Thread: Vectors: orthogonal / opposite

x=<3, 2, -4>
y=<-3/2, 1, -2>
z=<0, 2, 1>

Which of these statements apply?

1. vectors x and y are orthogonal
2. vectors x and y are in opposite directions
3. vectors x amd z are orthogonal
4. vectors x and z are in opposite directions

If two vectors are orthogonal (ie. perpendicular to each other), then their dot product will be zero, because the angle between them is 90 degrees. You could use this to either rule out two of them or find your answer.

dot product:
<a,b,c> . <d,e,f> = (a x d) + (b x e) + (c x f)

It seems like c is the only statement that applies since the dot product of a and z equals 0. I don't think any of the vectors are opposites of another since there does not exist a negative scalar that would make one vector equal another. Is this the correct way to compute opposites?

This might be of some use as you can solve for which is the angle between the vectors.

I'd say two vectors are opposite if they're parallel but their directions are opposite. ie. (x,y,z) and (-ax,-ay,-az), where a is any positive real number and x, y and z are any real numbers, positive or negative. That's what you had in mind, yeah? So with that definition, I'd say you're correct thinking that c is the only true statement

This is a test question and my student had no business posting it here!
Dr. B

Originally Posted by amburden

This is a test question and my student had no business posting it here!
Dr. B

Thread closed while this is reviewed.