Western International School

Subject: Mathematics
Grade 11
Code: Ch08 L05
Chapter: Vector in space
Topic: Dot product of two vectors
Duration: 50mins
I. Basic concept about vector
B
• A: “initial” and B: “terminal”.
Let Ax1 , y1 , z1  and Bx2 , y2 , z 2 
A
• Vector AB is defined by AB  x2  x1 , y2  y1 , z 2  z1 

is,
• The magnitude or the length of AB

AB  x2  x1 
2
  y2  y1   z 2  z1 
2 2
II. Dot product of two vectors
Given the two vectors u  x1 , y1 , z1  and v  x2 , y2 , z 2  , the
dot product is,

u .v  x1 x2  y1 y2  z1 z 2
Sometimes the dot product is called the scalar product or inner product.
Example: Compute the dot product for each of the following:

a. u  2 , 3 , 4  and v  3 ,1, 2 
b. a   2 , 0 ,1 and b  2 , 6 ,  2 
c. a  2 i  3 j  2 k and b  i  4 j  k
 • Solution
Compute the dot product for each of the following:
a. u  2 , 3 , 4  and v  3 ,1, 2 
Formula:

u .v  x1 x2  y1 y2  z1 z 2 , where u  2 , 3 , 4  and v  3 ,1, 2 

 u .v  2  3  3  1  4  2  6  3  8  17
Thus, u .v  17
b. a   2 , 0 ,1 and b  2 , 6 ,  2 
Formula : a .b  x1 x2  y1 y2  z1 z 2
 a .b  4  0  2  6
c. a  2 i  3 j  2 k and b  i  4 j  k
We can write : a  2 , 3 ,2  and b  1, 4 ,  1
Formula : a .b  x1 x2  y1 y2  z1 z 2
 a .b  2  12  2  16

(ii). u .v  u . v cos 

u
v

Example: Given AB  1,1,1 , AC  6 the angle between
AB and AC is 60 0 . Find AB . AC
Solution
Find AB . AC
since, the formula: AB . AC  AB . AC cos 
where

AB  12  12  12  3 , AC  6 and   600

Then
  1
AB . AC  3  6 cos 60  6 3   3 3
0

2
AB . AC  3 3
 Practice #11
Let A(-2 , -1 , 3) ; B(2 , 1 , 5) and C(0 , 1 , 3) are the three
points in space.

a. Find the component of AB , AC

b. Compute AB . AC
c. Find the value of cos  , where
 is the angle between AB and AC
 Practice #11
Let A(2 , 3 , 0) ; B(3 , 1 , -2) and C(-1 , 4 , 5) are the three
points in space.

→ →
a. Find the component of 𝐵 𝐴 , 𝐵 𝐶
→ →
b. Compute 𝐵 𝐴 . 𝐵 𝐶
c. Find the value of cos  , where
→ →
𝛼 𝑖𝑠 𝑡h𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝐵 𝐴 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵 𝐶
Thank you