Types of Vector

Unit vector
A vector whose magnitude is equal to one unit is called a unit vector. Let a be
a non-zero vector then
∙ Unit vector along (in the direction of) a¯ = a⃗ ∣∣a⃗ ∣∣
∙ Unit vector in the direction opposite to that of a⃗ is −a⃗ ∣∣a⃗ ∣∣
∙ Unit vector parallel to a⃗ = ± a⃗ |a⃗ |
∙ A vector having magnitude m units and parallel to a⃗ = ±ma⃗ ∣∣a⃗ ∣∣
∙ The numbers of unit vectors is infinite .

Equality of vectors
Two vectors a⃗ and b⃗ are equal if they have the same
magnitude (∣∣a⃗ ∣∣=∣∣b⃗ ∣∣), and they are in the same direction.

Addition of vectors

Addition of vectors
If a⃗ and b⃗ are any two vectors, then
i) ∣∣a⃗ +b⃗ ∣∣≤∣∣a⃗ ∣∣+| ⃗ b|
ii) ∣∣a⃗ ∣∣−∣∣b⃗ ∣∣ ≤∣∣a⃗ +b⃗ ∣∣
iii) ∣∣a⃗ −b⃗ ∣∣≥∣∣∣∣a⃗ ∣∣−∣∣b⃗ ∣∣∣∣
iv) If a⃗ and b⃗ are alike vectors, then ∣∣a⃗ +b⃗ ∣∣=∣∣a⃗ ∣∣+∣∣b⃗ ∣∣.

Addition of vectors
Let a⃗ ,b⃗ be the position vectors of the points A and B respectively. If the
point P divides the line joining A and B in the ratio m:n, then the position
vector of P is
OP→=na⃗ +mb⃗ m+n.
The position vector of the midpoint of AB=a⃗ +b⃗ 2.
Colinear vectors

Collinear vectors
Vectors which lie on a line or which are parallel are called collinear vectors
(whatever be their magnitudes).

Collinear vectors
Two vectors a⃗ and b⃗ are collinear if and only if a⃗ =mb⃗ or b⃗ =na⃗ ,
where m,n are scalars (real numbers).
Let a⃗ =a1i⃗ +a2j⃗ +a3k⃗ , b⃗ =b1i⃗ +b2j⃗ +b3k⃗ .
a⃗ ,b⃗ are collinear if and only if a1b1=a2b2=a3b3.

Coplanar vector

Coplanar vectors
Vectors which lie on a plane or which are parallel to the same plane are called
coplanar vectors. The vectors a⃗ ,b⃗ ,c⃗ are coplanar if there exist scalars x,
y, z not all zero such that, x a⃗ +yb⃗ +zc⃗ =0.

Coplanar vectors
A necessary and sufficient condition for four points A(a⃗ ), B(b⃗ ), C(c⃗ ), D(d⃗ )
to be coplanar is that, there exist four scalars x, y, z, t not all zero such that
xa⃗ + yb⃗ + zc⃗ + td⃗ =0 and x+y+z+t=0.

Equation of line in vector and Cartesian form

Equations to lines and planes
Equation to a line passing through the point A(a⃗ ) and parallel to the
vector b⃗ is
r⃗ = a⃗ +tb⃗ .

Equations to lines and planes

The cartesian equations to a line passing through the point A = (x1,y1,z1) and
parallel to the vector (a,b,c) is
x−x1a = y−y1b = z−z1c.
Equations involving x,y,z, and not involving vectors directly are called
cartesian equations.

Equations to lines and planes

The cartesian equations to a line passing through two
points A = (x1,y1,z1) and B = (x2,y2,z2) is x−x1x1−x2 = y−y1y1−y2 = z−z1z1−z2
or
x−x2x1−x2 = y−y2y1−y2 = z−z2z1−z2
Equation of Plane

Equations to lines and planes

Equation to a plane passing through point A(a⃗ ), and parallel to the
vectors b⃗ and c⃗ is r=a⃗ +tb⃗ +sc⃗ .

Scalar product of vectors

Dot product
Let a⃗ and b⃗ be two nonzero vectors and θ be the angle between them, then
the scalar product or dot product of a⃗ and b⃗ is denoted as a⃗ .b⃗ and
is defined as a⃗ .b⃗ = ∣∣a⃗ ∣∣∣∣b⃗ ∣∣cosθ
b.a^=b.a⃗ |a| (Length of the orthogonal projection of b on a )

Angle between two vectors

If a⃗ and b⃗ are two vectors, then cosθ = a⃗ .b⃗ ∣∣a⃗ ∣∣∣∣b⃗ ∣∣

Basic

Synopsis
Let iˆ,jˆ, kˆ be unit orthogonal vectors i.e
∣∣iˆ ∣∣=∣∣jˆ ∣∣=∣∣kˆ ∣∣=1 and (i,j)=(j,k)=(j,k)=π2 then
iˆ.iˆ=jˆ.jˆ=kˆ.kˆ=1
iˆ.jˆ=jˆ.kˆ=kˆ.iˆ=0
jˆ.iˆ=kˆ.jˆ=iˆ.kˆ=0

Synopsis
Let a⃗ = a1iˆ +a2jˆ +a3kˆ, bˆ = b1iˆ +b2jˆ +b3kˆ
and let (a,b) = cosθ. Then
cosθ = a1b1+a2b2+a3b3a12+a22+a32−−−−−−−−−−−−−−√b12+b22 +b32−−−−−−
−−−−−−−√

Synopsis
Let l1, m1, n1 be the direction cosines of a⃗ and let l2, m2, n2 be the direction
cosines of b⃗ and let angle
between a⃗ and b⃗ is θ, then cosθ = l1l2+m1m2+n1n2

Synopsis
The vector equation to the plane which is at a distance of p units from the
origin and perpendicular to the unit vector n^ is r⃗ .n^ = p

Equation of plane
The vector equation of the plane through a and perpendicular to n is (r-a).n =0
or r⃗ .n⃗ = a⃗ .n⃗

Angle between two vectors

Angle between the
planes r⃗ .n1→ = p1, r⃗ .n2→ = p2 then cosθ = n1→.n2→∣∣n1→∣∣∣∣n2→∣∣

Angle between two vectors

A line makes an angles α, β, γ, δ with the four diagonals of a cube
then cos2α+cos2β+cos2γ+cos2δ = 4/3

Equation of plane
The cartesian equation of the plane passing through the point A(x1,y1,z1) and
perpendicular to
the vector m⃗ = ai⃗ +bj⃗ +ck⃗ is a(x−x1)+b(y−y1 )+c(z−z1) = 0

Angle between two vectors

The equation of the plane passing through the point A(x1,y1,z1), and whose
normal has d.r.s (a,b,c) is a(x−x1)+b(y−y1 )+c(z−z1)= 0.

Angle between two vectors

If S is sphere, AB is a diameter of S, and P is a point on S
then AP→.BP→ =0
Angle between two vectors
The vector equation of the sphere on the join of the two points A, B with
position vectors a⃗ , b⃗ as diameter is (r⃗ −a⃗ ).(r⃗ −b⃗ ) = 0

Cross or vector product of two vectors

Let a⃗ , b⃗ be two non-zero vectors. Then
a) a⃗ X b⃗ is a vector perpendicular to both a⃗ and b⃗ . (Perpendicular to the
plane containing a⃗ and b⃗ )
b) Vectors perpendicular to a⃗ and b⃗ are ±λ (a⃗ X b⃗ ).
c) Vectors perpendicular to a⃗ and b⃗ and
having magnitude m are ±m(a⃗ ×b⃗ )∣∣a⃗ ×b⃗ ∣∣.
d) Unit vectors perpendicular to a⃗ and b⃗ are ± a⃗ ×b⃗ |a⃗ ×b⃗ |.

Cross or vector product of two vectors

Let a⃗ = a1i⃗ +a2j⃗ +a3k⃗ , b⃗ = b1 i⃗ +b2j⃗ +b3k⃗ , & (a⃗ ,b⃗ ) = θ. Then
sinθ = ∑(a1b2−a2b1)2−−−−−−−−−−−−−−√a21 +a22+a23−−−−−−−−−−√b21+b2
2+b23−−−−−−−−−−√
cosθ = a1b1+a2b2+a3a3a21+a22+a23−−−−−−−−−−√b21+b22+b23 −−−−−−−−−−
√

Cross or vector product of two vectors

The vector area of △ ABC
12(AB→×AC→) = 12(BC→×BA→) = 12(CA→×CB→)

Cross or vector product of two vectors

If a⃗ , b⃗ , c⃗ are the position vectors of the vertices of a triangle then its
area = 12∣∣a⃗ ×b⃗ +b⃗ ×c⃗ +c⃗ ×a⃗ ∣∣.

Scalar triple product

The dot product of the vector a⃗ ×b⃗ with the vector c⃗ is a scalar triple
product of the three vectors a⃗ , b⃗ , c⃗ and it is written as (a⃗ ×b⃗ ).c⃗ .
It is a scalar quantity.

Skew lines
The shortest distance between the skew
lines r⃗ = a⃗ +sb⃗ and r⃗ = c⃗ +td⃗ is ∣∣∣∣∣(a⃗ −c⃗ b⃗ d⃗ )∣∣b⃗ ×d⃗ ∣∣∣∣∣∣∣ or ∣∣∣∣
(a⃗ ×c⃗ ).b⃗ ×d⃗ ∣∣b⃗ ×d⃗ ∣∣∣∣∣∣

Scalar triple product result

[a⃗ ×b⃗ b⃗ ×c⃗ c⃗ ×a⃗ ] = [a⃗ b⃗ c⃗ ]2

Vector product of four vectors

If a⃗ , b⃗ , c⃗ and d⃗ are parallel vectors (or) collinear vectors,
then (a⃗ ×b⃗ )×(c⃗ ×d⃗ )=0⃗

The dot product can be defined for two vectors and by

(1)

where is the angle between the vectors and is the norm. It follows
immediately that if is perpendicular to . The dot product therefore
has the geometric interpretation as the length of the projection of onto
the unit vector when the two vectors are placed so that their tails
coincide.

By writing

(2)
(3)
it follows that (1) yields

(4)
(5)

(6)
(7)

So, in general,

(8)

(9)

This can be written very succinctly using Einstein summation notation as

(10)

The dot product is implemented in the Wolfram Language as Dot[a, b], or

simply by using a period, a . b.

The dot product is commutative

(11)

and distributive

(12)

The associative property is meaningless for the dot product because

is not defined since is a scalar and therefore cannot itself be dotted.
However, it does satisfy the property
 (13)

for a scalar.

The derivative of a dot product of vectors is

(14)

The dot product is invariant under rotations

(15)

(16)
(17)
(18)
(19)
(20)

where Einstein summation has been used.

The dot product is also called the scalar product and inner product. In the
latter context, it is usually written . The dot product is also defined for
tensors and by

(21)

So for four-vectors and , it is defined by

(22)
(23)
(24)
where is the usual three-dimensional dot product.