Dawson College

Mathematics Department
Linear Algebra, 201-NYC-05, Winter 2020
Noushin Sabetghadam
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3.5. Cross Product

In this section we are going to introduce a kind of “multiplication” of vectors

which only makes sense in 3-space!

Definition. If ~u = (u1, u2, u3) and ~v = (v1, v2, v3) are two vectors in
3-space, then the cross product ~u × ~v is the vector defined by
     
 u2 u3   u1 u3   u1 u2 
~u × ~v = ( ,−
 v1 v3  ,  v1 v2 )
  
v2 v3 
~u × ~v = (u2v3 − u3v2, u3v1 − u1v3, u1v2 − u2v1).
It is easier if we use the following cofactor expansion along the first row
to represent ~u × ~v :
 
 ~ ~ ~  
 i j k       
u u u u u u 
~u × ~v =  u1 u2 u3  =  2 3 ~i −  1 3  ~j +  1 2  ~k.
     
  v2 v3 v1 v3 v1 v2
 v1 v2 v3 

Example 34) Find the cross products ~a × ~b, ~c × ~c and ~b × (~c − ~a), where
~a = (−1, 2, 1), ~b = (2, 3, 0) and ~c = (−7, 3, 11).

Example 35) Find ~a • (~a × ~b) and ~b • (~a × ~b), where ~a and ~b are as in the
previous example.

Basic Properties of Cross Product

1
 Let ~u, ~v and w
~ be vectors in 3-space, and let k be a scalar. Then

(a) ~u × ~v = −~v × ~u;

(b) ~u × (~v ± w)
~ = ~u × ~v ± ~u × w;
~

(c) (~u ± ~v ) × w
~ = ~u × w
~ ± ~v × w;
~

(d) k(~u × ~v ) = (k~u) × ~v = ~u × (k~v );

(e) ~u × ~0 = ~0 × ~u = ~0;

(f ) ~u × ~u = ~0.

Example 36) Prove the ”Properties of Cross Product”.

Geometric Interpretation of Cross Product

The cross product ~u × ~v is a vector orthogonal to the vectors ~u and ~v both

whose norm is given by

k~u × ~v k = k~uk k~v k sin(θ),

where θ is the angle between ~u and ~v .

Relations Involving Cross Product and Dot Product

If ~u, ~v and w
~ are in 3-space, then

(a) ~u • (~u × ~v ) = 0, that is, ~u × ~v is perpendicular to ~u;

(b) ~v • (~u × ~v ) = 0, that is, ~u × ~v is perpendicular to ~v as well;

(c) k~u × ~v k2 = k~uk2 k~v k2 − (~u • ~v )2 ; (Lagrange’s Identity)

(d) ~u × (~v × w)
~ = (~u • w)~
~ v − (~u • ~v )w;
~

(e) (~u × ~v ) × w
~ = (~u • w)~
~ v − (~v • w)~
~ u.
Example 37) Prove Lagrange’s Identity.

Area of Parallelograms and Triangles in R3

Theorem. The area of the parallelogram determined by ~u and ~v is

equal to k~u × ~v k and the area of the triangle determined by ~u and ~v
is equal to 21 k~u × ~v k.

Example 38) Find the area of the triangle determined by the points A(−1, 2, 0),
B(2, −3, 5) and C(0, 1, −5).

Scalar Triple Product

Definition. If ~u, ~v and w~ are in 3-space, then the scalar triple


 u1 u2 u3 

~ is defined by ~u • (~v × w)
product of ~u, ~v and w ~ =  v1 v2 v3  .
 w1 w2 w3 

Theorem. The area of the parallelogram in 2-space determined by

~u = (u1, u2) and ~v = (v1, v2) is equal to the absolute value of
 
 u1 u2 
Area =  
v1 v2 
The volume of the parallelepiped in 3-space determined by ~u =
(u1, u2, u3), ~v = (v1, v2, v3) and w
~ = (w1, w2, w3) is equal to the ab-
solute value of their scalar triple product:

Volume = |~u • (~v × w)|.

~
Example 39) Find the volume of the parallelepiped determined by the vectors
(−1, 2, 3), (1, 1, 5) and (0, 0, −2).

Example 40) Find the volume of the parallelepiped determined by the points
P (1, 2, 3), Q(2, 1, −1), R(1, 0, −2) and the origin.

Example 41) Show that the vectors ~u, ~v and w ~ (with the same initial point)
lie in the same plane if and only if ~u • (~v × w)
~ = 0.