Understanding "Hat e" Notation

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the notation for a unit vector represented as \(\hat e\) and its relationship to vector operations, specifically the cross product and dot product. Participants are exploring the correct interpretation of the notation and seeking clarification on its definition and generalization.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question the notation \(\hat e = \frac{\overrightarrow{u}\cdot \overrightarrow{v}}{|| \overrightarrow{u}\cdot \overrightarrow{v}||}\) and suggest that it should involve cross products instead of dot products.
  • A participant points out that the correct formulation involves cross products, stating that the notation should be \(\hat e = \frac{\overrightarrow{u}\times \overrightarrow{v}}{|| \overrightarrow{u}\times \overrightarrow{v}||}\).
  • There is a request for clarification on the name of the definition or generalization related to this notation, indicating a lack of information on existing resources like Wikipedia.
  • Another participant emphasizes that the equation is about finding a unit vector perpendicular to both vectors \(\vec u\) and \(\vec v\), referencing the property that \(\vec u \times \vec v = -(\vec v \times \vec u)\).

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that the notation involves cross products rather than dot products, but there is no consensus on the specific name or generalization of this definition.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved questions regarding the terminology and definitions used in the notation, as well as the absence of references in common resources.

iDimension
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iDimension said:
Can someone tell me what this notation is

\hat e =\frac{\overrightarrow{u}\cdot \overrightarrow{v}}{|| \overrightarrow{u}\cdot \overrightarrow{v}||} = -\frac{\overrightarrow{v}\cdot \overrightarrow{u}}{|| \overrightarrow{u} \cdot \overrightarrow{v}||}

I saw it here https://socratic.org/questions/how-...t-is-perpendicular-to-both-2i-j-3k-and-i-j-2k

Thanks

Those should be vector cross products not dot products. What don't you understand about it?
 
iDimension said:
Can someone tell me what this notation is

\hat e =\frac{\overrightarrow{u}\cdot \overrightarrow{v}}{|| \overrightarrow{u}\cdot \overrightarrow{v}||} = -\frac{\overrightarrow{v}\cdot \overrightarrow{u}}{|| \overrightarrow{u} \cdot \overrightarrow{v}||}

I saw it here https://socratic.org/questions/how-...t-is-perpendicular-to-both-2i-j-3k-and-i-j-2k

Thanks
As PeroK noted already, the multiplications are cross products, not dot products. In the page you linked to, they they actually wrote was this:
##\hat e =\frac{\overrightarrow{u}\times \overrightarrow{v}}{|| \overrightarrow{u}\times \overrightarrow{v}||} = -\frac{\overrightarrow{v}\times \overrightarrow{u}}{|| \overrightarrow{u} \times \overrightarrow{v}||}##
 
Ah right, so it's cross product not dot product?

And what is the name of this definition or the name of this generalisation because looking on the wiki page I cannot see this format anywhere.
 
iDimension said:
Ah right, so it's cross product not dot product?

And what is the name of this definition or the name of this generalisation because looking on the wiki page I cannot see this format anywhere.
All they are doing is finding a unit vector (##\hat e##) that is perpendicular to both ##\vec u## and ##\vec v##. The equation itself uses the concept that ##\vec u \times \vec v = -(\vec v \times \vec u)##. These are very basic properties of vectors and the cross product.
 

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