Skip to main content
Back

Dot Product definitions

Control buttons has been changed to "navigation" mode.
1/15
  • Dot Product
    An operation combining two vectors by multiplying like components and summing, resulting in a scalar indicating their alignment.
  • Scalar
    A single numerical value, often the result of a dot product, representing magnitude without direction.
  • Vector
    A quantity with both magnitude and direction, often represented in component form such as i and j.
  • Component
    A part of a vector along a specific axis, such as the x or y value in a two-dimensional vector.
  • Alignment
    The degree to which two vectors point in the same or opposite directions, indicated by the sign and value of the dot product.
  • Magnitude
    The length or size of a vector, often found using the square root of the sum of squared components.
  • Angle
    The measure in degrees or radians between two vectors, used in the alternate dot product formula.
  • Cosine
    A trigonometric function used in the alternate dot product formula to relate the angle between vectors to their product.
  • Perpendicularity
    A relationship where two vectors meet at a 90-degree angle, resulting in a dot product of zero.
  • Inverse Cosine
    A mathematical function used to determine the angle between vectors when the dot product and magnitudes are known.
  • Component Form
    A way of expressing vectors by listing their values along each axis, such as (x, y) or using i and j notation.
  • Positive Result
    A dot product outcome indicating vectors are pointing in similar directions, showing strong alignment.
  • Negative Result
    A dot product outcome indicating vectors are pointing in opposite directions, showing negative alignment.
  • Zero Result
    A dot product outcome indicating vectors are perpendicular, with no alignment or opposition.
  • Degree Mode
    A calculator setting required when inputting angles in degrees for trigonometric calculations in the dot product formula.