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Scalar product The vector equation of the line passing through the

The scalar product is used to find the angle between point (a, b, c) in the direction of the vector
two vectors (or between two lines). �a � �l �
li + mj + nk is: r = b �+ t �m �

The formula for scalar product is �c � �n �
a.b = ab cos q (LEARN THIS!!) �� � �
where a is the magnitude of a, b is the magnitude of The magnitude of a vector is its length. The Note: t is a parameter and r is the position vector of
b, and θ is the angle between vectors a and b. �a� a general point (x, y, z) on the line.
magnitude of the vector b �is
� a 2 + b2 + c2 .
Note: The angle between two lines is the angle �c � Lines are called skew if they do not intersect and if
�� they are not parallel. So to prove that two lines are
between their direction vectors. uuur
The distance between 2 points A and B is AB . skew you prove they don’t intersect.
Example: Example: a) Find the vector equation of line l1 We can form equations:
Find the angle between the vectors passing through the points A(1, -2, 6) and B(7, 1, -3). 1 + 6t = 1 + 4s → 6t – 4s = 0 (1)
3i + 2j – 2k and -4i – j + 3k. b) A second line l2 has equation -2 + 3t = 2 – 6s → 3t + 6s = 4 (2)
r = (i + 2 j + 3k ) + s(4i - 6 j + 2k ) . 6 – 8t = 3 + 2s → 8t + 2s = 3 (3)
Solution: Show that line l1 and l2 are skew and find the angle Solving equations (1) and (2):
Step 1: Find the scalar product: between the lines. 6t – 4s = 0 (1)
�3 �� -4 � 6t + 12s = 8 (2) × 2
�2 � Solution: Subtract equations to remove t: 16s = 8
. -1 �= -12 - 2 - 6 = -20

� a) The direction of the line is
�-2 ��

�3 �
� So s = 0.5.
uuu
r �7 � �1 � �6 � From equation (1), we then get t = 1/3.
Step 2: Find the magnitude of each vector: AB = b - a = �1 �- �-2 �= �3 �.
� To show they are skew lines, we must check that
3 -4
�-2 � �6 �
� �
��
�-8 �
� these values do not work in the 3rd equation:
2 = 9 + 4 + 4 = 17 , -1 = 16 + 1 + 9 = 26
The line passes through (1, -2, 6), so the equation is 8t + 2s = 8 �13 + 2 �0.5 �3
-2 3
�1 � �6 � Therefore the lines are skew.
Step 3: Use the formula for the scalar product: r =�-2 �+ t �3 �.
a.b = ab cos q �6 � � -8 � We find the angle between the direction vectors:
� � � �
-20 = 17 � 26 �cos q �6 ��4 �
b) To show lines are skew we show they can’t
-20 �3 � .�-6 �= 24 - 18 - 16 = -10
cosq = = -0.9513 intersect. We do this by writing the two vector �
17 � 26 equations equal to each other and attempting to solve �-8 ��2 �
� �

So, q = 162o the equations: 6 4
There is also an acute angle between the lines. This �1 � �6 � �� 1 �4 � 3 = 36 + 9 + 64 = 109 and -6 = 56
is 180 - 162 = 18o . �-2 �+ t �3 �= ��
2 + s �-6 � -8 2
�6 � � � ��
-8 � ��
3 �2 �
� � � � � So -10 = 109 � 56 �cosq
NOTE: It is ESSENTIAL that the lines are written Therefore cos q = -0.12799 � q = 97.4o
with different parameters.
So the acute angle is 82.6°.

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