Dot product and cross product problem

In summary, the conversation discusses finding the answer to a physics problem involving cross products and dot products of three vectors. The solution is achieved by first doing the cross product, then the dot product, and finally subtracting the result from the given constant. The conversation also mentions using multivariate calculus and linear algebra.
  • #1
tballs
2
0
I am having problems with this questions my physics teacher gave us. Since he doesn't explain things well, I do not know how he got an answer of 66. Can you please explain to me how to get this answer? THX.

For the following three vectors, what is C*(A X 3B) (the "*" is suppose to be a dot)

A = 4I -3J -2K B = -3I +1J +2K C = -3I + 5J -4K

Homework Equations





I J K I J
4 -3 -2 4 -3
-9 3 6 -9 3

(18I+6I) + (18J-24J) + (-27K-12K)
24I - 6J - 39K

(24I X -3I) + (-6J X 5J) + (-39K X -4K)

-72I -30J +156

156-102

54
 
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  • #2
tballs said:
I am having problems with this questions my physics teacher gave us. Since he doesn't explain things well, I do not know how he got an answer of 66. Can you please explain to me how to get this answer? THX.

For the following three vectors, what is C*(A X 3B) (the "*" is suppose to be a dot)

A = 4I -3J -2K B = -3I +1J +2K C = -3I + 5J -4K

Homework Equations





I J K I J
4 -3 -2 4 -3
-9 3 6 -9 3

(18I+6I) + (18J-24J) + (-27K-12K)
24I - 6J - 39K

(24I X -3I) + (-6J X 5J) + (-39K X -4K)

-72I -30J +156

156-102

54

Do the cross product first, the three in front of B is a constant and can be pulled out of the cross product (or you can multiply three into all of the components of B, either works).

Cross product by components:
(A(J)*(B(K) - B(J)*A(K))I - (A(I)*B(K) - B(I)*A(K))J + (A(I)*B(J) - B(I)*A(J))K

Then dot product is just multiplying each component and summing them.

(A(I)*B(I)) + (A(J)*B(J)) + (A(K)*B(K)) and that should give you a number (or a scalar).

I hope the notation makes sense. A/B then the I, J, or K component of that vector is inside of parentheses.

Have fun with multivariate calc/linear algebra junk
 
  • #3
thank you I figured it out.
 

1. What is the difference between dot product and cross product?

The dot product is a mathematical operation that calculates the scalar (or numerical) value of two vectors by multiplying their magnitudes and the cosine of the angle between them. The result is a single number. On the other hand, the cross product is a vector operation that produces a new vector by calculating the perpendicular vector to the two original vectors. The result is a vector, not a number.

2. When do you use the dot product and when do you use the cross product?

The dot product is useful for finding the angle between two vectors, determining if two vectors are perpendicular or parallel, and calculating work or energy in physics. The cross product is used to find the area of a parallelogram formed by two vectors, calculate torque in physics, and determine the direction of rotation in 3D space.

3. How do you calculate the dot product and cross product of two vectors?

To calculate the dot product, you multiply the corresponding components of the two vectors and add the results. For example, given two vectors A = (a1, a2, a3) and B = (b1, b2, b3), the dot product is A · B = (a1 * b1) + (a2 * b2) + (a3 * b3). To calculate the cross product, you use the determinant formula, which involves finding the determinants of 2x2 and 3x3 matrices using the components of the two vectors.

4. What is the geometric interpretation of the dot product and cross product?

The dot product can be interpreted as the projection of one vector onto the other, or the component of one vector in the direction of the other. The cross product can be interpreted as the area of the parallelogram formed by the two vectors, or the vector perpendicular to both original vectors.

5. Are the dot product and cross product commutative?

No, the dot product is commutative, meaning A · B = B · A. However, the cross product is not commutative, and the order of the two vectors matters. A x B = - (B x A). This is because the direction of the resulting vector depends on the order of the two original vectors.

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