VECTORS IN SPACE

VECTORS IN SPACE If a vector A= (x1 , y1 , z1 ) and a scalar k are given, then

the product of a vector by a scalar is,
The line segment whose initial point is the origin O and the
k  A = (k  x1 , k  y1 , k  z1 )
terminal point P is called position vector of point P. So
every vector directed from the origin to any point in analytic
space is a position vector. If the point P(x1 , y1 , z1 ) in

analytic space, then there is a position vector OP whose C- SCALAR PRODUCT

initial point is the origin and the terminal point is

P(x1 , y1 , z1 ) . For this vector OP= (x1 , y1 , z1 ) , If two vectors A= (x1 , y1 , z1 ) and B = (x2 , y2 , z2 ) are
given, then  A, B = A  B = x1 x2 + y1 y2 + z1 z2 is
x1 is the x-coordinate of the vector,
called scalar product or inner product.
y1 is the y-coordinate of the vector.
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z1 is the z-coordinate of the vector,

PROPERTIES OF SCALAR PRODUCT

The position vector AB of the points A(x1 , y1 , z1 ) and If two vectors A= (x1 , y1 , z1 ) , B = (x2 , y2 , z2 ) and
B(x2 , y2 , z1 ) is m, n  R are given, then;

AB = B − A = (x, y, z) = (x2 − x1 , y2 − y1 , z2 − z1 ) 2
1- A A = A = x12 + y12 + z12
or can be shown in other way

 x   x2 − x1  A B = B  A
    2-
AB = B − A =  y  =  y2 − y1 
z  z − z 
   2 1 3- A  (B + C) = A  B + A  C

OPERATIONS ON VECTORS 4- A  (B  C)  ( A  B)  C

A- ADDITION
5- (m  A)  (n  B) = (m  n)(A  B)
If two vectors A= (x1 , y1 , z1 ) and B = (x2 , y2 , z2 ) are
given,
6- (m  A)  B = m  ( A  B) = A  (m  B)
A + B = (x1 + x2 , y1 + y2 , z1 + z2 ) NOTES:

A − B = (x1 − x2 , y1 − y2 , z1 − z2 )
1- If the vector A= (x1 , y1 , z1 ) is given, then the norm
B- MULTIPLICATION BY A SCALAR
(length) of the vector A is;

A = x12 + y12 + z12

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x1 y1 z1
2- If the points A(x1 , y1 , z1 ) and B(x2 , y2 , z2 ) are
V = x2 y 2 z 2
given, then the norm (length) of the vector AB is; x3 y3 z3

AB = ( x2 − x1 ) 2 + ( y2 − y1 ) 2 + ( z2 − z1 ) 2
LINEAR DEPENDENCE AND INDEPENDENCE OF
VECTORS

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3- If the points A(x1 , y1 , z1 ) and B(x2 , y2 , z2 ) are The following vectors are given; A= (x1 , y1 , z1 ) ,
given, then the distance between points A and B is;
B = (x2 , y2 , z2 ) and C = (x3 , y3 , z3 ) then;

d = AB = (x2 − x1 ) 2 + ( y2 − y1 ) 2 + (z2 − z1 )2 x1 y1 z1
1- If x2 y2 z 2 = 0 then given three vectors are
x3 y3 z3

linearly dependent.
4- The angle  between vectors A and B is;
x1 y1 z1
A B 2- If x2 y2 z 2  0 , then given three vectors are
cos = , if A  B = A  B  cos . x3 y3 z3
A  B
linearly independent .

LINES AND PLANES IN SPACE

5- If A⊥ B then A B = 0 as;

A) EQUATION OF A LINE IN R3
A  B = x1 x2 + y1 y2 + z1 z2 = 0
In the space, the equation of the
line which is parallel (coincide) to
the vector V = (a, b, c) and
x1 y1 z1 passes through the point
6- If A// B then = = =k A(x1 , y1 , z1 ) is;
x2 y2 z2
x − x1 y − y1 z − z1
7- The volume of the prism which = =
a b c
is formed by using vectors A, B
and C ; A= (x1 , y1 , z1 ) ,
B = (x2 , y2 , z2 ) and V = (a, b, c) is called direct vector of the line and
numbers a, b and c are called the parameters of direct
C = (x3 , y3 , z3 ) is the vectors.
absolute value of the given
determinant.

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x-axis then, the line is parallel to the plane yO z and its
NOTE: In the given figure above, the vector V = (a, b, c) equation is;

and the vector AP = (x − x1 , y − y1 , z − z1 ) are parallel

y − y1 z − z1
to each other. So; x − x1 = 0, =
b c

x − x1 y − y1 z − z1
AP// V  = = =k 5- If two of the parameters of direct vector are zero, for
a b c example; if a = b = 0 , the direct vector is perpendicular to
the plane x O y then, the line is parallel to the z-axis and
its equation is;
1- The following equations are called parametric equations
of the line. z − z1
x = x1 + ak  x − x1 = 0, y − y1 = 0,
 c
y = y1 + bk  Parametric equations of the line.
z = z1 + ck 

B) EQUATION OF A PLANE IN R3

In the space, the equation

2- The equation of the line which passes through the points of the plane which is
A(x1 , y1 , z1 ) and B(x2 , y2 , z2 ) is; perpendicular to the

vector V = ( A, B, C)
x − x1 y − y1 z − z1
= = and passes through
x2 − x1 y2 − y1 z2 − z1
the point M(x0 , y0 , z0 )
is;

x − x1 y − y1 z − z1 Ax + By + Cz + D = 0
3- d1 : = =
a1 b1 c1
x − x2 y − y2 z − z2 V = ( A, B, C) is called direct vector of the line and
d2 : = = numbers A, B and C are called the parameters of direct
a2 b2 c2 vector.

For the given two lines above,

NOTE: In the given figure above, the vector V = ( A, B, C)
a b c
a) If d1 // d2  1 = 1 = 1
a2 b2 c2 and the vector MK = (x − x0 , y − y0 , z − z0 ) are

perpendicular to each other. So;

b) If d1 ⊥ d2  a1a2 + b1b2 + c1c2 = 0

MK ⊥ V  A(x − x0 ) + ( y − y0 ) + C(z − z0 ) = 0

4- If one of the parameters of direct vectors is zero, for

example; if a = 0 , the direct vector is perpendicular to the or MK ⊥ V  Ax + By + Cz + D = 0

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NOTES:

1- The equation of the plane which passes through the

origin (0, 0, 0) is Ax + By + Cz = 0

2- P1 : A1x + B1 y + C1z + D1 = 0
P2 : A2 x + B2 y + C2 z + D2 = 0

For the given two planes above,

A1 B1 C1
a) If P1 // P2  = =
A2 B2 C2

b) If P1 ⊥ P2  A1 A2 + B1B2 + C1C2 = 0

A1 B1 C1 D1
c) If P1 = P2  = = =
A2 B2 C2 D2
(If the planes P1 and P2 are coincide)

3- The distance from a point M(x0 , y0 , z0 ) to the plane

Ax + By + Cz + D = 0

Ax0 + By0 + Cz0 + D

d=
A2 + B 2 + C 2

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