Can a dot product be negative in case of length?

In summary, the dot product of two vectors A and B with a length in cm and an angle of 170° between them will result in a negative value in cm2 due to the negative value of cos(170°). This is because the projection of A onto B will be in the opposite direction of B and vice versa, regardless of the magnitude of the vectors.
  • #1
EmSeeSquared
29
1
Let's say A and B are 2 vectors with length in cm and the angle between them is 170°.

Obviously, the dot product of A and B will give cm2 as unit but since the value of cos(170) is negative, will the dot product be negative (something)cm2?
 
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  • #2
Yes, the dot product will be negative. The geometric implication is that when A is projected onto B, the projection will be in the opposite direction to B (and vice versa).

The length merely represents the magnitude of a vector, and not its direction. A length is always non-negative, but that doesn't stop the dot product of two vectors from being negative.
 
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  • #3
Curious3141 said:
Yes, the dot product will be negative. The geometric implication is that when A is projected onto B, the projection will be in the opposite direction to B (and vice versa).

The length merely represents the magnitude of a vector, and not its direction. A length is always non-negative, but that doesn't stop the dot product of two vectors from being negative.

Aha! Thanks.
 

1. Can a dot product be negative in case of length?

Yes, a dot product can be negative in case of length. The dot product is a mathematical operation used to calculate the scalar projection of one vector onto another. It is possible for the dot product to be negative if the angle between the two vectors is greater than 90 degrees.

2. How is the dot product related to vector length?

The dot product is related to vector length through the trigonometric formula: A · B = |A||B|cosθ, where A and B are vectors and θ is the angle between them. This formula shows that the dot product is directly proportional to the length of the vectors and the cosine of the angle between them.

3. Can the dot product of two vectors with the same length be negative?

Yes, the dot product of two vectors with the same length can be negative. The dot product is not solely dependent on the length of the vectors, but also on the angle between them. If the angle between two vectors is greater than 90 degrees, the dot product will be negative.

4. What does a negative dot product signify?

A negative dot product signifies that the two vectors are pointing in opposite directions. This means that the angle between them is greater than 90 degrees, and the projection of one vector onto the other is in the opposite direction. It can also indicate that the two vectors are perpendicular to each other.

5. Can the dot product be negative for three-dimensional vectors?

Yes, the dot product can be negative for three-dimensional vectors. The dot product formula applies to vectors in any dimension, and the concept of angle between vectors still holds in three-dimensional space. If the angle between two three-dimensional vectors is greater than 90 degrees, the dot product will be negative.

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