Presentation on

Dot & Cross product of vectors

Scalars

Scalars are quantities which have

magnitude without direction

Examples of scalars

• temperature • time
• mass • amount
• kinetic energy • density
• charge
Vecto
rA vector is a quantity that has both
magnitude (size) and direction

it is represented by an arrow whereby

– the length of the arrow is the magnitude, and
– the arrow itself indicates the direction

The symbol for a vector is a letter

A
with an arrow over it
Two ways to specify a vector
y
It is either given by A
A
• a magnitude A, and 

• a direction  x

Or it is given in the
x and y components as y Ax A
• Ax Ay
• Ay
x
 y Ax
A Ax = A cos
A

Ay
Ay = A sin
x
The magnitude (length) of A is found by using the
Pythagorean Theorem

│A │ =√ ( A 2 + A 2 )
x y
The length of a vector
clearly does not
depend on its direction.
 y Ax A
A Ay

x

The direction of A can be stated as

tan  = Ay / Ax
 =tan-1(Ay / Ax)
Some Properties of Vectors
Equality of Two Vectors

Two vectors A and B may be defined to be

equal if they have the same magnitude and
point in the same directions. i.e. A= B

A
A B A B

B
Negative of a Vector

The negative of vector Ais defined as giving the

vector sumof zero value when added to A. That
is, A+ (- A) = 0. The vector Aand –A have
the same magnitude but are in opposite
directions.
A

-A
Scalar Multiplication
The multiplication of a vector A
by a scalar 
- will result in a vector B

B = A
- whereby the magnitude is changed
but not the direction
• Do flip the direction if  is negative
B = A

If  = 0, therefore B =  A= 0,
which is also known as a zero vector

(A) = A = (A)

(+)A = A + A

Example
 Vector Addition
The addition of two vectors A and B
- will result in a third vector C called the resultant

C = A+B
Geometrically (triangle method of addition)
• put the tail-end of B at the top-end of A
• C connects the tail-end of A to the C
top-end of B B

Wecan arrangethe vectors as we like, as long A

as we maintain their length anddirection Example
 What is dot product?

o The dot product of two vectors A and

B is defined as the scalar value AB
cosθ, where θ is the angle between
them such that 0≤θ≤π.
 What is dot product?

o It is denoted by A.B by placing a dot

sign between the vectors.

o So we have the equation,

A.B = AB cosθ

o Another name of dot product is scalar

product.
 What is cross product?

o The cross product of two vectors A

and B is defined as AB sinθ with a
direction perpendicular to A and B in
right hand system, where θ is the
angle between them such that
0≤θ≤π.
 What is cross product?

o It is denoted by A x B by placing a
cross sign between the vectors.

o So we have the equation,

A x B = AB sinθη = C

o Another name of dot product is

vector product.
 History of dot product:

Dot product was founded in 1901 in Vector Analysis by Edwin

Bidwell Wilson:

“ The direct product is denoted by writing the two

vectors with a dot between them as A.B ”

“ This is read A dot B and therefore may often be

called the dot product instead of the direct product ”
 History of cross product:

o The first traceable work on ”cross product” was

founded in the book Vector Analysis.

o It was founded upon the lectures of Josiah

Willard Gibbs, second edition by Edwin Bidwell
Wilson published in 1909.
 History of cross product:

o On page 61, the mention of cross product was found

for the first time.

“ The skew product is denoted by a cross as the

direct product was by a dot. It is written C = A x B
and read A cross B. For this reason it is often called
the cross product ” – Vector Analysis
Developing to present:

While studying vector analysis, Gibbs noted that the

product of quaternions always had to be separated
into two parts:

1. One dimensional quantity

2. A three dimensional vector
Developing to present:

To avoid this complexity he proposed defining

distinct dot and cross products for pair of vectors
and introduced the now common notation for
them.
Confusion about representation:

Dot product :
Tait : Sαβ =Sβα
Gibbs : α.β = β.α

Cross product :
Tait : Vαβ = –Vβα
Gibbs : α x β = –β x α

To avoid this representation complexity, Gibbs’ notation

is used universally.
 Illustration of dot product:

o Why Dot Product?

- To express the angular relationship between two

vectors.
Illustration of dot product:

If A and B are two vectors of form,

A = A1i + A2j +A3k
B = B1i + B2j + B3k
Then the dot product of A and B is,
A.B = A1B1 + A2B2 + A3B3
Illustration of dot product:

The angular relationship of two vectors A and B as

per dot product is:

A.B = A B cosθ

= AB cosθ
Illustration of dot product:

The dot relationship of unit vectors along three

axes :

i.j=j.k=k.i=0
and i . i = j . j = k . k = 1
 Illustration of cross product:

o Why Cross Product?

- For accumulation of interactions between different

dimensions.
Illustration of cross product:

If A and B are two vectors of form

A = A1i + A2j +A3k
B = B1i + B2j + B3k
Then the cross Product of A and B is,
i j k

AxB = A1 A2 A3
B1 B2 B3
Illustration of cross product:

The angular relationship of two vectors A and B is

A x B = A B sinθ

= AB sinθ
Illustration of cross product:

The cross relationship of unit vectors along three

axes are:
ixi=jxj=kxk=0
ixj=k & j x i = -k
jxk=i & k x j = -i
kxi=j & i x k = -j
 Dot product vs cross product:
Dot product Cross product
Result of a dot product is a scalar Result of a cross product is a vector
quantity. quantity.
It follows commutative law. It doesn’t follow commutative law.
Dot product of vectors in the same Cross product of vectors in same
direction is maximum. direction is zero.
Dot product of orthogonal vectors is Cross product of orthogonal vectors is
zero. maximum.
It doesn’t follow right hand system. It follows right hand system.
It is used to find projection of vectors. It is used to find a third vector.
It is represented by a dot (.) It is represented by a cross (x)
Properties of dot product:

☻ Commutative law: A.B = B.A

☻ Distributive law: A.(B+C) = A.B+A.C
☻ Associative law: m(A.B) = (mA).B = A.(mB)
Properties of cross product:

☻ Distributive law: A x (B+C) = A x B+A x C

☻ Associative law: m(A x B) = (mA) x B = A x (mB)
 Distinction in commutative law:

A x B = C has a magnitude ABsin and AxB=C

direction is such that A, B and C form a right
handed system (from fig-a ) θ

A B
Fig - (a)
 Distinction in commutative law:

B x A = D has magnitude BAsin and

direction such that B, A and D form a
right handed system ( from fig -b ) A B
BxA=D

Fig - (b)
Distinction in commutative law:

Then D has the same magnitude as C but is opposite

in direction,
that is, C = - D
AxB=-BxA
Therefore the commutative law for cross product is
not valid.
 Applications of dot product:

❶ Finding angle between two vectors:

B
A.B = |A||B| cos

cos = A.B
AB 
A.B ) A
 = cos−1(
AB
❷ Projections of light:
Light source

From the figure, ON

cos = B
ON = B cos
B
As we know, cos = A.B
AB
B cos = A.B 
A
So we reach to, O N A
ON = A.B
A
Real life applications of dot product:

o Calculating total cost

o Electromagnetism, from which we get light,
electricity, computers etc.
o Gives the combined effect of the coordinates in
different dimensions on each other.
 Applications of cross product:

❶ To find the area of a parallelogram: C

B

Area of parallelogram = h |B| h

= |A| sinθ |B| 

O
=|AxB| A
 Applications of cross product:

❷ To find the area of a triangle:

B

1 h
Area of triangle = h |B|
2

1
= |A| sinθ |B| O
2 A
1
= |AxB|
2
Real life applications of cross product:

o Finding moment
o Finding torque
o Rowing a boat
o Finding the most effective path
 Dot and cross vector together:

Dot and cross products of three vectors A , B and C may

produce meaningful products of the form (A.B)C, A.(BxC)
and Ax(BxC) then phenomenon is called triple product.
A1 A2 A3
A.(B x C) = B1 B2 B3
C1 C2 C3
 Application of triple product:

Volume of the parallelepiped

= (height h) x (area of the parallelogram I)

A
= (A.n) x (| B x C |)
h
= A. (| B x C | n) C n
I
= A. ( B x C ) B
 Memory booster:

❑ Area of a triangle of vectors is determined by which

vector product method?
A. Dot B. Cross
 Memory booster:

❑ Area of a triangle of vectors is determined by which

vector product method?
A. Dot B. Cross
 Memory booster:

❑ Area of a triangle of vectors is determined by which

vector product method?
A. Dot B. Cross
❑ Projection of vectors is determined by which vector
product method?
A. Cross B. Dot
 Memory booster:

❑ Area of a triangle of vectors is determined by which

vector product method?
A. Dot B. Cross
❑ Projection of vectors is determined by which vector
product method?
A. Cross B. Dot
Thank you