# Thread: Parallel and Perpendicular Vectors

1. ## Parallel and Perpendicular Vectors

Given vector v= 3i + 4j and vector F=4i+j

find the component of vector F parallel to vector v
find the component of vector F perpendicular to vector v

I found the unit vector of v...but I'm not sure what I'm suppose to do with it. My textbook says (F dot v)v provided ll u ll=1

Thanks!

2. Originally Posted by Linnus
Given vector v= 3i + 4j and vector F=4i+j

find the component of vector F parallel to vector v
find the component of vector F perpendicular to vector v

I found the unit vector of v...but I'm not sure what I'm suppose to do with it. My textbook says (F dot v)v provided ll u ll=1

Thanks!
You mean "provided ||v||= 1". Since you have found unit vector u such that u is in the same direction as v (I assume that is what you mean by "the unit vector of v"), go ahead and apply that formula to F and u. What is $F\cdot u$? Then multiply the vector u by that number.

3. $F \cdot v$ would be 12i+4j, right? Then do I multiply that by the unit vector of v? which would be 3/5i+4/5j? I'm not quite sure how you would multiply the unit vector with $F \cdot v$

Thanks again!

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# vector component of f that is parralel to g

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