The dot product fulfills the following properties if a, b, and c are real vectors and r is a scalar.

1. Commutative:
a ⋅ b = b ⋅ a = |a||b| cos θ = |b||a| cos θ
which follows from the definition (θ is the angle between a and b)
In particular, for any a, a ⋅ a = |a|2 as the angle is 0 between the same vector.

2. Distributive over vector addition and scalar multiplication:

c⋅(ka⋅b)=ka⋅c+b⋅c

3. Scalar multiplication:
(c a) ⋅ (d b) = (cd) a ⋅ b

4. Not associative because the dot product between a scalar (a ⋅ b) and a vector (c) is
not defined, which means that the expressions involved in the associative property,
(a ⋅ b) ⋅ c or a ⋅ (b ⋅ c) are both ill-defined.

Informally, this means that because dot product is between two vectors and a ⋅ b
gives you a scalar, which cannot dot product with another vector. So that is why there
is no such thing as a ⋅ b ⋅ c.

However (a ⋅ b) c or a ⋅ b c (it is better to include the bracket for visual purpose) is a

valid expression, as a ⋅ b gives you a scalar, and a scalar multiplying a vector is valid.
So remember to not right the dot between a scalar and a vector.

5. Orthogonal:

Two non-zero vectors a and b are orthogonal if and only if a ⋅ b = 0.

6. No cancellation:

Unlike multiplication of ordinary numbers, where if ab = ac, then b always

equals c unless a is zero, the dot product does not obey the cancellation law:

If a ⋅ b = a ⋅ c and a ≠ 0, then we can write: a ⋅ (b − c) = 0 by the distributive law; the result

above says this just means that a is perpendicular to (b − c), which still allows (b − c) ≠ 0,
and therefore b ≠ c.
Application questions:

1. Finding angle (look at the summary I gave you, that was easy)
𝐚⋅𝐛
𝜃 = cos −1 � �
|𝐚||𝐛|
Also, if there is no need for computing the exact angle but you just want to know if
the angle is acute, obtuse, right angle, the sign of a ⋅ b is sufficient to deduce.

2. Geometrical interpretation of dot product

Example 1: If a ⋅ b = a ⋅ c , what can you conclude?

Do not say b=c. Because the above statement only states that a ⋅ (b – c) = 0
(Using distributive ppty)
Then conclude that either a = 0 or b = c or a is perpendicular to b – c.
(If the question further states that a is a nonzero vector and that b is not parallel to c,
then we only have the third conclusion and the first two are eliminated).

Example 2: If a = (a ⋅ b) b, and that b is non-zero, what can you conclude?

Note that this is valid. a is written as a scalar multiply a vector (a ⋅ b is a scalar). First,
we note that a and b are in parallel vectors (cld be same or anti direction) by the
definition of parallel vectors (one is written as a scalar multiplication of another).
Also we apply the modulus/length formula on both sides, we get:
|𝐚| = |𝐚 ⋅ 𝐛||𝐛|
|𝐚|
= |𝐚||𝐛||cos 𝜃|
|𝐛|
But due to parallel property, the angle is either 0 degree or 180 degree, so we have:
|cos 𝜃| = 1, and hence,
|𝐛|2 = 1
Thus, the conclusion is that b is a unit vector, and a is parallel to it. We cannot
conlude the length of a due to lack of information, neither do we know whether it is in
the same or anti direction as b. (We will know if we know the sign of the dot product)

3. Distributive calculation

Solve for t for the following:

1 1 2
�2� ⋅ ��1� + 𝑡 �1�� = 9
1 1 3

One way is to use the distributive property:

1 1 1 2
�2� ⋅ �1� + 𝑡 �2� ⋅ �1� = 4 + 7𝑡 = 9
1 1 1 3

The other is do direct calculation by simplifying the square brackets first:

 1 1 + 2𝑡
�2� ⋅ �� 1 + 𝑡 �� = 9
1 1 + 3𝑡
You decide which is better and less error prone.
I choose the first one.

P.S: This type of technique is mostly seen in questions regarding a plane and a line/

4. a ⋅ a = |a|2
Sometimes, when your expression has a ⋅ a instead of |a|2. Don’t panic, just
remember that they are the same.

Example 1:
𝐚 𝐚
𝐚� = =
√𝐚 ⋅ 𝐚 |𝐚|

Example 2: Area of triangle OAB.

Remember the formula in your tutorial that we did?

1
Area = �(|𝐚||𝐛|)2 − (𝐚 ⋅ 𝐛)2
2
It can also be written as:
1
�(𝐚 ⋅ 𝐚)(𝐛 ⋅ 𝐛) − (𝐚 ⋅ 𝐛)𝟐
2