Scalar

multiplication

In mathematics, scalar multiplication is

one of the basic operations defining a
vector space in linear algebra[1][2][3] (or
more generally, a module in abstract
algebra[4][5]). In common geometrical
contexts, scalar multiplication of a real
Euclidean vector by a positive real number
multiplies the magnitude of the vector
without changing its direction. Scalar
multiplication is the multiplication of a
vector by a scalar (where the product is a
vector), and is to be distinguished from
inner product of two vectors (where the
product is a scalar).

Scalar multiplication of a vector by a factor

of 3 stretches the vector out.

The scalar multiplications −a and 2a of a

vector a

Definition
In general, if K is a field and V is a vector
space over K, then scalar multiplication is
a function from K × V to V. The result of
applying this function to k in K and v in V is
denoted kv.

Properties

Scalar multiplication obeys the following

rules (vector in boldface):

Additivity in the scalar: (c + d)v = cv + dv;

Additivity in the vector: c(v + w) = cv +
cw;
Compatibility of product of scalars with
scalar multiplication: (cd)v = c(dv);
 Multiplying by 1 does not change a
vector: 1v = v;
Multiplying by 0 gives the zero vector: 0v
= 0;
Multiplying by −1 gives the additive
inverse: (−1)v = −v.

Here, + is addition either in the field or in

the vector space, as appropriate; and 0 is
the additive identity in either. Juxtaposition
indicates either scalar multiplication or the
multiplication operation in the field.

Interpretation
The space of vectors may be considered a
coordinate space where elements are
associated with a list of elements from K.
The units of the field form a group K × and
the scalar-vector multiplication is a group
action on the coordinate space by K ×. The
zero of the field acts on the coordinate
space to collapse it to the zero vector.

When K is the field of real numbers there is

a geometric interpretation of scalar
multiplication: it stretches or contracts
vectors by a constant factor. As a result, it
produces a vector in the same or opposite
direction of the original vector but of a
different length.[6]
As a special case, V may be taken to be K
itself and scalar multiplication may then
be taken to be simply the multiplication in
the field.

When V is Kn, scalar multiplication is

equivalent to multiplication of each
component with the scalar, and may be
defined as such.

The same idea applies if K is a

commutative ring and V is a module over
K. K can even be a rig, but then there is no
additive inverse. If K is not commutative,
the distinct operations left scalar
multiplication cv and right scalar
multiplication vc may be defined.

Scalar multiplication of
matrices

The left scalar multiplication of a matrix A

with a scalar λ gives another matrix of the
same size as A. It is denoted by λA, whose
entries of λA are defined by

explicitly:
Similarly, even though there is no widely-
accepted definition, the right scalar
multiplication of a matrix A with a scalar λ
could be defined to be

explicitly:
When the entries of the matrix and the
scalars are from the same commutative
field, for example, the real number field or
the complex number field, these two
multiplications are the same, and can be
simply called scalar multiplication. For
matrices over a more general field that is
not commutative, they may not be equal.

For a real scalar and matrix:

For quaternion scalars and matrices:

where i, j, k are the quaternion units. The

non-commutativity of quaternion
multiplication prevents the transition of
changing ij = +k to ji = −k.
See also

Dot product
Matrix multiplication
Multiplication of vectors
Product (mathematics)

References

1. Lay, David C. (2006). Linear Algebra and Its

Applications (https://archive.org/details/st
udyguidetoline0000layd) (3rd ed.).
Addison–Wesley. ISBN 0-321-28713-4.
2. Strang, Gilbert (2006). Linear Algebra and
Its Applications (4th ed.). Brooks Cole.
ISBN 0-03-010567-6.
 3. Axler, Sheldon (2002). Linear Algebra Done
Right (2nd ed.). Springer. ISBN 0-387-
98258-2.
4. Dummit, David S.; Foote, Richard M. (2004).
Abstract Algebra (3rd ed.). John Wiley &
Sons. ISBN 0-471-43334-9.
5. Lang, Serge (2002). Algebra. Graduate
Texts in Mathematics. Springer. ISBN 0-
387-95385-X.
6. Weisstein, Eric W. "Scalar Multiplication" (ht
tps://mathworld.wolfram.com/ScalarMultip
lication.html) . mathworld.wolfram.com.
Retrieved 2020-09-06.

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