« MATHS 1A

1
BABY BULLET-Q «

5.PRODUCT OF VECTORS
(1 X 2) + (1 X 4) + (1 X 7) = 13 Marks

1. Scalar(dot) Product Verses Vector (Cross) Product

Scalar Product Vector Product

1. a.b | a || b | cos T axb | a || b | sin T n̂

a.b | a ub|  a ub
2. cos sin Q
| a || b | | a || b | | a ub|

Q
§ aub ·

3. a.b b.a (commutative law)

a u b z b u a but a u b b u a
T-
F a vector of magnitude k, A to a & b k ¨ | a u b | ¸
© ¹

4. a.a | a | 2 a2 aua 0
L E
L
5. a , b are perpendicular Þ a.b 0 a , b are parallel Þ a u b 0

U
6. i. j 0, j.k 0, k.i 0 i u i 0, j u j 0, k u k 0
i.i 1, j. j 1, k.k 1
7. If a a1i  a 2 j  a 3k; b b1i  b 2 j  b3k B
i u j k, j u k i,k u i j
i j k
then a.b =a1b1+a2b2+a3b3
Y
a a1 i  a2 j  a3k;b b1 i  b2 j  b3k Ÿ a u b a1 a2 a3
8. Projections:
B
b1 b2 b3
(Vector) Areas:

(i) Pr ojection Vector of b on a

A (a.b)a (i) Area of the parallelogram with adjacent sides a, b | a u b |

B
| a |2
1
| a.b | (ii)Area of the parallelogram with diagonals d1,d2 | d1 u d2 |
(ii) Length of p r ojection of b on a 2
|a|
1
r (a.b)a (iii)Area of the quadrilateral with diagonals AC, BD | AC u BD |
(iii) Component of b A to a b 2
| a |2
1
(iv) Area of DABC= | AB u AC |
2


2. The vector equation of the plane in the normal form is r.n p , where n is the unit normal
from the origin to the plane and p is the perpendicular distance from the origin to the plane.
3. The vector equation of the plane passing through the point A (a ) and perpendicular to n is
( r  a ).n 0 or r.n a.n
n .n
4. The angle q between the planes r.n1 p1 and r.n 2 p 2 is T Cos 1 1 2
| n1 || n 2 |
« MATHS 1A
2
BABY BULLET-Q «

? TEACHING POINTS?
TRIPLE PRODUCT OF VECTORS
I) SCALAR TRIPLE PRODUCT[STP]:
1) If a , b , c are any three vectors then their Scalar Triple Product is (a u b).c (or) a .(b u c)
Scalar Triple product of three vectors a , b, c is denoted by [ a b c ] read as box [ a b c ].

2) [ i j k] ( i u j).k k.k 1 Also [ i k j] ( i u k). j  j. j 1

Hence [ i j k] 1 [ j k i ] [k i j] [ i k j] [ j i k] [k j i ] .
3) [ a b c ]=[ b c a ]=[ c a b ] ( STP is same, when a , b, c are in the same cyclic order).

Q
[ a b c ]=-[ b a c ]=-[ a c b ]= -[ c b a ] (STP changes its sign if the cyclic order of a , b, c

4.1) If a a 1i  a 2 j  a 3 k , b b1i  b 2 j  b 3 k , c
T- a1 a2
c1i  c 2 j  c 3 k then [a b c] b1 b 2 b 3
a3

L E c1 c2 c3

L
x1 y1 z1
4.2) If D x1 a  y1 b  z1 c, E x 2 a  y 2 b  z2 c, J x3 a  y3 b  z3 c then [D E J ] x 2 y2 z2 [a b c]

U
x3 y3 z3

5)
6)
B
The volume of the Parallelopiped with a , b, c as its coterminous edges is V | [a b c] |
The volume of the tetrahedron with a , b, c as its coterminous edges is V 1

Y
|[a b c]|
1 6
7) The volume of the tetrahedron ABCD is V |[ AB AC AD]|

B
6
8) Three vectors a , b, c are coplanar Û [ a , b, c ]=0

9) A
Three vectors a , b, c are non-coplanar Û [ a , b, c ]¹0

B
10) If [ a , b, c ]=0 then (i) a , b, c are coplanar when a , b, c are non-zero vectors.
(ii) any two of a , b, c are parallel (iii) at least one of a , b, c is a zero vector.
II) PRODUCT OF FOUR VECTORS:
11) The scalar product of 4 vectors a , b, c, d is
a.c a.d
(a u b).(c u d) (a.c)(b.d)  (b.c)(a.d)
b.c b.d
12) The vector product of 4 vectors a , b, c, d is
(a u b) u (c u d) [a c d]b  [b c d]a [a b d]c  [a b c]d

III) VECTOR PRODUCT OF THREE VECTORS:

13) (a u b) u c (a.c)b  (b.c)a ( This vector lies in the plane of a , b )

14) a u (b u c) (a.c)b  (a.b)c ( This vector lies in the plane of b, c )
« MATHS 1A
3
BABY BULLET-Q «
BULLET MASTER'S

MATH BEATS!
PRODUCT OF VECTORS Þ ~
ï O_°
È `
Ç  ~Œ~ŒA!

In any Branch of Maths, if we find the Product of two entities, we get a Unique Answer.
But, in case of Vectors it is not like that.
Product of Two Reals is Unique: 2 ´ 3 = 6.
Product of Two Functions(fg) is Unique: (2x)(3x) = 6x2.
Product of Two Matrices (AB) is Unique
Product (Cartesian) of Two Sets A ´ B is Unique.

Q
Product of Two Trigonometric Functions is Unique: (tanq)(cotq) = 1

-
Derivative of Product of Two functions (uv) is Unique: (uv)'

T
E
Integral of Product of Two functions is Unique : ò uv

L
But, Product of Two Vectors a, b is not Unique (??).

L
That too, Product of two Vectors is amazingly a Scalar (or) a Vector.

U
That is, Dot (Scalar) Product of Two Vectors gives a Scalar Quantity.

B
Ofcourse, Cross (Vector) Product of Two Vectors is a Vector Quantity.

A Special Case: | a u b | | a.b |Ÿ Angle between a, b is 45º

Y
B
A
B