MATH 2161: Matrices and

Vector Analysis

Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif

Lecturer in Mathematics
Department of General Education
Canadian University of Bangladesh
Former Lecturer, World University of Bangladesh

Lesson 09 01
 Lecture Outline

Introduction to Vectors

Representation of Vector

Different Types of Vectors

Addition and Subtraction of Vectors

Multiplication of Vectors

MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 09 02

 Introduction to Vectors
Physical quantities can be classified into two categories named Scalars
and Vectors.

Scalar: A scalar is a quantity having magnitude but no direction.

Example: Length, Mass, Density, Time, Distance, Area, Volume, Speed,

Temperature, Energy.

Vector: A vector is a quantity having both magnitude and direction.

Graphically vector depicted as a directed line segments of a certain
length.

Example: Displacement, Velocity, Acceleration, Force, Lift, Drag, Thrust,

Weight, Momentum, Torque.

MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 09 03

 Representation of Vector
Vectors can be graphically represented by directed line segments. The length is chosen, according to some
scale, to represent the magnitude of the vector and the direction of the directed line segment represents
the direction of the vector.

ഥ or 𝐀. Mathematically the vector A consists of a scalar

If A is a vector then it can be represented as A or A
෡ as unit vectors for this case where 𝒊,Ƹ 𝒋,Ƹ 𝒌
value and a unit vector. We use 𝒊,Ƹ 𝒋,Ƹ 𝒌 ෡ indicates unit vectors

along 𝒙, 𝒚 and 𝒛 axis.

෡
Example: 𝐀 = 𝟐𝒊Ƹ + 𝟒𝒋Ƹ + 𝟑𝒌

MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 09 04

 Magnitude of Vector
Magnitude of Vector: The length between the initial point and the terminal point of any vector is called
magnitude of the vector.
In other words, the length of a vector is called the magnitude or modulus of the vector. The magnitude of

vector 𝐀 is denoted by | 𝐀 | or A. If 𝐀 = 𝐴𝑥 𝑖Ƹ + 𝐴𝑦 𝑗Ƹ + 𝐴𝑧 𝑘෠ then

|𝐀|=A= 𝐴2𝑥 + 𝐴2𝑦 + 𝐴2𝑧

෠
Example: Find the magnitude of the vector 𝐀 = 2𝑖Ƹ + 3𝑗Ƹ − 5𝑘.

Solution : | 𝐀 | = 22 + 32 + −5 2

= 4 + 9 + 25

= 38

MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 09 05

 Different Types of Vectors
Null (Zero) Vector: If the initial point and the terminal point of any vector is
same i. e. the magnitude of the vector is zero then it is called null (zero) vector.
Null vector is denoted by 0 or 0ത or 0 or 𝟎.

Unit Vector: If the magnitude of any vector is 𝟏, then the vector is called unit
vector. Generally a unit vector is denoted by a letter with an cap over it. Such as
ෝ is a unit vector. Three unit vector 𝑖,Ƹ 𝑗,Ƹ 𝑘෠ are called the rectangular unit vectors
𝒂
along the positive 𝑋, 𝑌, 𝑍 axes.

Position Vector: If 𝑃 is a point with coordinate (𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧) then the position vector
or radius vector of point 𝑃 is defined as the directed distance from the origin 𝑂
෡
to 𝑃. It is defined as, 𝒓 = 𝒙𝒊Ƹ + 𝒚𝒋Ƹ + 𝒛𝒌.

MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 09 06

 Different Types of Vectors
Free Vector: If any point can be chosen as the initial point of any vector then
the vector is called free vector.

Negative Vector: A vector having same magnitude but opposite direction is

called negative vector.

Collinear Vectors: The vectors which have the same support are called
collinear vectors. If A and B are collinear vectors, then 𝐀 = 𝝀𝐁 where 𝜆 is a
scalar.

Coplanar Vectors: A system of vectors is said to be coplanar, if their supports

are parallel to the same plane. In other words, the vectors parallel to the same
plane or lie on the same plane are called coplanar vector.

MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 09 07

 Different Types of Vectors
Equal Vectors: Two vectors are said to be equal vectors if their magnitudes
are equal and they have the same direction. Here A and B are equal vectors.

Proper and Improper Vectors: Any vector A is called proper vector if 𝐀 ≠ 𝟎,

otherwise it is called improper vector.

N. B. Null vector is the only improper vector.

Co-Initial Vectors: The vectors having same initial point are called co-initial

vectors. Here 𝑎, Ԧ 𝑑Ԧ and 𝑒Ԧ are five co-initial vectors in the adjacent graph.
Ԧ 𝑏, 𝑐,

Reciprocal Vectors: If the product of magnitudes of two vectors is 𝟏, then

two vectors are called reciprocal vectors to each other.

MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 09 08

 Vector Addition and Subtraction
 Two vectors 𝐀 and 𝐁 can be added together and resulting another vector 𝐂 .

𝐂 =𝐀 +𝐁

For subtraction, 𝐂 = 𝐀 − 𝐁

 If 𝐀 = 𝐴1 𝑖Ƹ + 𝐴2 ෡𝑗 + 𝐴3 𝑘෠ and 𝐁 = 𝐵1 𝑖Ƹ + 𝐵2 ෡𝑗 + 𝐵3 𝑘෠ then

𝐂 = 𝐴1 + 𝐵1 𝑖Ƹ + 𝐴2 + 𝐵2 𝑗Ƹ + 𝐴3 + 𝐵3 𝑘෠

For subtraction, 𝐂 = 𝐴1 − 𝐵1 𝑖Ƹ + 𝐴2 − 𝐵2 𝑗Ƹ + 𝐴3 − 𝐵3 𝑘෠

Example: If 𝐀 = 2𝑖Ƹ + 3𝑗Ƹ + 5𝑘෠ and 𝐁 = 3𝑖Ƹ + 2𝑗Ƹ + 2𝑘෠ then find 𝐀 + 𝐁 and 𝐀 − 𝐁.

Solution: 𝐀 + 𝐁 = 2𝑖Ƹ + 3𝑗Ƹ + 5𝑘෠ + 3𝑖Ƹ + 2𝑗Ƹ + 2𝑘෠ = 5𝑖Ƹ + 5𝑗Ƹ + 7𝑘෠

and 𝐀 − 𝐁 = 2𝑖Ƹ + 3𝑗Ƹ + 5𝑘෠ − 3𝑖Ƹ + 2𝑗Ƹ + 2𝑘෠ = −𝑖Ƹ + 𝑗Ƹ + 3𝑘෠

Remark: Vectors are added and subtracted by adding and subtracting their individual components.

MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 09 09

 Vector Multiplication
When two vectors 𝐀 and 𝐁 are multiplied, the result is either a scalar or a vector depending on how
they are multiplied. There are two types of vector multiplication:
𝟏. Scalar or Dot Product
𝟐. Vector or Cross Product
 Scalar or Dot Product: The dot product of the two vectors 𝐀 and 𝐁 denoted by 𝐀 ∙ 𝐁 is defined as
the product of the magnitude of 𝐀 and 𝐁 and the cosine of the angle 𝜽 between them.

𝐀 ∙ 𝐁 = 𝐀 ∙ 𝐁 cos 𝜽

 If 𝐀 = 𝐴1 𝑖Ƹ + 𝐴2 𝑗Ƹ + 𝐴3 𝑘෠ and 𝐁 = 𝐵1 𝑖Ƹ + 𝐵2 𝑗Ƹ + 𝐵3 𝑘෠ then

𝐀 ∙ 𝐁 = 𝑨𝟏 𝑩𝟏 + 𝑨𝟐 𝑩𝟐 + 𝑨𝟑 𝑩𝟑

෡∙𝒌
𝒊Ƹ ∙ 𝒊Ƹ = 𝒋Ƹ ∙ 𝒋Ƹ = 𝒌 ෡=𝟏
෡=𝒌
𝒊Ƹ ∙ 𝒋Ƹ = 𝒋Ƹ ∙ 𝒌 ෡ ∙ 𝒊Ƹ = 𝟎

MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 09 10

 Vector Multiplication
 Vector or Cross Product: The cross product of the two vectors 𝐀 and 𝐁 denoted by 𝐀 × 𝐁 is

defined as the product of the magnitude of 𝐀 and 𝐁 and the sine of the angle 𝜽 between them.

𝐀 × 𝐁 = 𝐀 ∙ 𝐁 sin 𝜽

 If 𝐀 = 𝐴1 𝑖Ƹ + 𝐴2 𝑗Ƹ + 𝐴3 𝑘෠ and 𝐁 = 𝐵1 𝑖Ƹ + 𝐵2 𝑗Ƹ + 𝐵3 𝑘෠ then

𝑖Ƹ 𝑗Ƹ 𝑘෠
𝐀 × 𝐁 = 𝐴1 𝐴2 𝐴3
𝐵1 𝐵2 𝐵3

= 𝐴2 𝐵3 − 𝐵2 𝐴3 𝑖Ƹ − 𝐴1 𝐵3 − 𝐵1 𝐴3 𝑗Ƹ + 𝐴1 𝐵2 − 𝐵1 𝐴2 𝑘෠

MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 09 11

 Vector Multiplication
Example: If 𝐀 = 2𝑖Ƹ + 3𝑗Ƹ + 4𝑘෠ and 𝐁 = 2𝑖Ƹ − 𝑗Ƹ + 3𝑘෠ then find 𝐀 ∙ 𝐁 and 𝐀 × 𝐁.

Solution: 𝐀 ∙ 𝐁 = 2𝑖Ƹ + 3𝑗Ƹ + 4𝑘෠ ∙ 2𝑖Ƹ − 𝑗Ƹ + 3𝑘෠

= 2 ∙ 2 + 3 ∙ −1 + 4 ∙ 3
= 4 − 3 + 12 = 13

𝑖Ƹ 𝑗Ƹ 𝑘෠ 𝑖Ƹ 𝑗Ƹ 𝑘෠
and 𝐀 × 𝐁 = 𝐴1 𝐴2 𝐴3 = 2 3 4
𝐵1 𝐵2 𝐵3 2 −1 3

= 9 − −4 𝑖Ƹ − 6 − 8 𝑗Ƹ + (−2 − 6)𝑘෠
= 9 + 4 𝑖Ƹ − −2 𝑗Ƹ + −8 𝑘෠
= 13𝑖Ƹ + 2𝑗Ƹ − 8𝑘෠

MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 09 12

 Next Lecture

 Mathematical Problems on Dot and Cross Product

 Angle Between Two Vectors

 Resolution of Vectors

 Projection of Vectors

MATH 2161 Md. Kawsar Ahmed Asif Lesson 09 13