Academic Skills Advice

Vectors Summary
A vector includes magnitude (size) and direction.

Types of vectors:
Line vector: can slide along the line of action.
Free vector: not restricted, defined by magnitude & direction but can be anywhere.
Position vector: = 4 5,
one end is fixed and it usually starts at the origin (e.g.
means start at the origin and go along 4 and down 5).
Unit vector (): The vector with a length of 1 (sometimes called the normalised vector).
is a unit vector in the -direction
is a unit vector in the -direction
is a unit vector in the -direction

Addition of Vectors:
When adding vectors you can draw them as a chain with the 2nd vector starting where the 1st
one ended.

e.g. if
is the vector
Adding them gives: =
+
is the vector
and

The resultant vector

When you are given the components you can just add the and add the :
e.g. add the vectors: = + and = +

+ = 7 + 6

Magnitude of Vectors:
To find the magnitude of vector ( ||) you would use Pythagoras.

, find ||
e.g. if = +

|| = 62 + (3)2 + 22 = 49 = 7

Finding the unit Vector:

The unit vector (
) has a length of 1. So to find the unit vector (i.e. to make the length 1) we

need to divide each component of the vector by the original length, i.e. =
||

) of the vector = +
e.g. find the unit vector (

|| = 22 + (3)2 + 12 = 14

(2,3,1)
= || =
14

2 3 1
Therefore: = + (and || = 1)
14 14 14

H Jackson 2014/15/16 / Academic Skills 1

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 Direction cosines:
The direction cosines are the cosines of the angles between the vector and each of the 3
axes.
For example: = () where is the angle between the vector and the -axis,
= () where is the angle between the vector and the -axis
and = () where is the angle between the vector and the -axis.

i.e. If = + +

The direction cosines (, ) are: = || = || = ||

(Remember that || can be found by using Pythagoras: || = 2 + 2 + 2)

e.g.
let = +

|| = 32 + (2)2 + 62 = 7

the direction cosines (, & ) are: = , = , =

3
(We have found that () = 7 and so the angle between the vector and the -axis is:
3
= 1 (7) = 64.60 . We can find the other angles in the same way)

Resolving Vectors:
We can use basic trigonometry to resolve a vector into its and components. Remember
that if you go:

through the angle you use cos (because we are considering hypotenuse and adjacent)
away from the angle you use sin (because we are considering hypotenuse and opposite)

e.g. Vector has an angle of 40o and a length of 8.

component:
= 840 = 6.13
8
component:
40 = 840 = 5.14

Vector Multiplication:
There are 2 types of vector multiplication the dot (scalar) product and the cross (vector)
product. See the following pages for explanations.

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 Dot (Scalar) Product:

The dot product of the vectors and is written as . (a dot b)

The result of the dot product is a scalar: i.e. . =

For two vectors and the dot product is calculated by multiplying the coefficients of
PLUS multiplying the coefficients of PLUS multiplying the coefficients of (you
could think of it as: ( ) + ( ) + ( ))

e.g. = + +

= + +
() () ()
. = (2 4) + (3 1) + (5 6) =

We have found that the dot product of the vectors and = 41

Finding the angle Between 2 vectors:

The dot product can also be used to find the angle between two vectors using the following
equation:

. = ||||

We already know that . = 41 (above) and we can work out the right hand side as follows:

|||| = 22 + 32 + 52 42 + 12 + 62 = 3853

Now we can use the equation to find the angle between the 2 vectors:

. = ||||
41 = 3853
41
= 1 ( )
3853
= 24

Parallel or perpendicular?
If . = then = 0 = 90 perpendicular
If . = then = 1 = 0 parallel

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 Cross (Vector) Product:
The cross product of the vectors and is written as (a cross b)
The result of the cross product is a vector: i.e. =

For two vectors = 1 + 2 + 3 and = 1 + 2 + 3 the cross product is calculated

as follows:

= ( ) ( ) + ( )

This looks like a complicated formula to remember but there is an easy way to do the cross
product using a matrix.

Set up a matrix with above .

e.g. = + +

= |2 4 3 |

= + 1 5 2

To find the component, cover up everything in the row & column, and find the determinant
of whats left (the minor). Do the same for and and apply the alternate signs (see matrix
summary sheet for more help). If youre not sure about (or just dont like) matrices see the
final page for an easy way to remember, and write out, the formula.

4 3 2 3 2 4
= +| | | | + | |
5 2 1 2 1 5

= +((4 2) (3 5)) ((2 2) (3 1)) + ((2 5) (4 1))

= + + (You have found the cross product)

Finding the angle Between 2 vectors:

The cross product can also be used to find the angle between two vectors using the
following equation:
| | = ||||
So far we have found that = 23 + 7 + 6
Use this to find the modulus (to complete the left hand side):
| | = (23)2 + 72 + 62 = 614 (. )

Right hand side: |||| = 22 + 42 + 32 12 + 52 + (2)2 = 2930

Now we can find the angle between and using the cross product equation:

| | = ||||
614 = 2930
614
= 1 ( )
2930

= 57.1

Parallel or perpendicular?
If = then = 0 = 0 parallel
If = then = 1 = 90 perpendicular
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 Right Hand Rule:
The answer to the cross product ( ) is a vector that acts perpendicular to both of the
original vectors ( ) and has magnitude ||||.

Useful information: = ( )
=
=

For RH rule: = = =

=
=
=
=

=
=

You could remember the RH rule as follows:

If the 2 numbers you are multiplying are:
In alphabetical order (going round in a circle: , , , , , ), answer is: other letter.
Not in alphabetical order, answer is: -other letter.
The reason it is called the Right Hand Rule isnt covered here but you can always search
for it if youre interested.

Another way to find the cross product formula:

If you dont like using Matrices the following is a way to remember the formula:

= (2 3 3 2 ) (1 3 3 1 ) + (1 2 2 1 )

Step 1: Write the formula out but without the subscript numbers:

= ( ) ( ) + ( )

(Remember the alternate signs on the brackets)

Now we just need to fill in the subscript numbers with the and

Step 2: Decide on the numbers that go with the

Bracket 1, miss out 1, so write 2 then 3

Bracket 2, miss out 2, so write 1 then 3
Bracket 3, miss out 3, so write 1 then 2

The numbers with the : = ( ) ( ) + ( )

Step 3: Decide on the numbers that go with the

In each bracket just use the opposite numbers from what you used for the

The numbers with the : = (2 3 ) (1 3 ) + (1 2 )

We have now written the complete formula:

= (2 3 3 2 ) (1 3 3 1 ) + (1 2 2 1 )
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