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Lecture2 April2
Lecture2 April2
Lecture2 April2
VECTORS (§12.2)
Given two points P = (x1, y1) and Q = (x2, y2), their differ-
−→
ence PQ = (x2 − x1, y2 − y1) is called a vector.
Example:
4 Q = (5, 4)
3
B = (1, 2)
2 P = (4, 2)
1
A = (0, 0)
−1 1 2 3 4 5
−1
−→
PQ = (5 − 4, 4 − 2) = (1, 2)
−→
AB = (1 − 0, 2 − 0) = (1, 2)
−→ −→
The vectors PQ and AB are equivalent.
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Adding vectors
~ = (b1, b2) define
~ = (a1, a2) and b
For a
~+b
a ~ = (a1 + b1, a2 + b2).
−
→ −
→ b2
a + b −
→ a2 + b2
b
−
→ a2
a
a1 b1
a1 + b1
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Subtracting vectors
~ = (b1, b2) define
~ = (a1, a2) and b
For a
~−b
a ~ = (a1 − b1, a2 − b2).
Example:
−
→ →
−
a − b
−
→
a
−
→
b
~ = (3, 4) we have
~ = (−2, 6), b
For a
~−b
a ~ = (−2 − 3, 6 − 4) = (−5, 2)
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Scaling:
~ = (a1, a2) and a scalar c ∈ R, the
For a vector a
scalar product is defined as c~
a = (ca1, ca2).
Example:
2−
→
a
−
→
a
−2−
→
a
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p
~ = (x, y) is |~
The magnitude of a vector a a| = x 2 + y2
The magnitude is the distance between the start point and
the end point of the vector.
1
~ is
The direction of a vector a ~.
a
|~
a|
~ = (0, 0).
In R2 the zero vector is 0
The zero vector has magnitude 0, but no direction.
Some observations:
1
•| a ~| = 1
|~
a|
• |c~ a| = |c| · |~a|
|{z} |{z} |{z}
magnitude abs.val magnitude
11
Now everything in 3D
• For P = (x1, y1, z1) and Q = (x2, y2, z2), the vector from
−→
P to Q is PQ = (x2 − x1, y2 − y1, z2 − z1).
p
a| = x 2 + y2 + z 2
~ = (x, y, z) has magnitude |~
• A vector a
~ = (0, 0, 0)
• The zero vector is 0
~ = (b1, b2, b3) gives
~ = (a1, a2, a3) and b
• Adding a
(a1 + b1, a2 + b2, a3 + b3)
• etc..
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THE STANDARD BASIS
In R3, the vectors ~i = (1, 0, 0), ~j = (0, 1, 0), k~ = (0, 0, 1) are
called the standard basis vectors.
Every vector in R3 can be written as a linear combination
of the standard basis vectors.
Example:
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Exercise (Spring 2013 Midterm 1, ex 4)
Let ℓ be the line in R3 that passes though the points (1, 2, 3)
and (4, 1, −1). Find the coordinates of the point where ℓ
intersects the xz-plane.
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