/*! This file is auto-generated */ .wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none} Problem 70 Find the angle between each pair... [FREE SOLUTION] | 91Ó°ÊÓ

91Ó°ÊÓ

Find the angle between each pair of vectors. $$\langle 6,8\rangle,\langle- 4,3\rangle$$

Short Answer

Expert verified
The angle between the vectors is 90 degrees.

Step by step solution

01

Understand the Formula

To find the angle between two vectors \( \mathbf{a} = \langle a_1, a_2 \rangle \) and \( \mathbf{b} = \langle b_1, b_2 \rangle \), we use the formula: \[ \cos \theta = \frac{\mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{b}}{\|\mathbf{a}\| \|\mathbf{b}\|} \]where \( \theta \) is the angle between the vectors, \( \mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{b} \) is the dot product, and \( \|\mathbf{a}\| \), \( \|\mathbf{b}\| \) are the magnitudes of the vectors.
02

Calculate the Dot Product

The dot product of \( \mathbf{a} = \langle 6,8 \rangle \) and \( \mathbf{b} = \langle -4,3 \rangle \) is calculated as follows:\( \mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{b} = (6)(-4) + (8)(3) = -24 + 24 = 0 \).
03

Find Magnitudes of Vectors

Calculate the magnitude of each vector using the formula: \( \|\mathbf{a}\| = \sqrt{a_1^2 + a_2^2} \).For \( \mathbf{a} \):\( \|\mathbf{a}\| = \sqrt{6^2 + 8^2} = \sqrt{36 + 64} = \sqrt{100} = 10 \).For \( \mathbf{b} \):\( \|\mathbf{b}\| = \sqrt{(-4)^2 + 3^2} = \sqrt{16 + 9} = \sqrt{25} = 5 \).
04

Use the Formula to Find \( \cos \theta \)

Plug the values into the formula:\[ \cos \theta = \frac{\mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{b}}{\|\mathbf{a}\| \|\mathbf{b}\|} = \frac{0}{10 \times 5} = 0 \]
05

Determine the Angle \( \theta \)

Since \( \cos \theta = 0 \), it implies that \( \theta = 90^\circ \) because the cosine of 90 degrees is zero. Thus, the angle between the vectors is 90 degrees.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91Ó°ÊÓ!

Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Dot Product
To understand the concept of the dot product, think of it as a way to multiply two vectors and get a scalar (a single number) instead of another vector. The dot product helps measure how much one vector goes in the direction of another. It is calculated using the formula:
  • If you have two vectors, say \( \mathbf{a} = \langle a_1, a_2 \rangle \) and \( \mathbf{b} = \langle b_1, b_2 \rangle \), the dot product \( \mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{b} \) is found by multiplying the corresponding components of the vectors and then adding them up.
  • Mathematically, it's \( \mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{b} = a_1b_1 + a_2b_2 \).
In our example with vectors \( \langle 6, 8 \rangle \) and \( \langle -4, 3 \rangle \):
  • Calculate the dot product by multiplying: \( 6 \times (-4) + 8 \times 3 \).
  • This equals \( -24 + 24 = 0 \).
The dot product being zero is significant here. It tells us that the vectors are perpendicular, meaning they form a right angle (90 degrees) with each other. This is a crucial property because a zero dot product indicates orthogonality in Euclidean space.
Magnitude of Vectors
Next, let's understand what the magnitude of a vector is. You can think of magnitude as the length or size of the vector. It's how long the arrow representing the vector is, if you visualize vectors as arrows pointing in space.
  • The magnitude is calculated using the formula: \( \|\mathbf{a}\| = \sqrt{a_1^2 + a_2^2} \).
  • This is derived from the Pythagorean theorem, treating the vector components as the sides of a right triangle.
For the vector \( \mathbf{a} = \langle 6, 8 \rangle \):
  • The magnitude is \( \|\mathbf{a}\| = \sqrt{6^2 + 8^2} = \sqrt{36 + 64} = \sqrt{100} = 10 \).
Similarly, for \( \mathbf{b} = \langle -4, 3 \rangle \):
  • The magnitude is \( \|\mathbf{b}\| = \sqrt{(-4)^2 + 3^2} = \sqrt{16 + 9} = \sqrt{25} = 5 \).
Calculating the magnitude gives us the essential values needed to apply the formula that finds the angle between two vectors.
Cosine Formula
The cosine formula for finding the angle \( \theta \) between two vectors leverages the dot product and the magnitudes of the vectors. The formula is:
  • \( \cos \theta = \frac{\mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{b}}{\|\mathbf{a}\| \|\mathbf{b}\|} \)
This formula can be understood in the following way:
  • The numerator, \( \mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{b} \), gives a sense of how much the vectors "point" in the same direction.
  • The denominator, \( \|\mathbf{a}\| \|\mathbf{b}\| \), scales the dot product by the sizes of the vectors.
  • Essentially, it adjusts for differing vector lengths.
In our specific situation:
  • The dot product \( \mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{b} \) is 0.
  • The magnitudes multiplied together are \( 10 \times 5 = 50 \).
  • Thus, \( \cos \theta = \frac{0}{50} = 0 \).
When the cosine of an angle is zero, it indicates a 90-degree angle. This result corroborates what we noted with the zero dot product—confirming that the vectors are indeed perpendicular to each other. Understanding this relationship is pivotal in various applications, such as physics and engineering, where vector angles dictate mechanisms and forces.

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

The graph of \(r=a \theta\) is an example of the spiral of Archimedes. With a calculator set to radian mode. use the given value of a and interval of \(\theta\) to graph the spiral in the window specified. $$a=2,-4 \pi \leq \theta \leq 4 \pi,[-30,30] \text { by }[-30,30]$$

A ship is sailing due north. At a certain point, the bearing of a lighthouse 12.5 kilometers away is \(N 38.8^{\circ}\) E. Later on, the captain notices that the bearing of the lighthouse has become \(S 44.2^{\circ} \mathrm{E} .\) How far did the ship travel between the two observations of the lighthouse?

Do the following. (a) Determine the parametric equations that model the path of the projectile. (b) Determine the rectangular equation that models the path of the projectile. (c) Determine the time the projectile is in flight and the horizontal distance covered. A batter hits a baseball when it is 2.5 feet above the ground. The ball leaves his bat at an angle of \(29^{\circ}\) from the horizontal with a velocity of 136 feet per second. (PICTURE CANNOT COPY)

A balloonist is directly above a straight road 1.5 miles long that joins two towns. She finds that the town closer to her is at an angle of depression of \(35^{\circ}\) and the farther town is at an angle of depression of \(31^{\circ},\) How high above the ground is the balloon?

The graphs of rose curves have equations of the form \(r=a \sin n \theta\) or \(r=a \cos n \theta .\) What does the value of \(a\) determine? What does the value of \(n\) determine?

See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Math Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.