University Calculus: Early Transcendentals (3rd Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321999584
ISBN 13: 978-0-32199-958-0

Chapter 11 - Section 11.3 - The Dot Product - Exercises - Page 616: 17

Answer

The sum of two vectors having the same length will always be orthogonal to their difference.

Work Step by Step

Since, we have two vectors $v_1$ and $v_2$ and $(v_1+v_2) \cdot (v_1-v_2)=v_1 \cdot v_1+v_2 \cdot v_1-v_1 \cdot v_2 -v_2 \cdot v_2$ Now, $v_1 \cdot v_1+v_2 \cdot v_1-v_1 \cdot v_2 -v_2 \cdot v_2=|v_1|^2-|v_2|^2$ The answer will be zero when $|v_1|^2 =|v_2|^2$, which is possible if both vectors have the same length. Thus, $|v_1|^2-|v_2|^2=|v_1|^2-|v_1|^2=0$ Hence, the sum of two vectors having the same length will always be orthogonal to their difference.
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