Linear Algebra: A Modern Introduction

Published by Cengage Learning
ISBN 10: 1285463242
ISBN 13: 978-1-28546-324-7

Chapter 1 - Vectors - 1.2 Length and Angle: The Dot Product - Exercises 1.2 - Page 290: 31

Answer

The proof is below.

Work Step by Step

We need to prove that $\triangle ABC$ is a right triangle. In order to do this, we will have to find a right angle. When the dot product for two vectors is zero, they form a right angle. Let us take three vectors $\overrightarrow{AB},\overrightarrow{AC},\overrightarrow{BC}$ and find their dot product. If we find one of the dot products is 0, we can conclude that there is a right angle. Now, $\overrightarrow{AB} \cdot \overrightarrow{AC}=-4(1)+(1)(1)+(-1)(-3)=-4+4=0$ We can see that that the vectors $\overrightarrow{AB}$ and $ \overrightarrow{AC}$ form a right angle. Thus, $\angle BAC=90^{\circ}$
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