Prove that vec(p) * vec(q) =|vec(p)||vec(q)|cos a, a the angle between vector p and q.

musicintimeln

musicintimeln

Answered question

2022-08-10

Prove that p q = | p | | q | cos a the angle between vector p and q.
I tried using law of cosines but I'm not supposed to do that since I need to prove law of cosines in the next exercise, also I think law of cosines is a consequence of this statement.

Answer & Explanation

Alexia Mata

Alexia Mata

Beginner2022-08-11Added 15 answers

Assuming you're in 2 dimensions:
p = ( p x , p y ) = ( | p | c o s α , | p | s i n α )
q = ( q x , q y ) = ( | q | c o s β , | q | s i n β )
p q
= p x q x + p y q y
= | p | c o s α | q | c o s β + | p | s i n α | q | s i n β
= | p | | q | ( c o s α c o s β + s i n α s i n β )
= | p | | q | c o s ( α β )

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