Dot product and cross product problem

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around solving a physics problem involving the dot product and cross product of three vectors A, B, and C. The user seeks clarification on how to arrive at the answer of 66, which their teacher provided. Key steps include performing the cross product of A and 3B, followed by the dot product with vector C. The explanation emphasizes the importance of calculating the cross product by components and then summing the products of corresponding components for the dot product. Ultimately, the user successfully resolves the problem after receiving guidance on the calculations.
tballs
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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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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
 
thank you I figured it out.
 
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