Suppose Math, session 2024

(Preparation for Lecturer Test)

Chapter # 07 Vectors

These notes are the summary of the whole chapter which can be helpful
to prepare the objective as well as subjective part of paper.

1. A physical quantity that has magnitude only, is called a scalar. For example mass, density,
temperature, length, area, volume, speed and work are scalar quantities.

2. A physical quantity that has magnitude and direction, is called a vector. For example
displacement, velocity, acceleration, weight, force and momentum are vector quantities.
Vectors are denoted as ⃗a, ⃗b, AB
⃗ etc.

3. The magnitude or length or norm of a vector p ⃗v is its absolute value and is written as |⃗v |
or simply v. If ⃗v = xî + y ĵ + z k̂, then |⃗v | = x2 + y 2 + z 2 .

4. (Properties of magnitude of a vector) Let ⃗v be a vector and c be any real number, then

(a) |⃗v | ≥ 0 and |⃗v | = 0 if and only if ⃗v = ⃗0,

5. A vector whose magnitude is 1 is called a unit vector. Unit vector of a vector ⃗v is written
as v̂ and is defined by v̂ = |⃗⃗vv| .

6. A vector whose magnitude is 0 is called a zero or null vector. It is denoted as ⃗0.

7. Two vectors are celled negative of each other if they have same magnitude but opposite
direction.

8. Two vectors are celled equal if they have same magnitude and the same direction.

9. The vector whose initial point is the origin o and the terminal point is P , is called the
position vector of point P and is written as OP ⃗ . The position vector of P (x, y, z) is
xî + y ĵ + z k̂.

10. (Ratio Formula) Let A and B be two points with position vectors ⃗a and ⃗b respectively. If
p⃗b+q⃗a
a point P divides AB in the ratio p : q, then the position vector of P is ⃗r = p+q .

11. Angles α, β and γ are direction angles of a vector if and only if cos2 α + cos2 β + cos2 γ = 1.

12. The scalar or dot product of vectors ⃗u and ⃗v is defined by ⃗u · ⃗v = |⃗u||⃗v | cos θ where θ is the
angle between ⃗u and ⃗v .

13. î · î = ĵ · ĵ = k̂ · k̂ = 1 and î · ĵ = î · k̂ = ĵ · k̂ = 0.

14. Two vectors ⃗u and ⃗v are perpendicular if and only if ⃗u · ⃗v = 0.

The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding. (Leonardo Da Vinci ) Akhtar Abbas (M.Phil Maths).
Mathematics Mathematics — Mathematics Page 2 of 2

15. (Properties of dot product) Let ⃗u, ⃗v and w ⃗ be vectors and c be a real number, then
(i) ⃗u · ⃗v = ⃗v · ⃗u, (ii) ⃗u · (⃗v + w)
⃗ = ⃗u · ⃗v + ⃗u · w,
⃗
(iii) (c⃗u) · ⃗v = c(⃗u · ⃗v ) 2
(iv) ⃗v · ⃗v = |⃗v | .
16. If ⃗u = a1 î + a2 ĵ + a3 k̂ and ⃗v = b1 î + b2 ĵ + b3 k̂ then ⃗u · ⃗v = a1 b1 + a2 b2 + a3 b3 .
u·⃗v
⃗
17. The angle between two vectors ⃗u and ⃗v is determined by the formula cos θ = u||⃗v | .
|⃗

⃗a·⃗b ⃗a·⃗b
18. Projection of ⃗a along ⃗b = and projection of ⃗b along ⃗a = |⃗a| .
|⃗b|

19. The vector or cross product of vectors ⃗u and ⃗v is defined by ⃗u × ⃗v = (|⃗u||⃗v | sin θ)n̂, where
θ is the angle between ⃗u and ⃗v and n̂ is the unit vector perpendicular to both ⃗u and ⃗v .
20. î × î = ĵ × ĵ = k̂ × k̂ = ⃗0. î × ĵ = k̂, ĵ × î = −k̂, ĵ × k̂ = î, k̂ × ĵ = −î, k̂ × î = ĵ, î × k̂ = −ĵ.
21. Two vectors ⃗u = a1 î + a2 ĵ + a3 k̂ and ⃗v = b1 î + b2 ĵ + b3 k̂ are parallel if
⃗u × ⃗v = ⃗0 or ⃗u = k⃗v for any real number k or ab11 = ab22 = ab33 .
22. (Properties of cross product) Let ⃗u, ⃗v and w ⃗ be vectors and c be a real number, then
(i) ⃗u × ⃗v = −⃗v × ⃗u, (ii) ⃗u × (⃗v + w)
⃗ = ⃗u × ⃗v + ⃗u × w,
⃗
(iii) (c⃗u) × ⃗v = c(⃗u × ⃗v ) = ⃗u × (c⃗v ), ⃗
(iv) ⃗v × ⃗v = 0.

î ĵ k̂
23. If ⃗u = a1 î + a2 ĵ + a3 k̂ and ⃗v = b1 î + b2 ĵ + b3 k̂ then ⃗u × ⃗v = a1 a2 a3 .
b1 b2 b3
⃗a×⃗b
24. A unit vector perpendicular to ⃗a and ⃗b is .
|⃗a||⃗b|

25. The area of a parallelogram with adjacent sides ⃗a and ⃗b = |⃗a × ⃗b|.
26. The area of a triangle with adjacent sides ⃗a and ⃗b = 21 |⃗a × ⃗b|.
27. The scalar triple product of vectors ⃗u, ⃗v and w ⃗ is defined by ⃗u · (⃗v × w)
⃗ or ⃗v · (w
⃗ × ⃗u) or
⃗ · (⃗u × ⃗v ). Also we denote ⃗u · (⃗v × w)
w ⃗ = [⃗u ⃗v w].
⃗
a1 a2 a3
28. If ⃗u = a1 î + a2 ĵ + a3 k̂, ⃗v = b1 î + b2 ĵ + b3 k̂ and w ⃗ = b1 b2 b3 .
⃗ = c1 î + c2 ĵ + c3 k̂ then [⃗u ⃗v w]
c1 c2 c3
⃗ is defined by ⃗u × (⃗v × w).
29. The vector triple product of vectors ⃗u, ⃗v and w ⃗
30. The volume of a parallelepiped with adjacent sides ⃗u, ⃗v and w
⃗ = [⃗u ⃗v w].
⃗
⃗ = 61 [⃗u ⃗v w].
31. The volume of a tetrahedron with adjacent sides ⃗u, ⃗v and w ⃗

32. If a constant force F⃗ acting on a body displaces it from A to B, then Work done = F⃗ · AB.
⃗

33. Moment of a force F⃗ acting at a point A about any other point B is given by BA
⃗ × F⃗ .

34. Three vectors ⃗u, ⃗v and w ⃗ = ⃗0.

Best of Luck

The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding. (Leonardo Da Vinci ) Akhtar Abbas (M.Phil Maths).