Can you reduce a vector triple product? i.e. (A x (uB x C))

[UAJalen]

My question is simply whether you can reduce a vector triple product, or more generally a scalar multiplier of a vector in a cross product?

Given: (A x (uB x C) = v, where u and v are known constants.

Is it valid to change that to: u(A x (B x C) = v

or (A x uB) = v, can you change that to u(A x B) = v

 

[jedishrfu]

Short answer is yes which you can see from the identity

u x ( v x w ) = (u.w)v - (u.v)w

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_product#Proof