Dot Product and the

Angle Between Two

Vectors

Math 312
Definition

 DOT PRODUCT
 The dot product vw of two vectors

v= <a1,b1,c1> w= <a2,b2,c2>

is the scalar vw = a1a2 + b1b2 + c1c2

So, to compute the dot product, multiply the corresponding

corresponding components and add. Easy and simple.
Example

<2,3,1><-4,2,5> = 2(-4)+3(2)+(1)(5)
=3
<-4,-2,3><6,3,5> = -4(6)+-2(3)+(3)(5)
= - 15
 The dot product is closely related to the angle
between v and w. But first, we’ll describe some
elementary properties of dot products.

 The dot product is commutative: vw = wv

 The dot product of a vector with itself is the square

of the length:

If v =<a,b,c> then

2
vv = aa + bb + cc = a2 + b2 + c2 = v
Properties of the Dot Product


 (i) 0v = v0 = 0
(ii) Commutativity: vw = wv
(iii) Pulling out scalars: (λv)w=v(λw)=λ(vw)
(iv) Distributive Law: u(v + w)= uv + uw
(v + w)u = vu + wu
2
(v) Relation with Length: vv = v
Example


 Verify the Distributive Law u(v + w)= uv + uw
for the vectors

 u = <4,3,3> v = <1,2,2> w = <3,-2,5>

u(v + w ) =<4,3,3> (<1,2,2> + <3,-2,5>)

=<4,3,3> (<4,0,7>) = 16 + 21= 37

=4(4) + 3(0) + 3(7)) = 16 + 21= 37
uv + uw = <4,3,3><1,2,2> + <4,3,3><3,-2,5>
= 4(1)+3(2)+3(2) + (12-6+15) = 16 + 21= 37
 The dot product vw is related to the angle
θbetween v and w. This angle θ is not uniquely
defined, as shown by the figure below, because both
θ and 360 – θcan serve as an angle between v and w.


Furthermore, any multiple of 360 may be added to θ.

θ
v By convention,
the angle θ
w between two
vectors is
chosen so that
360 - θ 0° ≤ θ ≤ 180°
 Theorem

 Dot Product and the Angle. Let θ be the angle
between two nonzero vectors v and w. Then

v·w= v · w cosq

or hence æ ö
v·w - 1 ç v·w ÷
cosq = q =cos
v·w çv·w÷
è ø
Example: Find the angle between <3,6,2>
and <4,2,4>.


 Solution: v = 32 +62 + 22 = 49 =7

w = 42 + 22 + 42 = 36 =6

v·w < 3,6,2 > ·< 4,2,4 > 16

cosq = = =
v·w 7·6 21


Definition

 Two nonzero vectors v and w are called
perpendicular or orthogonal if the angle between
them is 90°.
 The zero vector is considered orthogonal to every
vector.

v^ w if and only if v·w=0

 Example: Determine if v = <2,6,1> is orthogonal
to u = <2,-1,1> or w = <-4,1,2>.


 We test for orthogonality by computing the dot
products.

vu = <2,6,1><2,-1,1>= 2(2)+6(-1)+1(1) = -1

not orthogonal

vw = <2,6,1><=4,1,2>= 2(-4)+6(1)+1(2) = 0

orthogonal