=

║=

=1
Unit vectors in R³ that are of special importance:
i = < 1, 0, 0 >
j = < 0, 1, 0 >
k = < 0, 0, 1 >
z

y
i j

x
Any vector x = < , > can be written as linear combination of the unit
vectors i , j, and k.
x= + k

Examples: < 4 , -1, 7 > = 4i – j + 7k

< 6, 5, - 4 > = 6i + 5j – 4k
< -2, 7, - 8 > = -2i + 7j – 8k
= -2 < 1, 0, 0 > + 7 < 0, 1, 0 > – 8 < 0, 0, 1 >
= < -2, 0, 0 > + < 0, 7, 0 > + < 0, 0, -8 >
= < -2, 7, -8 >
 Cross Product in R³ : If x = < , > and y = < , >, then

[ ]
𝑖 𝑗 𝑘
x x y= 𝑥1 𝑥2 𝑥3
𝑦1 𝑦2 𝑦3
- - -
𝑖 𝑗
=
𝑥1 𝑥2
𝑦1 𝑦2
+ + +

= +--
Properties of Dot Product

If u, v, and w are vectors and c is a scalar, then:

i. u . u > 0 , u . u = 0 if and only if u = 0

ii. u . v = v . u
iii. (u + v) . w = u . w + v . w
iv. ( c u ) . v = u . (cv) = c ( u . v)

Show that ║u║= u . u

 Properties of Cross Product
If u, v, and w are vectors in R³ and c is a scalar, then:

i.) u x v = - (v x u)
ii.) u x (v + w) = u x v + u x w
iii.) (u + v) x w = u x w + v x w
iv.) c (u x v) = (cu) x v = u x (cv)
v.) u x u = 0
vi.) 0 x u = u x 0 = 0
vii.) u x ( v x w ) = (u . w) v - ( u . v) w
viii.) ( u x v) x w = (w . u) v - (w . v) u
ix.) ( u x v) . w = u . (v x w) , this is called the scalar triple
product of u, v, and w
x.) u . ( u x v) = v . ( u x v ) = 0 , that is (u x v) is orthogonal to
both u and v.
xi.) If neither u nor v is the zero vector, then u and v are
parallel if and only if u x v = 0

Show that ║u x v ║ ² = ║u║ ║ v ║² - ( u . v )²