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Vectors Summary

1) To find the angle between vectors, projections of vectors, or the projection vector, use the dot product. 2) To check if a point lies on a line or plane, substitute the point into the equation of the line or plane. 3) To find the distance from a point to a line or plane, use formulas involving perpendicular projections.

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230 views1 page

Vectors Summary

1) To find the angle between vectors, projections of vectors, or the projection vector, use the dot product. 2) To check if a point lies on a line or plane, substitute the point into the equation of the line or plane. 3) To find the distance from a point to a line or plane, use formulas involving perpendicular projections.

Uploaded by

smrt173
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SUMMARY OF VECTORS

Problems involving 2 vectors


a
To find the angle between 2 vectors a and b: cos θ = b
To find the length of projection of a vector a on another vector b: a
|a•|= b
a
To find the projection vector of a on another vector b: (a•) b
Problems involving a point and a line
To check whether a point P lies on a line r = a + λ b:
Equate the x, y and z components of P and the equation of the line and solve for λ .
To find the foot of the perpendicular N from a point P to a line r = a + P
λ b:
= + = + projection of on b = + (• ) A N b
OR Use the fact that PN is ⊥ to b.
To find the distance from a point P to a line r = a + λ b : |× |
OR If given length of AP & length of projection of on the line, then use Pythagoras' Theorem.
Problems involving 2 lines
To check whether 2 lines intersect:
Equate the x, y and z components of the equations of the 2 lines and solve.
To find the acute angle between 2 lines, we use the dot product to find the b1
θ
angle between the 2 direction vectors: cos θ = b2
Problems involving a point and a plane
To check whether a point P lies in a plane r • n = d:
Substitute the position vector of P into the equation of the plane.
P
To find the foot of the perpendicular from a point P to a plane r • n = d:
Find the intersection of the line r = p + λ n and the plane.
n

P
To find the distance from a point P to a plane r • n = d:
Distance = | • | where A is any point on the plane
A n
Problems involving a line and a plane
To find the intersection of a line r = a + λ b and a plane r • n = d:
Substitute the equation of the line into the equation of the plane.

To find the angle between a line r = a + λ b and a plane r • n = d: b α


θ = 90° – cos–1 θ n

Problems involving 2 planes


To find the distance between 2 planes r • n = d1 and r • n = d2: Distance =
n1
n2 θ
To find the angle between 2 planes r • n1 = d1 and r • n2 = d2: θ
cos θ =

To find the line of intersection of 2 planes r • n1 = d1 and r • n2 = d2:


Solve the cartesian equations of the 2 planes simultaneously.

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