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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°.