B.

Tech 1st Year 1st Semester

Mathematics(M101)
Teacher Name: Kakali Ghosh

LECTURE-- 1

Vector algebra

Objective : Vectors are frequently used in many branches of pure and applied mathematics and in
physical and engineering science. Objective of Vector algebra is to learn a set of rules which are
gainfully employed in combining a vector with another vector or a vector with a scalar.

Scalar: A scalar is a physical quantity which has magnitude only but no definite direction in space.
For example density, volume , temperature , work , speed, heat etc.

Vectors: A vector is a physical quantity which has magnitude and is related to a definite direction in
space. For example Velocity, Acceleration, Force etc.

A vector is a directed segment of straight line on which there are distinct initial and terminal
points. The arrows indicate the
direction of vectors. The length of the line segment is the magnitude
of the vector. For example, PQ is a vector directed from P to Q.
P      Q

a
 
Thus PQ = a .

Unit vector: A vector a whose magnitude is unity is called unit vector and is denoted by â .
 
Null Vector : A vector a whose magnitude is 0 is called Null vector, denoted by O .
 
Equal vector : If two vectors a ( a ) and b ( b ) are said to be equal if they have equal magnitudes
 
and same direction and denoted by a  b .

Addition of two vectors : Let a and b be any two given vectors.

 
a +b
B


b


O a A
    
If three points O , A , B are taken such that OA = a , AB = b , then the vector OB is called vector
    
sum or the resultant of the given vectors and a and b and write as OB = a + b.
   
Subtraction of two vectors: We define the difference a  b of two vectors a and b to be the sum
     
of the vectors a and - b , i.e. a  b = a  (b )

Multiplication of a vector by a real number: Let  be scalar. Then a is a vector whose
magnitude is |  | times that of a and direction is the same as that of a or opposite of a , according
as  is positive or negative.
   
Collinear vectors: Two vectors a and b are said to be Collinear or parallel if a =  b where 
is a scalar. A system of vectors is said to be collinear if they are parallel to the same straight line.

Coplanar vectors: A system of vectors is said to be Coplanar if they are parallel to the same plane.

x y z
Linearly dependent and Linearly independent vectors: A set of vectors   ,  ,  is
| OP | | OP | | OP |

said to be linearly dependent , if there exist a set of scalars x,y,z,……not all zero, such that x a + y
 
b + z c +………..= 0.

Otherwise they form a linearly independent set of vectors. Thus for a set of linearly independent
   
vectors a , b , c ,.... if x a + y b + z c +………..= 0 , then we have x = y = z = ……..= 0.

Position vector of a point:

 The
 position vector (p.v ) of a point P with respect to a fixed origin O
  
in space is the vector OP . If OP = a , we write P ( a ) as the position vector of P is a .
 P - Q



a

a 
b
O   
If a and b are position vectors of P and Q respectively , then PQ = b - a = p.v. Q – p.v. of P.

The position vector of the point P whose Cartesian coordinates are (x,y,z) is given by
  
r  xiˆ  yjˆ  zkˆ . Obviously | r | = x 2  y 2  z 2 where direction cosines of OP =
x y z
(  ,  ,  ).
| OP | | OP | | OP |

Z
P

Let OP makes   with the rectangular axes at O ( The figure above). Then cos  , cos  , cos 
are called the direction cosines of OP and we can write
  
x = | OP |cos  , y = | OP |cos  , z = | OP |cos 

The unit vector in the direction of OP is given by

OP 1
  ( xiˆ  yjˆ  zkˆ)  cos iˆ  cos ˆj  cos kˆ ,
| OP | | OP |
where iˆ, ˆj , kˆ are unit vectors along the coordinate axes and (x,y,z) is position of P w.r.t O.
 
Projection or component of a vector on an axis : Let AB be a vector and OX be an axis. A plane
passing through A which cuts OX perpendicularly at P. Then P is the point of projection of A on
OX.

B
A

P Q
O X

Similarly , we take point of projection Q of B on OX. Then PQ is called projection or component of
the vector AB on the axis OX.
  
If AB makes an angle  with OX , then component of AB on OX = | AB |Cos  .

Illustrative examples:

1) Show that the vectors i – 3j + 5k , 3i – 2j+k , 2i + j - 4k form a right angle triangle.

Soln: Let a = i – 3j + 5k, b = 3i – 2j+k and c = 2i + j - 4k .

We see that a + c = b, Therefore a,b,c form a triangle in a plane. Now

|a| = 12  (3) 2  52 = 35
|b| = 32  (2) 2  12 = 14
 |c| = 22  (1) 2  (4) 2 = 21

 | b |2  | c |2  14  21  35 | a |2 . Therefore the given vectors form a right angle triangle.

2.a) Show that the vectors (2,4,10) and (3,6,15) are linearly dependent.

2.b) Show that the vectors (1,2,3) and (4,-2,7) are linearly independent.

Soln 2a) Let a = (2,4,10) and b = (3,6,15)

Let x and y be two scalars , such that

xa+yb=0
or, x(2,4,10) + y(3,6,15) = 0
or, (2x + 3y, 4x+6y,10x+15y) = (0,0,0)

Equating from both sides, we get

2x + 3y = 0

4x+6y =0

10x+15y =0

Solving these , we get x= 3, y = -2, which are not all zero. Hence 3a– 2b = 0
Therefore the vectors a , b are linearly dependent.

Soln 2b) Let a = (1,2,3) and b = (4,-2,7)

Let x and y be two scalars , such that

xa+yb=0
Therefore x(1,2,3) + y(4,-2,7) = 0

Equating both sides, we get x + 4y =0

2x -2y =0

3x +7y =0

Solving we get , x = y = 0

Therefore, x a + y b = 0 , only if x = y=0.

Thus the given vectors are linearly independent.
 3) Show that the following vectors are coplanar:

3a – 7b -4c , 3a -2b + c , a + b +2c where a , b ,c are any three non

coplanar vectors

Soln: If the given vectors be coplanar , then it will be possible to express one of them as a linear
combination of the other two.

Let 3a – 7b -4c = x (3a -2b + c) + y (a + b +2c) , x and y are scalars.

Comparing the coefficients of a,b,c from both sides , we get,

3x + y =3 , -2x + y = -7 , x + 2y = -4

Solving the first two equations we get , x= 2 and y = -3 .

These values of x and y satisfy the 3rd equation. Thus

3a – 7b -4c = 2 (3a -2b + c) + (-3) (a + b +2c)

Therefore the 1st vector can be expressed as linear combination of the other two.

Hence , the three given vectors are coplanar.

Assignment:

1) If a = i -2j+2k then show that |a| =3 and direction cosines are 1/3 , (-2/3), 2/3

2) Prove that the vectors (2,3,-6) , (6,-2,3) and (4,-5,9) form the sides of an isosceles triangle.

3) Show that the vectors a = (1,2,3) , b = (2,-1,4) and c = (-1,8,1) are linearly dependent and
also show that the vectors a = (1,-3,2) , b = (2,-4,-1) and c = (3,2,-1) are linearly
independent.

4) Determine the values of  and  for which the vectors (-3i + 4j +  k) and (  i + 8j + 6k)
are collinear.
5) Find the constant m such that the vectors
            
a  2i  j  k , b  i  2 j  3k , c  3i  mj  5k are coplanar

Multiple Choice Questions

  
1)The unit vector along the vector 2i  j  k is
1   
 2i  j  5k  (b)  2i  j  5k  (c) 1  2i  j  5k
     
(a)  (d) none
30 30
         
2) If a  2i  3 j  k , b  6i  9 j  3k then a and b are
(a) Coplanar (b) independent (c) collinear (d) none
 
3)If for two vectors a and b
                
| a  b  mj  5ka  2i  j  k , b  i  2 j  3k , c  3i | = | a  b | , then a and b are
(a) Parallel (b) orthogonal (c) collinear (d) none
 Product of vectors

Scalar product or dot product or inner product: The scalar product of two vectors a and
b, whose directions are inclined at an angle  , is the scalar quantity, | a | | b | cos  and is denoted
by a. b.


O
a N A

Thus a.b = |a||b| cos  , where |a| and |b| represent the magnitudes of the vectors a and b
respectively.

The scalar product is positive or negative according as  is acute or obtuse.

Properties on scalar product:

1) Scalar product of two vectors is commutative

i.e. a.b = b. a

2) If is the angle between a and b, then

 a.b 
  cos 1    
 | a || b | 

3) If two vectors a and b are perpendicular to each other, then   90 and cos   0 .
Therefore a.b = 0.
This is the condition of orthogonality of two non zero vectors a and b

2 2 
4) From definition of dot product we get a.a = |a||a|cos0 = | a | , write as | a | = a 2
5) For the unit vectors iˆ, ˆj , kˆ , we have iˆ 2  iˆ.iˆ = 1 . Similarly ˆj 2  ˆj. ˆj = 1 and kˆ 2  kˆ.kˆ =1 and
iˆ. ˆj  ˆj.kˆ  kˆ.iˆ  0
     
6) a.(b  c )  a.b  a.c (Distributive law.)

   
7)  (a  b )  a  b


   a.b
8) Component of a along b = | a | cos   
|b |