Calculating resultant torque using cross product

1. Jun 3, 2014

steffercakes

1."In this exercise, you will be finding the resultant torque from the cross product of a lever arm with a force vector. The lever arm vector is A=2.0i+3.0j. The force vector is B=3.0i-4.0j.
Find A x B
B x A
and 2A x 3B

2.My teacher has been sick the past few days so hasnt taught us anything about torque yet, but the homework is still due. I'm not sure where to start because every formula i've read about how to do these says to include sinθ, but an angle was not given.

3. is it just: 6i-12j+1k
-6i+12j-1k

2. Jun 3, 2014

3. Jun 3, 2014

steffercakes

Last edited: Jun 3, 2014
4. Jun 3, 2014

CKOMETTER

There are two interpretations of the cross-product:

Geometrical Interpretation:

$\vec{A}x\vec{B} = |A||B|\sin \theta \hat{n}$

Algebraic Interpretation:

$\vec{A} = A_x i + A_y j + A_z k$
$\vec{B} = B_x i + B_y j + B_z k$
$\vec{A}x\vec{B} = (A_y B_z-A_z B_y)i + (A_z B_x - A_x B_z)j + (A_x B_y - A_y B_x)k$

5. Jun 3, 2014

Hardik Batra

Or you can learn from this video also.

Last edited by a moderator: Sep 25, 2014
6. Jun 3, 2014

steffercakes

ohhh okay, I see now. and if there's no Z (z=0), that makes that direction 0? So in this case the i and j are 0?

7. Jun 3, 2014

CKOMETTER

Yes, the cross-product of two vectors results in a vector that it's perpendicular to the plane that contains both vectors: in this case the Z direction.