{{page>wiki:headers:hheader}}


====== Recall The Dot Product ======

===== The Prompt =====

** "Write down something you know about the dot product." **

===== Context =====

This [[strategy:smallwhiteboard:|SWBQ]] opens up discussion about the geometrical meaning of the dot product and the different ways one is likely to see the dot product notated.


===== Wrap Up =====

** Answers you're likely to see:**

{{strategy:smallwhiteboard:list:dotproduct1.jpg?200|}}
{{strategy:smallwhiteboard:list:dotproduct10.jpg?200|}}
{{strategy:smallwhiteboard:list:dotproduct2.jpg?200|}}
{{strategy:smallwhiteboard:list:dotproduct3_crop.jpg?200|}}
{{strategy:smallwhiteboard:list:dotproduct4.jpg?200|}}
{{strategy:smallwhiteboard:list:dotproduct5.jpg?200|}}
{{strategy:smallwhiteboard:list:dotproduct6_crop.jpg?200|}}
{{strategy:smallwhiteboard:list:dotproduct7.jpg?200|}}
{{strategy:smallwhiteboard:list:dotproduct8.jpg?200|}}
{{strategy:smallwhiteboard:list:dotproduct9.jpg?200|}}

Walk around the room as students are answering this question and quickly pick
up an example of each different representation or statement.  Quickly order
them in the order you would like to talk about them and prop them on the
chalkboard tray.  Pick up each one (or more than one if you are comparing
them) and give whatever review "lecture" you would normally give.  The
students are far more invested if they see that you are talking about their
answers and some students will even vie with each other to get you to choose
their answer.  You can add in any extra representations that the students
haven't mentioned as you go along.

The most important thing to emphasize is that the professional physicist knows
and uses all of these representations/facts.

You may also want to assign the following homework problem which requires
students to use both the algebraic and geometric definitions of the dot
product to solve the problem successfully.

  - (Tetrahedron) {{page>homework:ph320422questions:tetrahedron}}

{{strategy:smallwhiteboard:dotproductclip2007.mov|Class Video}}
\\\\
{{vfswdotdef.ppt|Powerpoint slide}}
\\\\
{{vfswdotdef.pdf|PDF slide}}

{{page>wiki:footers:courses:vffooter}}

{{page>wiki:footers:topics:vcfooter}}