Vectors Presentation

Lecture slides @ Teaching Mathematics

IIT JEE Lectures

Vectors Complete

Sachin Gadkar

Vectors Presentation

Beginning
Denition A vector is a mathematical structure that has both magnitude and direction dened. i.e. Any vector can be constructed if we know its magnitude.

a a = |a|
where

|a|

is the modulus or length of the vector and

is the unit

vector (which determines the direction)

Notation : We represent position vector by small letter like

vector joining A and B point as

a and a AB read as vector AB or AB bar

Sachin Gadkar

Vectors Presentation

Properties of a vector
Given a vector

a = a1+a2+a3 k 1 i j
Denition

a, in cartesian coordinate form given as

then

Length of the vector is

|a| =

2 2 2 a1 + a2 + a3 and

Denition Direction of the vector is

= a

|a|

(a1 , a2 , a3 )
2 2 2 a1 + a2 + a3

1 Hence

forth, I will represent a vector

i j a = a1+a2+a3 k

as

( a1 , a2 , a3 ) .

It

also saves lots of time.

Sachin Gadkar

Vectors Presentation

Types of vectors
Denition
Equal vectors : Two vectors are called equal if they have same

magnitude and direction.

Denition
Free vectors : If for a vector its point of application is

insignicant, then we say such a vector is free vector. Like force vector is a free vector while working with translation motion

Denition
Fixed vectors : If for a vector its point of application is signicant

is called a xed or localized vector. Like force vector while calculating torque.

Sachin Gadkar

Vectors Presentation

Position vectors
Denition Position Vector : A vector locating the position of a point in vector space, obviously starting from origin to the point, is dened as Position vector of the point. Notation for position vector is always a small alphabet. Like point A() where by

A is the point represented

Denition Section Formula : If points. If

C () divides AB in the ratio m : n then c

c= c= m b + n a m+n m b n a mn
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(internal section)

A () and B b a

are position vectors of these

(external section)

Vectors Presentation

Operations on vector space

Addition Sum of two vectors follows the Triangle law, i.e. which is obtained by starting from start of

a + b is a vector a and ending point of b

Parallogram Law If

from a common vertex, then

a and b are vectors of adjacent sides of a parallogram starting a + b is the diagonal starting from the common vertex of a and b
Extension of parallogram law is called the polygon law.

Sachin Gadkar

Vectors Presentation

Multiplication
Denition Scalar Multiplication : If a vector is multiplied by a scalar (real number) it only changes the length of the vector and not its direction. denoted as Denition Dot Product/ Scalar Product angle between the vectors

a :

a b = |a| b

cos where

is the

a Scalar

product means the outcome is a scalar

Denition Cross Product/Vector Product the angle between

a :

a and b and n is the unit vector in the direction perpendicular to both a and b
a Vector
product, since the outcome is a vector

a b = |a| b

sin where

is

Sachin Gadkar

Vectors Presentation

Properties of Dot and Cross product

Properties

ab = ba a b = 0 = a = 0 or b = 0 or a b |a|2 = a a

a b = b a a b = 0 = a = 0 or b = 0 or a b aa = 0

Sachin Gadkar

Vectors Presentation

Area

Area of a triangle ABC is given by

ABC =
Area of the parallogram

1 2

AB AC

= 2

Area of the triangle

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Vectors Presentation

Scalar Triple product

Scalar Triple Product Also called Box product is dened as

abc = ab c

. It can seen

as the volume of a parallopiped formed by edges formed by

a, b and

abc = abc abc = bc a = c ab abc = bca aba

=0

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Vectors Presentation

Vector Triple Product

Vector Triple product Vector triple product is dened as

a bc

= (a c ) b

ab c

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Vectors Presentation

Components and projections

Projections Given two vectors

a and b at an angle Projection of a along b is

|a| cos =

to each other,

ab b

Projection of

a b is
|a| sin =

ab b

Sachin Gadkar

Vectors Presentation

Components and projections

Components
Given two vectors

a and b at an angle to each other then a along b is

Component of

|a| cos b =

ab b b
2

Component of

a b is ab b b
2

(Triangle law)

bab b
2

(Vector product)

Sachin Gadkar

Vectors Presentation