Solving Homework Equations Involving A & B

[student 1]

Homework Statement

A. If A*B=-(1/2)AB, what do you know about A and B.
B. If A*B=5Ay-7Ax, find B.

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

Part A I know the angle is 120 degrees in between A and B. Would I know more about the two vectors from that?
Part B. I don't know where to begin to try and answer that?

 

[neutrino]

For A, it could be also be 240 degrees.

For B, think in terms of the components of the vectors. How do you represent a scalar/dot product of two vectors in terms of their components?

 

[student 1]

AxBx+AyBy with that I should be able to find my B?

 

[neutrino]

Yes.

 

[student 1]

Do I use what I know in the first part of the problem as well or would this be a totally different scenario??

 

[neutrino]

Do I use what I know in the first part of the problem as well or would this be a totally different scenario??

A better question that you must ask yourself should be, does the the answer to the first problem help you in anyway in solving the second, given that you know component-wise multiplication of vectors?

 

[student 1]

So Bx and By would simply be 1 since they are not in the problem right?

 

[physixguru]

Of course not.You have to solve in the context of the upper question.

 

[student 1]

According to the teacher part A and B are unrelated, they are two separate problems, in that case bx and by would be 1 correct?

 

[HallsofIvy]

Part B tells you that A*B=5Ay-7Ax. And, of course, A*B= AxBx+ AyBy. Just compare those two equations!

 

[tiny-tim]

B. If A*B=5Ay-7Ax, find B.

Hi student 1!

(have you noticed the new X² and X₂ tags? )

Hint: If 5A_y - 7A_x = A.C also, what can you say about B - C?