Engineering Statics

Key Questions

• Explain the difference between a vector and a scalar.
• Identify the tip, tail, line of action, direction, and magnitude of any drawn vector.
• List the standard notations for vectors and scalars in this textbook and be able to use this notation appropriately in mathematical expressions.
• What is the difference between the sense and orientation of a vector?
• How is a cross product different than a dot product?
• What is a determinant?
• Explain what defines a Cartesian coordinate system and be able to draw a right-hand Cartesian coordinate system.
• Be able to recognize equivalent notations of the same vector.
• Define the Cartesian unit vectors \(\ihat, \jhat, \text{ and } \khat\text{.}\)
• Contrast the two ways to compute unit vectors along any line