Cheat Sheet – Vector Algebra

Scalar Multiplication: λa⃗ Dot Product: a⃗. ⃗b = |a⃗||b

⃗ | cos θ
λ=1 ⃗ =b ⃗ . a⃗
⃗a. b

Properties
λ>1
a⃗. a⃗ = |a⃗|2
0<λ<1
λ = −1 (λa⃗). ⃗b = a⃗. (λb
⃗ ) = λ(a⃗. ⃗b)
−1 < λ < 0 ⃗ + c) = a⃗. ⃗b + a⃗. c
a⃗. (b
λ < −1

Geometry
Projection of a⃗ on ⃗b = a⃗. ⃗b/|b
⃗|
Geometry

⃗ ⇔ a⃗ ∥ b
a⃗ = λb ⃗ (collinear)
⃗ = 0 ⇔ a⃗ ⊥ b
a⃗. b ⃗ (a⃗, b
⃗ ≠0
⃗)
(a⃗, ⃗b ≠ ⃗0)

⃗
Addition: a⃗ + b Cross Product: a⃗ × ⃗b = |a⃗||b
⃗ | sin θ n̂
a⃗ × b ⃗ = −b ⃗ × a⃗
Triangle Law

Properties a⃗ × a⃗ = ⃗0
(λa⃗) × ⃗b = a⃗ × (λb
⃗ ) = λ(a⃗ × ⃗b)
⃗ + c) = a⃗ × b
a⃗ × (b ⃗ + a⃗ × c

a⃗ × ⃗b = 0 ⇔ a⃗ ∥ ⃗b (a⃗, ⃗b ≠ ⃗0)
Parallelogram

Geometry

Any vector ⊥ to both a⃗ and ⃗b is λ(a⃗ × ⃗b)

Law

Area of a parallelogram = |a⃗ × b ⃗| ⃗ are the

⃗a, b
coterminous
Area of a triangle = 1/2|a⃗ × ⃗b|
edges
⃗ c] = a⃗. (b
Scalar Triple Product: [a⃗ b ⃗ × c)
Polygon Law

[a⃗ ⃗b c] = [b
⃗ c a⃗] = [c a⃗ ⃗b]
Properties

[λa⃗ ⃗b c] = [a⃗ λb
⃗ c] = [a⃗ ⃗b λc] = λ[a⃗ ⃗b c]
[a⃗ ⃗b c] = −[c ⃗b a⃗] = −[a⃗ c b ⃗ ] = −[b
⃗ a⃗ c]
[a⃗ ⃗b c] = 0 if any two of a⃗, ⃗b, c are equal/parallel

a⃗ + ⃗b = ⃗b + a⃗ Volume of a parallelepiped = [a⃗ ⃗b c] a⃗ ⃗b c are the

Geometry

1 coterminous
Volume of a tetrahedron = 6 [a⃗ ⃗b c]
Properties

a⃗ + ⃗0 = a⃗
edges
a⃗ + (−a⃗) = ⃗0
⃗ ) = ka⃗ + kb
⃗ ⃗ c] = 0 ⇔ a⃗, b
[a⃗ b ⃗ , c are coplanar (a⃗, b
⃗ ,c ≠ 0
⃗)
k(a⃗ + b
⃗ + c) = (a⃗ + ⃗b) + c
a⃗ + (b
⃗ × c) = (a⃗. c)b
Vector Triple Product: a⃗ × (b ⃗ − (a⃗. b
⃗ )c
Linear Combination: λ1 ⃗⃗⃗
a1 + λ2 ⃗⃗⃗⃗
a2 + ⋯ + λn ⃗⃗⃗⃗
an
Geometry

⃗ × c) is coplanar with ⃗b and c

a⃗ × (b
Any vector coplanar with a⃗ and ⃗b is
⃗
λ1 a⃗ + λ2 b and perpendicular to a⃗
Geometry

⃗ ≠0
(a⃗, b ⃗)
⃗ ; a⃗ ∦ b
Vector Quadruple Product
Any vector in space is
(a⃗ × ⃗b). (c × ⃗d) = (a⃗. c)(b
⃗ . ⃗d) − (a⃗. ⃗d)(b
⃗ . c)
⃗ + λ3 c
λ1 a⃗ + λ2 b
(a⃗, ⃗b, c ≠ ⃗0; a⃗, ⃗b, c are non-coplanar) ⃗ ) × (c × d
(a⃗ × b ⃗ ) = [a⃗ b
⃗ d
⃗ ]c − [a⃗ b
⃗ c]d
⃗ = [c d
⃗ a⃗]b
⃗ − [c d
⃗ b
⃗ ]a⃗

© www.doubleroot.in