Non-Zero Vectors A, B parallel iff. AxB=BxA (true/false)

Hansel13

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Oct 8, 2007
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This is a true/false question. I said it was false, and I was wrong. I still don't know how it's true.

Statement:
Non zero vectors A and B are parallel if and only if A x B = B x A.

Could someone tell me how this is True?

Thanks.
 
Re: Vectors

The vectors are parallel if their normals are parallel. The cross products are the same if the normals are scalar multiples of one another.

A×B=0\displaystyle A\times{B}=0 iff A and B are parallel.

Take for instance, A=(3,4,5)\displaystyle A=(3,-4,5) and B=(6,8,10)\displaystyle B=(-6,8,-10)

In this case, A×B=B×A\displaystyle A\times{B}=B\times{A}
 
Re: Vectors

galactus said:
The vectors are parallel if their normals are parallel. The cross products are the same if the normals are scalar multiples of one another.

Take for instance, A=(3,4,5)\displaystyle A=(3,-4,5) and B=(6,8,10)\displaystyle B=(-6,8,-10)

In this case, A×B=B×A\displaystyle A\times{B}=B\times{A}

Ahhh, thank you. That makes a lot of sense.
 
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