Scalar Triple Product

Rarely Tested

Scalar Triple Product

For three vectors $$\vec a,\vec b,\vec c$$, the scalar triple product is:

$$\vec a\cdot(\vec b\times\vec c)$$

Terminology

- Scalar triple product: Dot product of one vector with the cross product of the other two vectors.

Usage

- Used to find volume and test coplanarity.

Question 1

Given three non-coplanar vectors $$\vec{a}$$, $$\vec{b}$$, and $$\vec{c}$$ such that the scalar triple product $$[\vec{a} \;\; \vec{b} \;\; \vec{c}] = 4$$. Let three new vectors $$\vec{p}$$, $$\vec{q}$$, and $$\vec{r}$$ be defined by the relations:
$$\vec{p} = 2\vec{a} + 3\vec{b} - \vec{c}$$
$$\vec{q} = \vec{a} - 2\vec{b} + 2\vec{c}$$
$$\vec{r} = 3\vec{a} + \vec{b} + \lambda\vec{c}$$
If the volume of the parallelopiped formed by the vectors $$\vec{p} \times \vec{q}$$, $$\vec{q} \times \vec{r}$$, and $$\vec{r} \times \vec{p}$$ as coterminous edges is equal to $$3136$$, then the product of all possible real values of $$\lambda$$ is equal to:

Question 2

Let

$$\vec p=\vec a\times\vec b,\qquad \vec q=\vec b\times\vec c,\qquad \vec r=\vec c\times\vec a$$

where the volume of the parallelepiped formed by $$\vec a,\vec b,\vec c$$ is $$5$$ cubic units.

Define $$\vec x=\vec p-2\vec q$$, $$\vec y=\vec q-2\vec r$$, $$\vec z=\vec r-2\vec p$$

Find the volume of the parallelepiped formed by $$\vec x,\vec y,\vec z$$

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