Vector Algebra
Important Definitions:
❖ Representation of Vectors: A vector a is represented by the directed line segment AB . The magnitude of
the vector a is equal to AB , and the direction of the vector a is along the line from A to B .
❖ Scalar Quantity: A quantity that has only magnitude and is not related to any direction is called a scalar
quantity.
❖ Vector Quantity: A quantity that has magnitude and also a direction in space is called a vector quantity.
❖ Null Vector or Zero Vector: If the initial and terminal points of a vector coincide, then it is called a zero
vector. It is denoted by 0 or O . Its magnitude is zero and direction indeterminate.
❖ Unit Vector: A vector whose magnitude is of unit length along my vector a is called a unit vector in the
ˆ
direction of a and is denoted by a
❖ Equal Vector: Two non-zero vectors are said to be equal vectors if their magnitude is equal and directions
are the same.
❖ Collinear Vector: Two or more non-zero vectors are said to be collinear vectors if they are parallel to the
same line.
❖ Like and Unlike Vector: Collinear vectors having the same direction are known as like vectors, while those
having opposite directions are known as, unlike vectors.
❖ Coplanar Vector: Two or more non-zero vectors are said to be coplanar vectors if these are parallel to the
same plane.
❖ Localised Vector and Free Vector: A vector drawn parallel to a given vector through a specified point as
the initial point, is known as a localised vector. If the initial point of a vector is not specified, it is said to be a
free vector.
❖ Position Vector: Let O be the origin and A be a point such that OA = a , then we say that the position
vector of A is a .
Negative of a Vector
❖ Let AB be a vector directed from A to B . then − AB is a vector which would be directed from B to A .
Coinitial Vectors
❖ Two vectors are said to be coinitial vectors if both the vectors have the same initial points.
Co-terminal Vectors
❖ Two vectors are said to be Co-terminal vectors if both the vectors have the same terminating point.
Algebra of vectors
Addition of Vectors
Triangle Law
Result: a + b = c or AB + BC = AC
Converse of triangle law is also true.
Parallelogram Law
Result: a + b = c or OA + OB = OC
Properties of vector addition:
(i) a b b a (commutative)
(ii) ( a + b ) + c = a + (b + c ) (associative)
(iii) a +0 = a = 0+a
(iv) a + ( −a ) = 0 = ( −a ) + a
(v) a +b a + b
(vi) a − b a − b ||
Multiplication of Vector by Scalars
If a and b are vectors & m, n are scalars, then
(i) m ( a ) = ( a ) m = ma
(ii) m ( na ) = n ( ma ) = ( mn ) a
(iii) ( m + n ) a = ma + na
(iv) ( )
m a + b = ma + mb
Subtraction of Vectors
In the given diagram a and b are represented by OA and AB .
We extend the line AB in opposite direction up to C , where AB = AC . The line segment AC will represent the
( )
vector −b . By joining the points O and C , the vector represented by OC is a + −b . i.e., denotes the vector
a −b .
Note:
(i) a − a = a + ( −a ) = 0
(ii) a −b b −a
Hence subtraction of vectors does not obey the commutative law.
(iii) (
a − b −c a −b −c ) ( )
i.e., subtraction of vectors does not obey the associative law.
Important Properties and Formulae
ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ
❖ If r1 = x1 i + y1 j + z1 k and r2 = x2 i + y2 j + z2 k then r1 + r2 = ( x1 + x2 ) i + ( y1 + y2 ) j + ( z1 + z2 ) k and
r1 = r2 x1 = x2 , y1 = y2 , z1 = z2 .
❖ a and b are parallel or collinear if a = mb and only if for some non-zero scalar m .
ˆ a ˆ
❖ a= or a = a a
a
❖ r , a , b are coplanar if and only if r = xa + yb for some scalars x and y .
❖ If the position vectors of the points A and B be a and b then, the position vectors of the points dividing
mb + na mb − na
the line AB in the ratio m : n internally and externally are and , respectively.
m+n m−n
ˆ ˆ ˆ
❖ If r = x i + y j + z k then r = x2 + y 2 + z 2
❖ Given vectors x1a + y1b + z1c , x2 a + y2b + z 2c , x3 a + y3b + z3c , where a , b , c are non-coplanar vectors,
x1 y1 z1
will be coplanar if and only if x2 y2 z2 = 0
x3 y3 z3
❖ a +b a + b
❖ a −b a − b
Scalar Product or Dot Product
❖ a b = a b cos , where 0
ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ
❖ If a = a1 i + a2 j + a3 k and b = b1 i + b2 j + b3 k then
❖ a b = a1b1 + a2b2 + a3b3
❖ If a and b are the non-zero vectors, then a b = 0 a ⊥ b
a b
❖ cos = where is the acute angle made by a with b
a b
b a
❖ Projection of b along a =
a
r a (r a )
❖ Component of a vector r in the direction of a and perpendicular to a are 2 a and r − 2
a
|a| |a|
respectively
❖ iˆ iˆ = ˆj ˆj = kˆ kˆ = 1 and iˆ ˆj = ˆj iˆ = ˆj kˆ = kˆ iˆ = iˆ kˆ = 0
Vector Product
( )
ˆ
❖ The product of vectors a and b and is denoted by a b = a b sin n
❖ a b = −b a
❖ If a = b or if a is parallel to b , then sin = 0 and so a b = 0
❖ ( )
Distributive laws: a b + c = a b + a c and b + c a = b a + c a ( )
ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ
❖ If a = a1 j + a2 j + a3 k and b = b1 i + b2 j + b3 k then
ˆ ˆ ˆ
(i) a b = ( a2b3 − a3b2 ) i + ( a3b1 − a1b3 ) j + ( a1b2 − a2b1 ) k
ˆ ˆ ˆ
i j k
(ii) a b = a1 a2 a3
b1 b2 b3
❖ If two vectors a and b are parallel, then = 0 or i.e. sin = 0 in both cases.
❖ Two vectors a and b are parallel if their corresponding components are proportional.
1 ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ
❖ Area of the triangle ABC = AB AC i i = j j = k k = 0, i j = k , j k = i, k i = j
2
ˆ a b
❖ Unit vector perpendicular to the plane of a and b is n =
a b
a b
❖ If is the angle between a and b , then sin =
a b
Scalar Triple Product
ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ
❖ If a = a1 i + a2 j + a3 k , b = b1 i + b2 j + b3 k and c = c1i + c2 j + c3k , then
a1 a2 a3
( a b ) c = abc = b 1 b2 b3 .
c1 c2 c3
❖ abc = bca = cba but abc = − acb etc.
❖ If any two of the vectors a , b , c are equal, then abc 0 .
❖ The position of dot and cross in a scalar triple product can be interchanged. Hence, a b c = a b c ( ) ( )
❖ The value of a scalar triple product is zero if two of its vectors are parallel.
❖ a , b , c are coplanar if and only if abc = 0 .
❖ Volume of the parallelepiped whose coterminous edges are formed by a , b , c = abc .
1
❖ Volume of a tetrahedron with three coterminous edges a , b , c = abc .
6
1
❖ Volume of prism on a triangular base with three coterminous edges a , b , c = abc .
2
❖ In particular iˆ ( ˆj kˆ) = 1
ˆˆ ˆ = 1
ijk
❖ Kabc = K abc
❖
( )
a + b cd = acd + bcd
❖ a − b b − c c − a = 0 and a + b b + c c + a = 2 a b c
a a a b a c
❖ [abc ] = b a b b
2
b c = a b b c c a
c a c b c c
Vector Triple Product
❖ ( ) ( )
If a , b , c be any three vectors, then a b c and a b c are known as vector triple product.
❖ a ( b c ) = ( a c ) b − ( a b ) c and ( a b ) c = ( a c ) b − ( b c ) a ( )
a b c is a vector in the plane of
vectors b and c .
❖ (
The vector triple product is not commutative i.e., a b c a b c ) ( )
a c a d
❖ (
Lagrange's identity: a b c d =)( ) b c b d
( ) (
= (a c ) b d − a d b c )( )
❖ ( a b ) ( c d ) = abd c − abc d = cda b − cdb a
Distance between Lines
(i) If two parallel lines are given by r1 = a1 + Kb and r2 = a2 + Kb , then distance ( d ) between them is given
by
b ( a2 − a1 )
d=
b
Shortest Distance =
AB ( p q )
=
(b − a ) ( p q )
pq pq
The two lines directed along p and q will intersect only if shortest distance = 0 .
Reciprocal System of Vectors
❖ If a , b , c be any three non-coplanar vectors so that
[abc ] 0 then the three vectors a ', b ', c defined by the
b c c a ' a b
equations a ' = ,b' = ,c = are called the reciprocal system of vectors to the given
abc abc abc
vectors a , b , c .
❖ Properties of Reciprocal system of vectors:
(i) a a' = b b ' = c c ' = 1
(ii) abc a 'b 'c ' = 1
(iii) i = i , j ' = j , k ' = k
(iv)
If a ' , b ' , c ' is reciprocal system of a , b , c and r is any vector, then
( )
r = (r a ) a' + r b b ' + (r c ) c '
r = ( r a ) a + ( r b ) b + ( r c ) c
' '
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