Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Vector Projection
Vector projection is the process of projecting one vector onto another. The projection of vector v onto vector w, denoted as projᵥᵥ w, is calculated using the formula projᵥᵥ w = (v · w / w · w) * w, where '·' represents the dot product. This results in a vector that represents the component of v in the direction of w.
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Dot Product
The dot product is a mathematical operation that takes two equal-length sequences of numbers (usually coordinate vectors) and returns a single number. It is calculated as v · w = v₁w₁ + v₂w₂, where v₁ and v₂ are the components of vector v, and w₁ and w₂ are the components of vector w. The dot product is crucial for finding projections and determining the angle between vectors.
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Introduction to Dot Product
Vector Decomposition
Vector decomposition involves breaking a vector into two components: one that is parallel to a given vector and another that is orthogonal (perpendicular) to it. In this case, v₁ is the component of v that is parallel to w, while v₂ is the component that is orthogonal to w. This is achieved by using the projection to find v₁ and subtracting it from v to find v₂.
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