What is the correct angle between two vectors?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jamison Lahman
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Angles Vectors
Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
3 replies · 1K views
Jamison Lahman
Messages
142
Reaction score
35

Homework Statement


From Analytical Mechanics by Grant R. Fowles & George L. Cassiday.
6rSwBZ0.png

Only problem I am having is with part d.

Homework Equations


##A\cdot B = A_xB_x+A_yB_y+A_zB_z##
##sin(\theta) = \frac{|A\times B|}{AB}##

The Attempt at a Solution


y2IqTYi.png

I did it by hand but also ran the following Matlab script:
Matlab:
A = [1,1,1];
B = [1,1,0];
theta = acos(dot(A,B)/norm(A)/norm(B))
theta = asin(norm(cross(A,B))/norm(A)/norm(B))
Both formulas return 0.61548. I think the minus sign in part d should not be there, but I might be missing something. A second pair of eyes would be appreciated.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Where do you get the 1-1 in the numerator from?

(1*1)+(1*1)+(1*0)=1+1.

You can also use the result of (c) to get the angle.
(c) doesn't look like a final answer by the way.
 
mfb said:
Where do you get the 1-1 in the numerator from?

(1*1)+(1*1)+(1*0)=1+1.

You can also use the result of (c) to get the angle.
(c) doesn't look like a final answer by the way.
The image is the solution from the manual. I used the Matlab code and got and angle of .6 in radians. It appears the solution manual was incorrect.