Chapter # 03

Vectors in 2 – Space and 3 - Space

•   OF A VECTOR; VECTOR ARITHMETIC
NORM
The length of a vector u is often called the norm of u and is denoted by . It follows from the Theorem of
Pythagoras that the norm of a vector in 2-space is
=
Similarly in 3 – space
=
A vector of norm 1 is called a unit vector.

DISTANCE
If and are points in 2-space, then the distance between them is given by
d=
Similarly in 3 – space
d=
QUESTIONS FOR PRACTICE

EXERCISE 3.1
Question # 3, 6, 7, 8, 9 , 10

EXERCISE 3.2
Question # 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 , 10

EXERCISE 3.3
Question # 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13
•   the norm of a vector u = (-3, 2, 1).
Find
Solution:
=
=
=
=

Find the distance between points and .

Solution:
d=
d=
d=
d=
d=
•   length of the vector k u is times the length of k times of u.
The
=

DOT PRODUCTS OF VECTORS

Let u and v be two nonzero vectors in 2-space or 3-space, and assume these vectors have been
positioned so that their initial points coincide. By the angle between u and v , we shall mean the angle
determined by u and v that satisfies 0 ≤ ≤ , the dot product or Euclidean inner product u . v is defined by
u.v=
•   the angle between the vectors u = (0, 0, 1) and v = (0, 2, 2).
Find
Solution:
u.v=
=
=
First we find u. v
u. v = (0, 0, 1) . (0, 2, 2) = (0)(0) + (0)(2) + (1)(2) = 0 + 0 + 2 = 2
Now find ande
= =1
= = = =2

= =
=
= (degree)
= (radian)
• u  and v are vectors in 2 – and 3 – space.
If
(a) v . v = ; that is,
(b) If the vectors u and v are non zero and the angle
is acute if and only if u . v > 0
is obtuse if and only if u . v < 0
is if and only if u . v = 0

Find dot products and discuss the nature of the angles if u = (1, -2, 3), v = (-3, 4, 2) and w = (3, 6, 3).

Solution:
u . v = (1, -2, 3) . (-3, 4, 2) = - 3 – 8 + 6 = - 5 < 0 (Obtuse)
v. w = (-3, 4, 2) . (3, 6, 3) = - 9 + 24 + 6 = 21 > 0 (Acute)
u . w = (1, -2, 3) . (3, 6, 3) = 3 – 12 + 9 = 0 (Perpendicular)
• 
ORTHOGONAL VECTORS
Perpendicular Vectors are also called Orthogonal vectors. Two vectors u and v are orthogonal
(perpendicular) if and only if u . v = 0. it can be written as u v.

If u and a are vectors in 2 - and 3 – space and if a 0, then

u = a (vector component of u along a)
u - u = u - a (vector component of u orthogonal to a)
•   u = (2, -1, 3) and a = (4, -1, 2). Find the vector component of u along a and the vector component of u
Let
orthogonal to a.
Solution:
u = a (vector component of u along a)
u - u = u - a (vector component of u orthogonal to a)
First we find u . a
u . a = (2, -1, 3) . (4, -1, 2) = 8 + 1 + 6 = 15
Now we can find
= = 16 + 1 + 4 = 21

Vector component of u along a

u = a = (4, -1, 2) = (4, -1, 2) = ()
Vector component of u orthogonal to a
u - u = u - a = (2, -1, 3) - ()
u - u = ()
• 
DISTANCE BETWEEN A POINT AND A LINE
D=

Find the distance between the point (1, - 2) and 3 x + 4 y – 6 = 0.

Solution:
= 1 and = -2
a = 3, b = 4 and c = - 6
Put the values in the formula
D=
D= =
D=