 Have a clear understanding of the mathematics.

 Memorize only the basic equations, and try to derive from

those.
 Identify the key words or terms in a given definition or law.
Know the meanings of those words.
 Practice is the best way to gain skill. Solving problems will
help in understanding the formulas and assimilate the
material.
 Sketch a diagram before attempting to solve a problem, to help
you to understand the problem.

1
 Scalar & vector
 Unit vector
 Position and distance vector
 Dot product
 Cross product
 Scalar field & vector field
 Cartesian, Cylindrical & Spherical coordinate system

3
Scalar
• A quantity that only have magnitude (represented by a single real
number)
• Examples : speed, energy, temperature, voltage, current

Vector
• A quantity represented by both magnitude and direction
• Examples : velocity, force, electric field

4
 A vector A has a magnitude A=|A| and a direction specified by a unit vector â

 unit vector â : has a magnitude of unity (| â |=1)

5
A vector whose length is 1, used to signify the direction.
Noted with small bold letters with hats

For vector 𝑨, 𝑩, 𝑪; the unit vectors are notated as 𝒂, 𝒃, 𝒄 respectively.

6
 z

 Vectors are expressed in terms of

standard base vectors 𝒙, 𝒚, 𝒛.
Az
 𝒙, 𝒚, 𝒛 are the unit vectors in the
directions of positive x-, y-, and z- axes, A
respectively. 𝒛
 For example, vector 𝑨 = 𝐴𝑥 𝒙 + 𝐴𝑦 𝒚 + 𝒙
𝒚 y
𝐴𝑧 𝒛 Ay
 𝐴𝑥 , 𝐴𝑦 and 𝐴𝑧 are scalar quantities. Ax

 That is interpreted as, 𝑨 has a

x
displacement 𝐴𝑥 units in the direction Base vector
of x-axis, 𝐴𝑦 units in the direction of y- Displacement
axis and 𝐴𝑧 units in the direction of z-
axis.
7
 Magnitude of the vector

𝑨 = 𝐴2𝑥 + 𝐴2𝑦 + 𝐴2𝑧

 The unit vector, 𝒂

𝑨 1
𝒂= = 𝐴𝑥 𝒙 + 𝐴𝑦 𝒚 + 𝐴𝑧 𝒛
𝑨
𝐴2𝑥 +𝐴2𝑦 +𝐴2𝑧

8
𝑨 = 𝐴𝑥 𝒙 + 𝐴𝑦 𝒚 + 𝐴𝑧 𝒛 𝑩 = 𝐵𝑥 𝒙 + 𝐵𝑦 𝒚 + 𝐵𝑧 𝒛

𝑨 and 𝑩 are equal (𝑨 = 𝑩) if and only if,

𝐴𝑥 = 𝐵𝑥 , 𝐴𝑦 = 𝐵𝑦 , 𝐴𝑧 = 𝐵𝑧

9
 Vectors addition and substraction

𝑨 + 𝑩 = 𝐴𝑥 + 𝐵𝑥 𝒙 + 𝐴𝑦 + 𝐵𝑦 𝒚 + 𝐴𝑧 + 𝐵𝑧 𝒛

𝑨 − 𝑩 = 𝐴𝑥 − 𝐵𝑥 𝒙 + 𝐴𝑦 − 𝐵𝑦 𝒚 + 𝐴𝑧 − 𝐵𝑧 𝒛

10
 The position vector is an alternative way for describing the position of a
point in the space.
 Position vector, 𝑷𝟏 , of some point 𝑃1 𝑥1 , 𝑦1 , 𝑧1 , is the vector from the
origin to that point.
 In terms of base vectors we have,
𝑷 = 𝑥1 𝒙 + 𝑦1 𝒚 + 𝑧1 𝒛
 𝑷 is a quantization of the position of 𝑃 with respect to some reference point
(the origin of the coordinate system).
 𝑷 is the distance from the origin to 𝑃.
 𝒑 is the unit vector in the direction from the origin to 𝑝.

11
 The separation or distance vector is a description of the distance
between two points in the space.
 Distance vector, 𝑷𝟏𝟐 , of two points 𝑃1 𝑥1 , 𝑦1 , 𝑧1 and 𝑃2 𝑥2 , 𝑦2 , 𝑧2 , is
the vector representing the distance from 𝑃1 to 𝑃2 .
 𝑷𝟏𝟐 is related to position vectors 𝑷𝟏 and 𝑷𝟐 by,
𝑷𝟏𝟐 = 𝑷𝟐 − 𝑷𝟏
= 𝑥2 − 𝑥1 𝒙 + 𝑦2 − 𝑦1 𝒚 + 𝑧2 − 𝑧1 𝒛
 𝑷𝟏𝟐 is a quantization of the position of 𝑃2 with respect to another point 𝑃1 .
 𝑷𝟏𝟐 is the distance between 𝑃1 and 𝑃2 .
 𝒑𝟏𝟐 is the unit vector in the direction of the line connecting between 𝑃1 and
𝑃2 .
 The position vector is a special case separation vector where 𝑃1 =
0,0,0 .

12
 Multiplication by a scalar

𝑐𝑨 = 𝑐𝐴𝑥 𝒙 + 𝑐𝐴𝑦 𝒚 + 𝑐𝐴𝑧 𝒛

 Scalar or dot product

 Vector or cross product

13
 Also called scalar product or inner product.

 For any two vectors 𝑨 and 𝑩, the dot product 𝑨 ∙ 𝑩 is defined as,
𝑨 ∙ 𝑩 = 𝐴𝑥 𝐵𝑥 + 𝐴𝑦 𝐵𝑦 + 𝐴𝑧 𝐵𝑧
 The result is a scalar (that’s why called scalar product).

 Properties of the dot product 2

𝑨∙𝑨= 𝑨
𝑨∙𝑩= 𝑩∙𝑨
𝑨 ∙ 𝑩 + 𝑪 = 𝑨 ∙ 𝑩+𝑨 ∙ 𝑪
𝑐 𝑨 ∙ 𝑩 = 𝑐𝑨 ∙ 𝑩 = 𝑨 ∙ 𝑐𝑩

 In terms of |𝑨| and 𝐁 ,

𝑨 ∙ 𝑩 = 𝑨 𝑩 cos 𝜃
 𝜃 is the angle between 𝑨 and 𝑩.
𝑨.𝑩
 Hence, cos 𝜃 =
𝑨 𝑩

 𝑨 and 𝑩 are orthogonal only if and only if 𝑨 ∙ 𝑩 = 0. 14

The dot product gives the effective value (scalar) of two vectors.

𝑨 ∙ 𝑩 = 𝐴 𝐵 cos 𝜃𝐴𝐵

summer

winter 𝑺

𝑺 ∙ 𝒏 = 𝑆 𝑛 cos𝜃 𝒏
𝑺
𝑺 ∙ 𝒏𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑟 = 𝑆 𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃1
𝜃1
𝑺 ∙ 𝒏𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 = 𝑆 𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃2
𝜃2

15
 Also called vector product.
 For any two vectors 𝑨 and 𝑩, the dot product 𝑨 × 𝑩 is defined as,
𝒙 𝒚 𝒛
𝑨 × 𝑩 = 𝐴𝑥 𝐴𝑦 𝐴𝑧
𝐵𝑥 𝐵𝑦 𝐵𝑧

= 𝐴𝑦 𝐵𝑧 − 𝐴𝑧 𝐵𝑦 𝒙 + 𝐴𝑧 𝐵𝑥 − 𝐴𝑥 𝐵𝑧 𝒚 + 𝐴𝑥 𝐵𝑦 − 𝐴𝑦 𝐵𝑥 𝒛

 The resultant vector is orthogonal to both 𝑨 and 𝑩.

 The direction of 𝑨 × 𝑩 is given by the right hand rule.

16
 In terms of |𝑨| and 𝐁 ,
𝑨 × 𝑩 = 𝑨 𝑩 sin 𝜃
 𝜃 is the angle between 𝑨 and 𝑩.
𝑨×𝑩
 Hence, sin 𝜃 =
𝑨 𝑩

 𝑨 and 𝑩 are parallel only if and only if 𝑨 × 𝑩 = 0.

 Properties of the cross product

𝑨 × 𝑩 = −𝑩 × 𝑨
𝑨 × 𝑩 + 𝑪 = 𝑨 × 𝑩+ 𝑨 × 𝑪
𝑨 + 𝑩 × 𝑪 = 𝑨 × 𝑪+𝑩 × 𝑪
𝑐 𝑨 × 𝑩 = 𝑐𝑨 × 𝑩 = 𝑨 × 𝑐𝑩
𝑨∙ 𝑩×𝑪 = 𝑨×𝑩 ∙𝑪
𝑨× 𝑩×𝑪 = 𝑨∙𝑪 𝑩− 𝑨∙𝑩 𝑪
17
 𝑨×𝑩

𝑨
rotation

18
19
 Scalar field
Assignment of a magnitude to each point in a subset of a
space.

 Vector field
Assignment of a vector (magnitude and direction) to each
point in a subset of a space.

20
 Scalar field
Altitude of Gunung Irau, Vector field
Cameron Highlands Wind speed/direction of
Isabel Hurricane (USA)

21
http://people.eecs.ku.edu/~miller/WorldWindProjects/VectorFieldVis/index.php

22
 𝑨=𝒙+𝒚+𝒛 𝑩 = 𝟐𝒙 − 𝒚 + 3𝒛

1. Find the followings

a) Magnitude of both vectors
b) Unit vector of both vectors
c) 𝑨 + 7𝑩
d) 𝑨 − 𝑩
e) The dot/scalar product
f) The cross/vector product

2. Find the angle between 𝑨 and 𝑩 above.

23
 What phenomenon does these vectors represent?

(a) (b)

24
(c) (d)
25
Point 𝑷 𝑥1 , 𝑦1 , 𝑧1

𝑨 = 𝐴𝑥 𝒙 + 𝐴𝑦 𝒚 + 𝐴 𝑧 𝒛

𝒙, 𝒚, 𝒛 : Base vector

26
Differential length, 𝑑𝒍
𝑑𝒍 = 𝒙𝑑𝑙𝑥 + 𝒚𝑙𝑦 + 𝒛𝑑𝑙𝑧
= 𝒙𝑑𝑥 + 𝒚𝑑𝑦 + 𝒛𝑑𝑧

Differential surface areas

d𝐬𝑥 = 𝒙 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑧
d𝐬𝑦 = 𝒚 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑧
d𝐬𝑧 = 𝒛 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦

Differential volume
d𝑣 = 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑧

27
Point 𝑷 𝑟1 , ∅1 , 𝑧1

𝑨 = 𝐴𝑟 𝒓 + 𝐴∅ ∅ + 𝐴 𝑧 𝒛

𝒓, ∅, 𝒛 : Base vector

28
Differential length, 𝑑𝒍
𝑑𝒍 = 𝒓𝑑𝑙𝑟 + ∅𝑑𝑙∅ + 𝒛𝑑𝑙𝑧
= 𝒓𝑑𝑟 + ∅ 𝑟 𝑑∅ + 𝒛 𝑑𝑧

Differential surface areas

d𝐬𝑟 = 𝒓 𝑟 𝑑∅ 𝑑𝑧
d𝐬∅ = ∅ 𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑧
d𝐬𝑧 = 𝒛 𝑟 𝑑r 𝑑∅

Differential volume
d𝑣 = 𝑟 𝑑r 𝑑∅ 𝑑𝑧

29
Point 𝑷 𝑅1 , 𝜃1 , ∅1

𝑨 = 𝐴𝑅 𝑹 + 𝐴𝜃 𝜽 + 𝐴∅ ∅

𝑹, 𝜃, ∅ : Base vector

30
Differential length, 𝑑𝒍
𝑑𝒍 = 𝑹𝑑𝑙𝑅 + 𝜽𝑑𝑙𝜃 + ∅𝑑𝑙∅
= 𝑹𝑑𝑅 + 𝜽 𝑅 𝑑𝜃 + ∅ 𝑅 sin 𝜃 𝑑∅

Differential surface areas

d𝐬𝑅 = 𝑹 𝑅2 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑑𝜃 𝑑∅
d𝐬𝜃 = 𝜽 𝑅 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑑𝑅 𝑑∅
d𝐬∅ = ∅ 𝑅 𝑑𝑅 𝑑𝜃

Differential volume
d𝑣 = 𝑅2 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑑𝑅 𝑑𝜃 𝑑∅

31
 Cartesian Coordinates Cylindrical Coordinates Spherical Coordinates
Coordinate variables 𝑥, 𝑦,𝑧, 𝑟, ∅,𝑧, 𝑅, 𝜃,∅,

Vector representation, 𝑨 = 𝒙𝐴𝑥 + 𝒚𝐴𝑦 + 𝒛𝐴𝑧 𝒓𝐴𝑥 + ∅𝐴∅ + 𝒛𝐴𝑧 𝑹𝐴𝑅 + 𝜽𝐴𝜃 + ∅𝐴∅

Magnitude of 𝑨, 𝑨 = +
𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝐴𝑦 2 + 𝐴𝑧 2
+
𝐴𝑟 2 + 𝐴∅ 2 + 𝐴𝑧 2
+
𝐴𝑅 2 + 𝐴𝜃 2 + 𝐴∅ 2

𝒙𝑥1 + 𝒚𝑦1 + 𝒛𝑧1 , 𝒓𝑟1 + 𝒛𝑧1 𝑹𝑅1

Position vector 𝑶𝑷𝟏
for P 𝑥1 , 𝑦1 , 𝑧1 for P 𝑟1 , ∅1 , 𝑧1 for P 𝑅1 , 𝜃1 , ∅1

𝒙∙𝒙=𝒚∙𝒚 =𝒛∙𝒛=1 𝒓∙𝒓= ∅∙∅= 𝒛∙𝒛= 1 𝑹∙𝑹=𝜽∙𝜽=∅∙∅=1

𝒙∙𝒚= 𝒚∙𝒛 = 𝒛∙𝒙= 0 𝒓∙∅= ∅∙𝒛= 𝒛∙𝒓= 0 𝑹∙𝜽=𝜽∙∅=∅∙𝑹=0
Base vectors properties 𝒙×𝒚=𝒛 𝒓×∅=𝒛 𝑹×𝜽=∅
𝒚×𝒛=𝒙 ∅×𝒛 = 𝒓 𝜽×∅=𝑹
𝒛×𝒙=𝒚 𝒛×𝒓= ∅ ∅×𝑹=𝜽

Dot product, 𝑨 ∙ 𝑩 = 𝐴𝑥 𝐵𝑥 + 𝐴𝑦 𝐵𝑦 + 𝐴𝑧 𝐵𝑧 𝐴𝑟 𝐵𝑟 + 𝐴∅ 𝐵∅ + 𝐴𝑧 𝐵𝑧 𝐴𝑅 𝐵𝑅 + 𝐴𝜃 𝐵𝜃 + 𝐴∅ 𝐵∅

𝑥 𝑦 𝑧 𝑟 ∅ 𝑧 𝑅 𝜃 ∅
Cross product, 𝑨 × 𝑩 = 𝐴𝑥 𝐴𝑦 𝐴𝑧 𝐴𝑟 𝐴∅ 𝐴𝑧 𝐴𝑅 𝐴𝜃 𝐴∅
𝐵𝑥 𝐵𝑦 𝐵𝑧 𝐵𝑟 𝐵∅ 𝐵𝑧 𝐵𝑅 𝐵𝜃 𝐵∅
Differential length, 𝒅𝒍 𝒙𝑑𝑥 + 𝒚𝑑𝑦 + 𝒛 𝑑𝑧 𝒓𝑑𝑟 + ∅ 𝑟 𝑑∅ + 𝒛 𝑑𝑧 𝑹𝑑𝑅 + 𝜽 𝑅 𝑑𝜃 + ∅ 𝑅 sin 𝜃 𝑑∅
d𝐬𝑥 = 𝒙 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑧 d𝐬𝑟 = 𝒓 𝑟 𝑑∅ 𝑑𝑧 d𝐬𝑅 = 𝑹 𝑅 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑑𝜃 𝑑∅
Differential surface areas d𝐬𝑦 = 𝒚 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑧 d𝐬∅ = ∅ 𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑧 d𝐬𝜃 = 𝜽 𝑅 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑑𝑅 𝑑∅
d𝐬𝑧 = 𝒛 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦 d𝐬𝑧 = 𝒛 𝑟 𝑑r 𝑑∅ d𝐬∅ = ∅ 𝑅 𝑑𝑅 𝑑𝜃

Differential volume, 𝒅𝒗 = 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑧 𝑟 𝑑r 𝑑∅ 𝑑𝑧 𝑅 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑑𝑅 𝑑𝜃 𝑑∅

32
(Cartesian and cylindrical coordinates)

33
1. Cylindrical to Cartesian 2. Spherical to Cartesian
x = r 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜙 𝑥 = 𝑅 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜙
y = r 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜙 𝑦 = 𝑅 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜙
z=z 𝑧 = 𝑅 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃
𝒙 = 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜙 𝒓 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜙 𝝓 𝒙 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜙 𝑹 + 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜙 𝜽 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜙 𝝓
𝒚 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜙 𝒓 + 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜙 𝝓 𝒚 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜙 𝑹 + 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜙 𝜽 + 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜙 𝝓
𝒛=𝒛 𝒛 = 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃 𝑹 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 𝜽
3. Cartesian to Cylindrical 4. Spherical to Cylindrical

r= 𝑥2 + 𝑦2
𝑦
ϕ = 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1 𝑟 = 𝑅 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃
𝑥
𝜙=𝜙
z=z
𝑧 = 𝑅 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃
𝑥 𝑦
𝒓= 𝒙+ 𝒚 𝒓 = sin 𝜃 𝑹 + cos 𝜃 𝜽
𝑥2 + 𝑦2 𝑥2 + 𝑦2
𝝓=𝝓
𝑦 𝑥
𝝓=− 𝒙+ 𝒚 𝒛 = cos 𝜃 𝑹 − sin 𝜃 𝜽
𝑥2 + 𝑦2 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 34
𝒛=𝒛
5. Cartesian to Spherical 6. Cylindrical to Spherical

R= 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 + 𝑧2

−1
𝑥2 + 𝑦2 𝑅= 𝑟2 + 𝑧2
θ = 𝑡𝑎𝑛
𝑧
𝑟
𝑦 𝜃 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1
ϕ = 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1 𝑧
𝑥
𝜙=𝜙
1 𝑟 𝑧
𝑹= x𝒙 + y𝒚 + z𝒛 𝑹= 𝒓+ 𝒛
𝑥 2 + 𝑦2 + 𝑧2 𝑟2 + 𝑧2 𝑟2 + 𝑧2

1 𝑧 𝑟
𝜽= xz 𝒙 + yz 𝒚 − 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 𝒛 𝜽= 𝒓− 𝒛
𝑥2 + 𝑦2 + 𝑧2 𝑟2 + 𝑧2 𝑟2 + 𝑧2
𝝓=𝝓
1
𝝓= −𝑦 𝒙 + x 𝒚
𝑥2 + 𝑦2

35
Determine the area of the following surfaces using the
differential surface area 𝑑𝒔

a) 2 ≤ 𝑟 ≤ 5; ∅ = 𝜋 4 ; −2 ≤ 𝑧 ≤ 2

b) 𝑅 = 2; 0 ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 𝜋 3 ; 0 ≤ ∅ ≤ 𝜋

* All lengths are in meter

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Determine the volume of the following surfaces using the
differential surface area 𝑑𝑣

a) 2 ≤ 𝑟 ≤ 5; 𝜋 2 ≤ ∅ ≤ 𝜋; 0 ≤ 𝑧 ≤ 2

b) 0 ≤ 𝑅 ≤ 5; 0 ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 𝜋 3 ; 0 ≤ ∅ ≤ 2𝜋

* All lengths are in meter

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