Chapter 12: Problem 38
\(35-40\) Find the scalar and vector projections of b onto a. $$\mathbf{a}=\langle- 2,3,-6\rangle, \quad \mathbf{b}=\langle 5,-1,4\rangle$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
Scalar projection is \(-\frac{37}{7}\) and vector projection is \(\langle \frac{74}{49}, -\frac{111}{49}, \frac{222}{49} \rangle\).
Step by step solution
01
Calculate the Dot Product
To find scalar and vector projections, first calculate the dot product of the vectors \( \mathbf{a} = \langle -2, 3, -6 \rangle \) and \( \mathbf{b} = \langle 5, -1, 4 \rangle \). The dot product is given by: \( \mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{b} = (-2)(5) + (3)(-1) + (-6)(4) = -10 - 3 - 24 = -37 \).
02
Calculate the Magnitude of Vector a
The magnitude of \( \mathbf{a} \) is needed for both projections. Compute it using the formula \( \|\mathbf{a}\| = \sqrt{(-2)^2 + 3^2 + (-6)^2} = \sqrt{4 + 9 + 36} = \sqrt{49} = 7 \).
03
Find the Scalar Projection of b onto a
The scalar projection (or component) of \( \mathbf{b} \) onto \( \mathbf{a} \) is given by \( \mathrm{comp}_{\mathbf{a}} \mathbf{b} = \frac{\mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{b}}{\|\mathbf{a}\|} = \frac{-37}{7} = -\frac{37}{7} \).
04
Find the Vector Projection of b onto a
The vector projection of \( \mathbf{b} \) onto \( \mathbf{a} \) is given by: \( \mathrm{proj}_{\mathbf{a}} \mathbf{b} = \frac{\mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{b}}{\|\mathbf{a}\|^2} \mathbf{a} \). Compute: \( \frac{-37}{49} \times \langle -2, 3, -6 \rangle = \langle \frac{74}{49}, -\frac{111}{49}, \frac{222}{49} \rangle \).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Dot Product
The dot product is a fundamental operation in vector calculus that combines two vectors to produce a scalar. It's akin to multiplying the corresponding components of two vectors and then adding up the results. For vectors \( \mathbf{a} = \langle a_1, a_2, a_3 \rangle \) and \( \mathbf{b} = \langle b_1, b_2, b_3 \rangle \), the dot product is calculated as: \[ \mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{b} = a_1b_1 + a_2b_2 + a_3b_3 \]
- This operation is handy for determining the angle between two vectors. If the dot product is zero, the vectors are perpendicular.
- In this exercise, the dot product \( \mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{b} = -37 \), results from \(-10 - 3 - 24 = -37\).
Vector Magnitude
The magnitude of a vector provides a measure of its length. It's a crucial part of vector calculations and is used, for instance, in finding projections. For a vector \( \mathbf{a} = \langle a_1, a_2, a_3 \rangle \), the magnitude \( \|\mathbf{a}\| \) is calculated as: \[ \|\mathbf{a}\| = \sqrt{a_1^2 + a_2^2 + a_3^2} \]
- This formula is derived from the Pythagorean theorem in three-dimensional space.
- In the problem, \( \|\mathbf{a}\| = 7 \), calculated by \( \sqrt{4 + 9 + 36} = \sqrt{49} \).
Scalar Projection
The scalar projection of one vector onto another gives the magnitude of the projection of one vector onto the other. In simpler terms, think of it as "casting a shadow" of a vector in the direction of another. For the scalar projection of \( \mathbf{b} \) onto \( \mathbf{a} \), use the formula: \[ \mathrm{comp}_{\mathbf{a}} \mathbf{b} = \frac{\mathbf{a} \cdot \mathbf{b}}{\|\mathbf{a}\|} \]
- This formula represents how much of \( \mathbf{b} \) extends in the direction of \( \mathbf{a} \).
- In our case, the scalar projection is \(-\frac{37}{7} \), indicating both the length and direction of the projection.
Calculus
Calculus is the mathematical study that focuses on change. Vector calculus extends these principles into multi-dimensional spaces. Understanding how vectors behave in this context is crucial in many fields, such as physics and engineering.
- Calculus with vectors often involves operations like differentiation and integration in multi-dimensional spaces.
- This exercise focuses on projections, which can be understood better with a calculus backdrop, especially when dealing with phenomena like field lines or gradients in physical sciences.