Creating a Unit Vector after Gram Schmidt Process?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the application of the Gram-Schmidt process to create orthogonal vectors from a given set of vectors in three-dimensional space. Participants explore the calculations involved in the process, specifically focusing on the creation of unit vectors from the resulting orthogonal vectors.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation, Mathematical reasoning, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions their calculations regarding the inner product of the vectors and its implications for orthogonality.
  • Another participant points out that the inner product being zero indicates the vectors are perpendicular, referencing results from Wolfram Alpha.
  • There is a discussion about the normalization of the second vector and its collinearity with the original vector.
  • A participant calculates the third orthogonal vector and expresses confusion about the appearance of a square root in the normalization process.
  • Another participant provides a detailed calculation of the norm of the third vector and the resulting unit vector, confirming the necessity of creating a unit vector after the Gram-Schmidt process.
  • Clarifications are sought regarding the square root in the context of the calculations and its relevance to the norms of the vectors.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying levels of understanding regarding the Gram-Schmidt process and the calculations involved. There is no consensus on the implications of the inner product results, and some confusion persists about the normalization steps.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference specific calculations and results from external tools, which may introduce additional assumptions or interpretations that are not fully resolved within the discussion.

bugatti79
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Folks,

Where am I going wrong?

v_1=(3,0,0), v_2=(0,1,2),v_3=(0,2,5)

u_1=(3,0,0)

u_2=(0,1,2)-\frac{(0,1,2)(3,0,0)}{||(3,0,0)||^2}(3,0,0)

The inner product (0,1,2)(3,0,0) yields 0...?
 
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bugatti79 said:
The inner product (0,1,2)(3,0,0) yields 0...?
So what?
 
bugatti79 said:
Inner product of those 2 equal to 0 would suggest they are perpendicular
Yes.

bugatti79 said:
but according to wolfram
Again, so what? (Smile) The second vector in W|A results is collinear with the original second vector; it is just multiplied by $1/\sqrt{5}$ so that its length becomes 1. The first vector is also normalized.

Addition: If, on the other hand, one of the vectors produced by the algorithm is 0, it means that the corresponding original vector belongs to the span of the previous vectors. Such vector can be simply omitted.
 
Evgeny.Makarov said:
Yes.

Again, so what? (Smile) The second vector in W|A results is collinear with the original second vector; it is just multiplied by $1/\sqrt{5}$ so that its length becomes 1. The first vector is also normalized.

Addition: If, on the other hand, one of the vectors produced by the algorithm is 0, it means that the corresponding original vector belongs to the span of the previous vectors. Such vector can be simply omitted.

ok, I calculate

u_3=v_3-\frac{(v_3,u_1)}{||u_1||^2} u_1-\frac{(v_3,u_2)}{||u_2||^2}u_2

=(0,2,5)-0-\frac{12}{5}(0,1,2)=(0,-2/5,1/5)

I don't know where the sqrt is coming from? ie, ||u_2||^2=(0^2+1^2+2^2)=5...?
 
bugatti79 said:
I don't know where the sqrt is coming from? ie, ||u_2||^2=(0^2+1^2+2^2)=5...?
Could you formulate your questions more precisely? I suppose you are asking about the square root in the W|A results; you should say so. And how exactly does the fact that \|u_2\|^2=5 contradict that?

The norm of $u_3$ is
\[
\left\|\left(0,-\frac25,\frac15\right)\right\|=\sqrt{\left(-\frac25\right)^2+\left(\frac15\right)^2}=\sqrt{\frac{4}{25}+\frac{1}{25}}=\sqrt{\frac{5}{25}}=\sqrt{\frac15}.
\]
The unit vector is
\[
\frac{u_3}{\|u_3\|}=\frac{u_3}{\sqrt{1/5}}=\sqrt{5}u_3=\left(0,-\frac{2}{\sqrt{5}},\frac{1}{\sqrt{5}}\right).
\]
 
Evgeny.Makarov said:
Could you formulate your questions more precisely? I suppose you are asking about the square root in the W|A results; you should say so. And how exactly does the fact that \|u_2\|^2=5 contradict that?

The norm of $u_3$ is
\[
\left\|\left(0,-\frac25,\frac15\right)\right\|=\sqrt{\left(-\frac25\right)^2+\left(\frac15\right)^2}=\sqrt{\frac{4}{25}+\frac{1}{25}}=\sqrt{\frac{5}{25}}=\sqrt{\frac15}.
\]
The unit vector is
\[
\frac{u_3}{\|u_3\|}=\frac{u_3}{\sqrt{1/5}}=\sqrt{5}u_3=\left(0,-\frac{2}{\sqrt{5}},\frac{1}{\sqrt{5}}\right).
\]

Ah yes, one still has to create the unit vector after the G-S process is performed.
Ok, I see it now. Thanks very much for your time.
 

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