Question

Find the angle between the vectors a = (4, 2, -4) and b = (4, -3, 2).

Answer 1

Answer:

86.45°

Step-by-step explanation:

Given two vectors a = (4, 2, -4) and b = (4, -3, 2), the formula to be used to calculate the angles between both vectors is as expressed below;

$a.b = |a||b| cos \theta$ where $\theta$ is the angle between both vectors

a.b = (4, 2, -4). (4, -3, 2)

a.b = 4(4)+2(-3)+2(-4)

a.b = 16-6-8

a.b = 16-14

a.b = 2

Given |r| = √x²+y²+z²

|a| = √4²+2²+(-4)²

|a| = √16+4+16

|a| = √36

|a| = 6

Similarly;

|b| = √4²+(-3)²+2²

|b| = √16+9+4

|b| = √29

Substituting the parameters gotten into the formula to get the angle between the two vectors a and b we will have;

$a.b = |a||b| cos \theta\\2 = 6*\sqrt{29} \ cos \theta\\ cos\theta = \dfrac{2}{6\sqrt{29} } \\cos\theta = \dfrac{1}{3\sqrt{29} }\\ cos\theta = 0.0619\\\theta = cos ^{-1}0.0619\\ \theta = 86.45^0 (to \ 2dp)$

Hence the angle between vectors a and b is 86.45°