How do you find two unit vectors orthogonal to A=(1, 3, 0) B =(2, 0, 5) first vector must have positive first coordinate?

1 Answer
Jul 1, 2016

+-(1/sqrt 286)(15, -5, -6)

Explanation:

Let C(a, b, c) be a vector orthogonal to A(1, 3, 0) and B(2, 0, 5).

Then, A.C=0=B.C.

So, a+3b=0 and 2a+5b=0. Eliminating b and c,

C becomes (a, -a/3, -2a/5)=a(1, -1/3, -2/5)

So, the unit vectors in opposite directions that are orthogonal to A

and B are

+-(1/sqrt(1^2+(1/3)^2+(2/5)^2))(1, -1/3, -2/5)

= +-(1/sqrt 286)(15, -5, -6)