Find area of parallelogram given vertices

In summary: It's clear from the work you say you did that you used the correct vectors. However, you are finding the magnitude of the vector cross product ## \left|A \times B \right| ##, not the area. This is given by ## A \times B = \left|A \right| \left|B \right| \sin \theta \hat{n} ##. The area is the magnitude of this vector, ## \left|A \times B \right| ##.
  • #1
Zashmar
48
0

Homework Statement


Find the are of the parallelogram ABCD where A is (1,2,-3), B is (-1,3,-4) and D is (1,5,-2)

Homework Equations


Area=[itex]\left|AxB\right|[/itex]
where A and B are the vectors AD, and AB respectively.

The Attempt at a Solution


I have calculated AD to be= (0,-3,-1)
and AB=(2,-1,1)

∴ to find [itex]\left|AxB\right|[/itex] I subbed the two vectors into a 3x3 matrix. Finding the magnitude of th result, I calculated the area to be 2x[itex]\sqrt{11}[/itex]. The Anser is 2x[itex]\sqrt{14}[/itex]. What have I done wrong?
 
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  • #2
Zashmar said:

Homework Statement


Find the are of the parallelogram ABCD where A is (1,2,-3), B is (-1,3,-4) and D is (1,5,-2)

Homework Equations


Area=[itex]\left|AxB\right|[/itex]
where A and B are the vectors AD, and AB respectively.

The Attempt at a Solution


I have calculated AD to be= (0,-3,-1)
and AB=(2,-1,1)

∴ to find [itex]\left|AxB\right|[/itex] I subbed the two vectors into a 3x3 matrix. Finding the magnitude of th result, I calculated the area to be 2x[itex]\sqrt{11}[/itex]. The Anser is 2x[itex]\sqrt{14}[/itex]. What have I done wrong?
You likely made an error in finding the vector product [itex]\vec{A}\times \vec{B}[/itex].

BTW: Use " \times " for ## \times\ ## .
 
  • #3
Well I will show you how i did it because I cannot find an error:

i j k
0-3 1
2-1 1
^that is a matrix

So i got:
-2i+2j+6k

=Sqrt 44
=2 sqrt 11
 
  • #4
Zashmar said:
Well I will show you how i did it because I cannot find an error:

i j k
0-3 1
2-1 1
^that is a matrix
Shouldn't the second row of your matrix be ##(0, -3, -1)## instead of ##(0, -3, 1)##?
 
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  • #5
Zashmar said:

Homework Statement


Find the are of the parallelogram ABCD where A is (1,2,-3), B is (-1,3,-4) and D is (1,5,-2)


Homework Equations


Area=[itex]\left|AxB\right|[/itex]
where A and B are the vectors AD, and AB respectively.


The Attempt at a Solution


I have calculated AD to be= (0,-3,-1)
and AB=(2,-1,1)
The first vector is actually DA, and the second is BA.
AD is -(DA) = <0, 3, 1>
and AB = -(BA) = <-2, 1, -1>.
Zashmar said:
∴ to find [itex]\left|AxB\right|[/itex] I subbed the two vectors into a 3x3 matrix. Finding the magnitude of th result, I calculated the area to be 2x[itex]\sqrt{11}[/itex]. The Anser is 2x[itex]\sqrt{14}[/itex]. What have I done wrong?
 
  • #6
Zashmar said:
Well I will show you how i did it because I cannot find an error:

i j k
0-3 1
2-1 1
^that is a matrix
The vectors you have in the OP will work. (They both have the sign error Mark pointed out.) .. but they will give ## 2 \, \sqrt{14} \ ## .
 

What is a parallelogram?

A parallelogram is a quadrilateral with two pairs of parallel sides. This means that the opposite sides of a parallelogram are equal in length and parallel to each other.

How do I find the area of a parallelogram given its vertices?

To find the area of a parallelogram, you can use the formula A = base x height, where the base is the length of one of the sides and the height is the perpendicular distance between that side and its opposite side. You can also use the cross product of two of the sides to find the area.

Can I use any two pairs of opposite sides to find the area of a parallelogram?

Yes, you can use any two pairs of opposite sides to find the area of a parallelogram. However, it is important to make sure that the sides you are using are indeed opposite and not adjacent.

What if I am only given the coordinates of the vertices?

If you are only given the coordinates of the vertices, you can use the distance formula to find the length of each side. Then, you can use the formula A = base x height or the cross product method to find the area of the parallelogram.

Are there any other methods for finding the area of a parallelogram?

Yes, there are other methods for finding the area of a parallelogram, such as using trigonometric functions or using the determinant of a matrix. However, the most commonly used methods are the base x height formula and the cross product method.

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