Mathematics II first semester Second class

Assist. Prof. Dr. Haider Ali Al- mussawy

Cross product:
Two vector ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉1 and ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉2 in space if ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉1 and ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉2 are not parallel, they determine a
Plane, we select a unit vector n perpendicular to the plane by the right-hand
Rule when your fingers curl through the angle 𝜃 from ⃗⃗⃗ 𝑉1 𝑡𝑜 ⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑉2
The cross product ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉1 𝑋 ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉2 is perpendicular vector defined as follows:
⃗⃗⃗
𝑉1 𝑋 ⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗⃗ |𝑉1 ||𝑉2 | sin 𝜃 ------1
𝑉2 = 𝑛

Note

1- If ⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑽𝟏 𝑿 ⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑽𝟐 = 𝟎 , 𝜽 = 𝟎 𝒐𝒓 𝝅 (𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒗𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒍)
2- If 𝜃 is measured from ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉2 𝑡𝑜 ⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑉1 ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉1 𝑋 ⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑉2 = − ⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑉2 𝑋 ⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑉1

1
Mathematics II first semester Second class

Assist. Prof. Dr. Haider Ali Al- mussawy

3- |⃗⃗⃗
𝑉1 𝑋 ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉2 | is the area of the parallelogram.
This is the area of the parallelogram
determined by ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉1 and⃗⃗⃗
𝑉2
|⃗⃗⃗
𝑉1 | Being the Base of the parallelogram
and ℎ = | ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑉2 |𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 is the height.
Area = Base. Height
⃗⃗⃗1 𝑋 ⃗⃗⃗
|𝑉 ⃗⃗⃗1 ||𝑉
𝑉2 |= |𝑉 ⃗⃗⃗⃗2 |𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 -----2

|⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑉1 𝑋 ⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑉2 | |⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑉3 |
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = |⃗⃗⃗⃗ ||⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ |
= |⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑉1 𝑉2 𝑉1 ||⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑉2 |

Sub. Eq.2 into eq.1

⃗⃗⃗1 𝑋 ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉 𝑉2 = 𝑛 ⃗⃗⃗1 𝑋 ⃗⃗⃗
⃗⃗⃗ |𝑉 𝑉2 | ⃗⃗⃗ 𝑖𝑠 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑣𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟) ⃗⃗⃗
(𝑛 𝑉1 𝑋 ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉2 = ⃗⃗𝑛⃗ |𝑉1 ||𝑉2 | sin 𝜃
⃗⃗⃗1 𝑋 ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉 𝑉2 ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉3
𝑛 =
⃗⃗⃗ =
⃗⃗⃗1 𝑋 ⃗⃗⃗
|𝑉 ⃗⃗⃗3 |
𝑉2 | |𝑉

Determinant formula for ⃗⃗⃗

𝑉1 𝑋 ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉2
When we apply the definition to calculate the pair wise cross products of i ,
j, k we fined:

𝑖 𝑋𝑗 = 𝑘

𝑗𝑋𝑘 =𝑖
𝑘𝑋𝑖=𝑗

𝑗 𝑋 𝑖 = −𝑘
𝑖 𝑋 𝑘 = −𝑗

𝑘 𝑋 𝑗 = −𝑖

2
Mathematics II first semester Second class

Assist. Prof. Dr. Haider Ali Al- mussawy

𝑖 𝑋 𝑖 = 𝑗 𝑋 𝑗 = 𝑘𝑋 𝑘 = 0

If ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉1 = 𝑎1 𝑖 + 𝑏1 𝑗 + 𝑐1 𝑘 and ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉2 = 𝑎2 𝑖 + 𝑏2 𝑗 + 𝑐2 𝑘

⃗⃗⃗
𝑉1 𝑋 ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉2 = 𝑎1𝑎2𝑖𝑖 + 𝑎1𝑏2𝑖𝑗 + 𝑎1𝑐2𝑖𝑘
+ 𝑏1𝑎2𝑗𝑖 + 𝑏1𝑏2𝑗𝑗 + 𝑏1𝑐2𝑗𝑘
+𝑐1𝑎2𝑘𝑖 + 𝑐1𝑏2𝑘𝑗 + 𝑐1𝑐2𝑘𝑘
⃗⃗⃗1 𝑋 ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉 𝑉2 = 𝑎1𝑏2𝑘 + 𝑎1𝑐2(−𝑗) + 𝑏1𝑎2(−𝑘) + 𝑏1𝑐2𝑖 + 𝑐1𝑎2𝑗 + 𝑐1𝑏2(−𝑖)

⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑽𝟏 𝑿 ⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑽𝟐 = (𝒃𝟏𝒄𝟐 − 𝒄𝟏𝒃𝟐)𝒊 + ( 𝒄𝟏𝒂𝟐 − 𝒂𝟏𝒄𝟐)𝒋 +( 𝒂𝟏𝒃𝟐 − 𝒃𝟏𝒂𝟐)𝒌
The component terms in the last line are hard to remember, but they are the same
as:
+ - +
𝑖 𝑗 𝑘
⃗⃗⃗1 𝑋 ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉 𝑉2 = |𝑎1 𝑏1 𝑐1 | = 𝑖 (𝑏1 𝑐2 − 𝑐1𝑏2 ) − 𝑗(𝑎1𝑐2 − 𝑐1𝑎2) + 𝑘(𝑎1𝑏2 − 𝑏1 𝑎2)
𝑎2 𝑏2 𝑐2

Properties of the cross product:

If 𝑽𝟏 , 𝑽𝟐 , and 𝑽𝟑 are vectors and r and s are scalar then:

1- (𝒓𝑽𝟏 ) 𝑿 (𝒔𝑽𝟐 ) = 𝒓𝒔 (𝑽𝟏 𝑿 𝑽𝟐 )
2- 𝑽𝟏 𝑿(𝑽𝟐 + 𝑽𝟑 ) = 𝑽𝟏 𝑿 𝑽𝟐 + 𝑽𝟏 𝑿 𝑽𝟑
3- 𝑽𝟏 𝑿 𝑽𝟐 = − (𝑽𝟏 𝑿 𝑽𝟐 )
4- (𝑽𝟐 + 𝑽𝟑 )𝑿 𝑽𝟏 = 𝑽𝟐 𝑿 𝑽𝟏 + 𝑽𝟑 𝑿 𝑽𝟏
5- 𝟎 𝑿 𝑽𝟏 = 𝟎
6- 𝑽𝟏 𝑿(𝑽𝟐 𝑿𝑽𝟑 ) = (𝑽𝟏 . 𝑽𝟑 )𝑽𝟐 − (𝑽𝟏 . 𝑽𝟐 )𝑽𝟑

3
Mathematics II first semester Second class

Assist. Prof. Dr. Haider Ali Al- mussawy

Example 2: 𝑙𝑒𝑡 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗⃗2 = −2𝑖 + 2𝑗 + 2𝑘 , then find:

𝑉1 = 𝑖 + 2𝑗 − 1𝑘 and𝑉

1- The vector perpendicular on both ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗

𝑉1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑉2 .
2- The angle between⃗⃗⃗
𝑉1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ⃗⃗⃗𝑉2 .
3- Area of the parallelogram and triangular.
Solution:
𝑖 𝑗 𝑘
⃗⃗⃗3 = 𝑉
1- 𝑉 ⃗⃗⃗2 = | 1 2 −1| = |2 −1|𝑖 − | 1 −1|𝑗 + | 1 2| 𝑘
⃗⃗⃗1 𝑋 𝑉
2 2 −2 2 −2 2
−2 2 2
⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗⃗1 𝑋 ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉3 = 𝑉 𝑉2 = (4 + 2)𝑖 − (2 − 2)𝑗 + (2 + 4)𝑘 = 𝟔𝒊 + 𝟔𝑲

⃗⃗⃗3 | = |𝑉
2- |𝑉 ⃗⃗⃗1 𝑋 ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉2 | = √62 + 62 = √72 = 6√2

⃗⃗⃗1 | = √12 + 22 + (−1)2 = √6

|𝑉

⃗⃗⃗2 | = √(−2)2 + 22 + 22 = √12 = 2√3

|𝑉

4
Mathematics II first semester Second class

Assist. Prof. Dr. Haider Ali Al- mussawy

|𝑉
⃗⃗⃗⃗1 𝑋 ⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑉2 |=| ⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑉3 | 6√2
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = = ⃗⃗⃗1 ⊥ ⃗⃗⃗
= 1 → 𝜃 = sin−1 1 = 90 (𝑉 𝑉2 )
⃗⃗⃗⃗1 ||⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
|𝑉 𝑉2 | √6 .2√3

⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑉1 .𝑉⃗⃗⃗⃗2 (1∗−2)+(2∗2)+(−1∗2) 0
OR 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 = = = =0→
|⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑉1||⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑉2 | √6 .2√3 √6 .2√3

⃗⃗⃗1 ⊥ ⃗⃗⃗
𝜃 = cos −1 0 = 90 (𝑉 𝑉2 )

3- Area of ⃗⃗⃗1 𝑋 ⃗⃗⃗

(parallelogram) = |𝑉 𝑉2 | = √62 + 62 = = 6√2
6 √2
Area of triangular = = 3 √2
2

Example 3: find a vector has 9 unit length in the direction of the vector
perpendicular to the plane passes through A (1, 1, 1), B (2, 1, 3) and C (3,-1, 1)
Solution:

⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐴𝐵 = (2 − 1)𝑖 + (1 − 1)𝑗 + (3 − 1)𝑘 = 𝑖 + 2𝑘
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐴𝐶 = (3 − 1)𝑖 + (−1 − 1)𝑗 + (1 − 1)𝑘 = 2𝑖 − 2𝑗
𝑖 𝑗 𝑘
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ 0 2 1 2 1 0
1- 𝑉 = 𝐴𝐵𝑋 𝐴𝐶 = |1 0 2| = | |𝑖 − | |𝑗 + | |𝑘
−2 0 2 0 2 −2
2 −2 0
⃗ =𝑉
𝑉 ⃗⃗⃗1 𝑋 ⃗⃗⃗
𝑉2 = (0 + 4)𝑖 − (0 − 4)𝑗 + (−2 − 0)𝑘 = 𝟒𝒊 + 𝟒𝒋 − 𝟐𝑲

⃗ | = √42 + 42 + (−2)2 = √36 = 6

|𝑉

⃗⃗
𝑽 𝟒𝒊+𝟒𝒋−𝟐𝑲 𝟐 𝟐 𝟏
⃗ = |⃗⃗ | =
Direction 𝒖 = 𝒊 + 𝟑𝒋 − 𝟑𝒌
𝑽 𝟔 𝟑

2 2 1
⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗⃗𝑛|𝑢
𝑉𝑛 = |𝑉 ⃗ = 9. ( 𝑖 + 𝑗 − 𝑘)
3 3 3
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑽𝒏 = 𝟔𝒊 + 𝟔𝒋 − 𝟑𝒌

5
Mathematics II first semester Second class

Assist. Prof. Dr. Haider Ali Al- mussawy

Example 5: find the unit vector perpendicular to plane in previous example:

Solution:
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ 𝑿 𝑷𝑹
𝑷𝑸 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ 𝟔𝒊 + 𝟔𝒋 𝟏 𝟏
⃗⃗⃗ =
𝒏 = = 𝒊+ 𝒋
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ 𝑿 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
|𝑷𝑸 𝑷𝑹| 𝟔√𝟐 √𝟐 √𝟐

6
Mathematics II first semester Second class

Assist. Prof. Dr. Haider Ali Al- mussawy

Triple Scalar or Box Product

⃗ = 𝑎2 𝑖 + 𝑏2 𝑗 + 𝑐2𝑘 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐶 = 𝑎3 𝑖 + 𝑏3 𝑗 + 𝑐3 𝑘
If 𝐴 = 𝑎1 𝑖 + 𝑏1 𝑗 + 𝑐1𝑘, 𝐵
Are vectors, then the triple scalar product of these vectors is given by:

+ - +
𝑎1 𝑏1 𝑐1
(⃗𝑨𝑿𝑩
⃗⃗ ). ⃗𝐶 = |𝑎2 𝑏2 𝑐2 |
𝑎3 𝑏3 𝑐3

The volume of parallelepiped (parallelogram- sided box) determined by the vectors

⃗ and 𝐶 is calculated by triple scalar product of these vector:
𝐴, 𝐵

Volume = |(⃗𝑨𝑿𝑩
⃗⃗ ). 𝐶
⃗|

Or Volume = area of base. Height

⃗ 𝑿𝑩
Volume = |𝑨 ⃗⃗ |. |𝐶
⃗ ||cos 𝜃| (where 𝜃 is the angle between vector 𝐶 and the
vector perpendicular on vectors (⃗𝑨) and (⃗𝑩
⃗ ) (⃗𝑨 𝑿𝑩
⃗⃗ )

When ( ⃗𝑨𝑿𝑩
⃗⃗ ). ⃗𝐶 equals zero then the volume equals zero this means that all
⃗ and 𝐶 ) lie in the same plane.
vectors (𝐴, 𝐵

7
Mathematics II first semester Second class

Assist. Prof. Dr. Haider Ali Al- mussawy

Example 6: find the volume of parallelepiped

⃗ = −2𝑖 + 3𝑘 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐶 = 7𝑗 − 4𝑘
𝐴 = 𝑖 + 2𝑗 − 𝑘, 𝐵
SOLUTION

1 2 −1
(⃗𝑨𝑿𝑩
⃗⃗ ). ⃗𝐶 = |−2 0 3 | = 1(0 - 21) – 2(8-0) -1(-14-0) = -21 – 16 + 14 = -23
0 7 −4

The volume = |(⃗𝑨𝑿𝑩

⃗⃗ ). 𝐶
⃗ | = |−𝟐𝟑| = 𝟐𝟑

For the above example find the angle 𝜃 between vector 𝐶 and the vector
perpendicular on vectors (⃗𝑨) and (⃗𝑩
⃗ ). (homework)

Example 7: prove that the vectors lie in the same plane.

⃗⃗𝑨 = 𝟓 𝒊 − 𝟐𝒋 + 𝒌, ⃗⃗𝑩 = 𝟒𝒊 − 𝒋 + 𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 ⃗⃗𝑪 = 𝒊 − 𝒋

5 −2 1
(⃗𝑨𝑿𝑩
⃗⃗ ). ⃗𝐶 = |4 −1 1| = 5(0+1) + 2(0-1) +1(- 4+1) = 5 -2 -3= 0
1 −1 0
⃗ and 𝐶 ) lie in the same plane.
The vectors (𝐴, 𝐵

Home work1 if A(1,2,-1) , B(3,6,-7) , C(2,3,-3) and D(3,4,-3) calculate:

⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝑨𝑪
1- The angle between the vector projection of 𝑨𝑩 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
2- The vector perpendicular on plane determined by 𝑩𝑪 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ and𝑫𝑪 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ .

Homework2 Find the volume of the box with vertices P(-1,2,0) , Q(2,1,-3),
R(1,0,1) and S(3,-2,3)