we have

Notes By JD Madasi
 a  b  a b cos  , 0    

 a b 
This implies that   cos1  
a b 
 

Where  is the angle between vectors 𝑎⃗ and 𝑏⃗⃗ as shown in the diagram

below

𝑎⃗

𝑏⃗⃗

Figure 2.1: The angle  between two vectors

Notes By JD Madasi
Example 02

If a  iˆ  3 ˆj  2kˆ and b  iˆ  5 ˆj  4kˆ are the two given vectors, Determine

the angle between the vectors

Solution:

From the given vectors, we need to determine the angle between the

vectors

We have a  b  1 1   3  5   2  4   6

a  12  (3)2   2   14
2

b   1  (5)2   4   42
2 2

Then applying the formula for the angle  such that

 a b 
  cos  1

a b 
 

Notes By JD Madasi
We thus get

 
6
  cos 
1 

  14    
42 


2.1.3 Orthogonal vectors

The two none zero vectors are said to be orthogonal if they intersect at

right angle as shown in the figure below

𝑎⃗

900

𝑏⃗⃗

Figure 2.2: Orthogonal vectors

Notes By JD Madasi
Theorem:

Two none zero vectors are said to be orthogonal if and only if their dot

product is zero

Proof:

From the definition a  b  a b cos  , 0     , we need to prove a  b  0 ,

Here we have orthogonal vectors from which implies that   900

For that angle we have, we thus get

a  b  a b cos90  0 where cos 900  0

Hence a  b  0

Conversely,

Suppose a  b  0 , we need to show that   900

From the definition a  b  a b cos  , 0     and a  b  0

We get

Notes By JD Madasi
 0  a b cos   cos   0

From which we get   cos1 0  900

Example 03

Given that a  2iˆ  3 ˆj  kˆ and b  iˆ  3 ˆj  7kˆ are the two given vectors, State

whether the two vectors are orthogonal.

Solution:

For the two vectors to be orthogonal, a  b  0

From the vectors we have

  
a  b  2iˆ  3 ˆj  kˆ  iˆ  3 ˆj  7kˆ  a  b   2 1   3  3  1 7   0

Hence vectors 𝑎⃗ and 𝑏⃗⃗ are orthogonal.

Example 04

If u  iˆ  mjˆ  kˆ and v  (1  3m)iˆ  5 ˆj  4kˆ are the given vectors, Determine

the value of m such that the vectors are orthogonal.

Notes By JD Madasi
Solution:

From the vectors given, we need to find the value of m such that u  v  0

We thus get

  
u  v  iˆ  mjˆ  kˆ  (1  3m)iˆ  5 ˆj  4kˆ  3  2m  0

3
From which we get m 
2

2.1.4 Projection of vectors

We have two cases of projections, scalar projection and vector

projection.

Definition 1:

Scalar projection of b onto a is the length of segment AB shown in

figure 2 in which defined as

a b
compa b 
a

Notes By JD Madasi
And is also called component projection

Definition 1:

Vector projection of b onto a is the vector with this length that begins

at the end of point A points in the same direction (or opposite direction

of the scalar projection if the scalar projection is negative)

Mathematically is defined as

a b
Pr oja b  2
a
a

Example 05

If u  iˆ  3 ˆj  kˆ and v  2iˆ  5 ˆj  4kˆ are the given vectors, Determine the

projection of the v onto u and component of v onto u

Solution:

Using the vectors given, we have

a b
Pr oja b  2
a
a

Notes By JD Madasi
 iˆ  3 ˆj  kˆ    2iˆ  5 ˆj  4kˆ  iˆ  3 ˆj  kˆ  13  iˆ  3 ˆj  kˆ 
 Pr oja b    11  
 
2
ˆ
i  3 ˆ
j  ˆ
k

And

a b
compa b 
a

 Compa b 
iˆ  3 ˆj  kˆ    2iˆ  5 ˆj  4kˆ   13
iˆ  3 ˆj  kˆ  11

2.2 Cross product

Definition: Let 𝑎⃗ and 𝑏⃗⃗ be the two vectors in 3

then the cross product

of 𝑎⃗ and 𝑏⃗⃗ is the vector a  b defined by

iˆ ˆj kˆ
a (t )  4tiˆ  6tjˆ  kˆ from which we can also be written as a  b  a1 a2 a3
b1 b2 b3

where a  a1iˆ  a2 ˆj  a3kˆ and b  b1iˆ  b2 ˆj  b3kˆ

Notes By JD Madasi
Example 06

If b  3iˆ  3 ˆj  2kˆ and b  2iˆ  2 ˆj  4kˆ are the two given vectors, Determine

a b

Solution:

iˆ ˆj kˆ
a  b = a  b  3 3 2  12  4  iˆ   4  12  ˆj   6  6  kˆ
2 2 4

Hence a  b  8iˆ  8 ˆj

Theorem:

The vector a  b is orthogonal to both vectors 𝑎⃗ and 𝑏⃗⃗

Example 07

Determine the unit vector that is both orthogonal to b  iˆ  3 ˆj  2kˆ and

b  2iˆ  2 ˆj  4kˆ

a b
(Hint: use the above theorem, from which find a  b )

Notes By JD Madasi
Theorem:

If  is the angle between vectors 𝑎⃗ and 𝑏⃗⃗ then,

a  b  a Sin

Corollary:

The non zero vectors 𝑎⃗ and 𝑏⃗⃗ are parallel if and only if

a b  0

This implies that angle between them is zero.

2.2.1 Properties of the cross product

If a , b and c are vectors in 3

and  is a scalar, then

i. a  b  b  a

ii.   a   b    a  b   a   b 

iii.  
a  b c  a b  a c

iv. a  b   c  a  c  b  c

Notes By JD Madasi
v.   
a  b  c  a b c 
vi.    
a  b  c  a  c b  a b c

vii. a a  0

Theorem:

If 𝑎⃗ and 𝑏⃗⃗ are non zero vectors, then area of parallelogram is defined as

Area= a  b

Proof:

Consider the following figure

𝑎⃗

𝑏⃗⃗

Figure 2.3: Parallelogram

Notes By JD Madasi
 From the figure above

h
 sin   h  a sin  From which we get area as
a

h  b  a b sin 

This implies that

a b sin   a  b

Hence the area of parallelogram is defined as

A  a b

Where A is an area

2.2.2 Scalar Triple Product

Scalar and dot product can lead us being able to find the scalar triple

product thereby easing for determination of volume of tetrahedron.

If a , b and c are vectors in n

, then the scalar triple product is defined

by

Notes By JD Madasi
  
V  a  b  c Where V is the scalar triple product from which can also be

written as V   abc 

Taking the magnitude we get volume of parallelepiped in which 1 6 of it

gives us volume of tetrahedron.

Exercise 2

1. If u  iˆ  3 ˆj  kˆ and v  2iˆ  5 ˆj  4kˆ and i  3 j  k are the given

vectors, Find

(a) Triple Scalar Product

(b) Volume of parallelepiped

(c) Volume of tetrahedron

2. Use the cross and dot product to prove sine and cosine rules

3. Find the area of triangle with vertices P(1,3, 2), Q(2, 1,1), R(3, 2,3)

4. Find the area of parallelogram having the diagonals u  3i  j  2k

and v  i  3 j  4k

Notes By JD Madasi
 ̂ and
̂̇ + 𝑏𝑗̇̂ + 𝑐𝑘
5. (a) State the condition for which two vectors 𝑎𝑖

̂̇ + 𝑒𝑗̇̂ + 𝑓𝑘
𝑑𝑖 ̂ are said to be orthogonal

(b) Determine the value 𝑎 so that 𝐴 = 2𝑖 + 𝑎𝑗 + 𝑘 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵 = 4𝑖 −

2𝑗 − 2𝑘 are orthogonal vectors

Notes By JD Madasi