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12.2
Whats a Vector?
Basic Definitions, Concepts and Ideas
Std. position
Standard Position what does this mean? Free vector what does this mean?
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Ordered Pairs.
The Vector
a1 , a 2
or a
a1 , a 2
or a
a1 , a 2
A a1 , a 2
But how does one add and subtract analytically? (Discussion) What about the length of a vector? What about the angle that a vector makes with the horizontal?
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Given a , we define u
1 a a
What is the angle between the vector and the positive x-axis?
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1 a a
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OK, Heres #3
V =(V, R, , + )
a V
b V
a b V
a V
a V
Addition Axioms
Commutative Property
a V
Or (restated)
b V
a b b a
a, b V , a b
b a
where " " means "for each," "for every," or "for all," whichever is appropriate for the context. Thus, the commutative property, stated in words is: If a and b are vectors, then a+b=b+a. or For any vectors, a and b, a+b=b+a.
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a, b, c V, a
b c
a b
Zero Vector There exists an element of V, called the zero vector, and denoted by 0, which is such that
a V, a 0 a or 0 V, a V, a 0 a
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a V,
V : a a
Note: The symbol " " means " there exists " or " there is " or " there are." and the symbol
, a, b V ,
a b
, ,
, a V, , a V, a
a a
a V , 1a
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Conclusion
When dealing with vectors, it is best if you can consider the problem from all three viewpoints (almost) simultaneously!
Think of a vector as an arrow with an ordered pair at its terminal point (arrowhead) and which obeys certain laws of combination and manipulation.
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A bit of an Introduction
So far we have displayed two dimensional vectors, such as
a1 , a2
We could just as easily have displayed three dimensional vectors, four dimensional vectors, or even n-dimensional vectors.
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a
or
a1 , a2 , a3
a1 , a2 , a3 , a4 a1 , a2 , a3 , , an
a
or
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However, in this course well restrict ourselves to two and three dimensional vectors, and on occasion well deal with a four dimensional vector.
Note: If you are really interested in this stuff, you can generalize this concept to infinite dimensional vectors. As a matter of fact, you have already studied what amounts to one type of infinite dimensional vector in Calc II under the guise of infinite sequences.
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These are three different names for the same process. Well usually call it the dot product.
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We define the dot product first analytically, and then well establish some rules of operation for the dot product. Finally, well derive the formulation of the dot product in geometric terms. That is our plan.
Well do our work in terms of 3-dimensional vectors. Thus our results will obviously cover the 2-dimensional case and easily generalize to the n-dimensional case. Definition: If a a1 , a2 , a3 and b b1 , b2 , b3 are two 3-dimensional vectors, then the dot product a b is defined as
def or 3
a b
a1b1 a2b2
a3b3
i 1
aibi
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1 2, 5 , 3
and b
1, 4 ,9
then
ab 2 1 1 5 4 9 3 2 20 3 19
That is
ab
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So, now can you see why they also call the dot product the scalar product? It is because the result of the dot product of two vectors is not a vector, it is a real number and a real number is a number which can be located on a ruler, i.e., on a scale. Thus the dot product of two vectors is a scalar; hence, the operation is often called the scalar product in order to emphasize this point.
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Also, please notice that in this last example Im using a different form of notation for vectors. The letter with the arrow over it is probably how most of you will be writing your vectors, because it takes a bit of time and effort to draw a boldfaced letter with pen or pencil. Thus, well usually write
a
instead of
a.
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Now weve got a few rules that we need to learn in addition to the basic axioms of vectors, discussed earlier:
The norm (or magnitude) of a vector
a
is defined by
a1 , a2 , a3
a a12 a2 2 a3 2
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Recall that
a b
thus
a1b1 a 2 b2
a 3b3
a a a
So
2
a1a1 a2 a2
a 3a 3
a1
a2
a3
a a
Also
a b
b a a b a c
a b c
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c a b
Consider the two vectors a and b on the left. The included angle is . Well, now, we can insert the vector
b
c
And this triangle obeys the Law of Cosines, which in this case says that
2 a b cos
Now, since the dot product follows the rules outlined above,
c c
a b
a b
a b a
a b b a
2
a a b a a b b b
2a b
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So, in summary,
2a b
2 a b cos
a b
a b cos