Is 1/vector is a vector or not?











up vote
-1
down vote

favorite












Let $vec { A } = a hat { i } + b hat { j } + c hat { k }$. Is $frac { 1 } { vec { A } }$ a vector or not, and if it is, then what are its components?"










share|cite|improve this question


















  • 1




    The inverse (one over something) is closely related to multiplication. But for vectors, there is no simple (unique) definition of multiplication. Therefore, it's a little difficult to imagine what would be "one divided by a vector".
    – Matti P.
    Nov 23 at 13:59








  • 1




    $frac { 1 } { vec { A } }$ is like "the square root of blue", i.e. meaningless.
    – TonyK
    Nov 23 at 14:01










  • How do you define $frac{1}{vec{A}}$?
    – 5xum
    Nov 23 at 14:02

















up vote
-1
down vote

favorite












Let $vec { A } = a hat { i } + b hat { j } + c hat { k }$. Is $frac { 1 } { vec { A } }$ a vector or not, and if it is, then what are its components?"










share|cite|improve this question


















  • 1




    The inverse (one over something) is closely related to multiplication. But for vectors, there is no simple (unique) definition of multiplication. Therefore, it's a little difficult to imagine what would be "one divided by a vector".
    – Matti P.
    Nov 23 at 13:59








  • 1




    $frac { 1 } { vec { A } }$ is like "the square root of blue", i.e. meaningless.
    – TonyK
    Nov 23 at 14:01










  • How do you define $frac{1}{vec{A}}$?
    – 5xum
    Nov 23 at 14:02















up vote
-1
down vote

favorite









up vote
-1
down vote

favorite











Let $vec { A } = a hat { i } + b hat { j } + c hat { k }$. Is $frac { 1 } { vec { A } }$ a vector or not, and if it is, then what are its components?"










share|cite|improve this question













Let $vec { A } = a hat { i } + b hat { j } + c hat { k }$. Is $frac { 1 } { vec { A } }$ a vector or not, and if it is, then what are its components?"







vectors






share|cite|improve this question













share|cite|improve this question











share|cite|improve this question




share|cite|improve this question










asked Nov 23 at 13:57









Hawkingo

11




11








  • 1




    The inverse (one over something) is closely related to multiplication. But for vectors, there is no simple (unique) definition of multiplication. Therefore, it's a little difficult to imagine what would be "one divided by a vector".
    – Matti P.
    Nov 23 at 13:59








  • 1




    $frac { 1 } { vec { A } }$ is like "the square root of blue", i.e. meaningless.
    – TonyK
    Nov 23 at 14:01










  • How do you define $frac{1}{vec{A}}$?
    – 5xum
    Nov 23 at 14:02
















  • 1




    The inverse (one over something) is closely related to multiplication. But for vectors, there is no simple (unique) definition of multiplication. Therefore, it's a little difficult to imagine what would be "one divided by a vector".
    – Matti P.
    Nov 23 at 13:59








  • 1




    $frac { 1 } { vec { A } }$ is like "the square root of blue", i.e. meaningless.
    – TonyK
    Nov 23 at 14:01










  • How do you define $frac{1}{vec{A}}$?
    – 5xum
    Nov 23 at 14:02










1




1




The inverse (one over something) is closely related to multiplication. But for vectors, there is no simple (unique) definition of multiplication. Therefore, it's a little difficult to imagine what would be "one divided by a vector".
– Matti P.
Nov 23 at 13:59






The inverse (one over something) is closely related to multiplication. But for vectors, there is no simple (unique) definition of multiplication. Therefore, it's a little difficult to imagine what would be "one divided by a vector".
– Matti P.
Nov 23 at 13:59






1




1




$frac { 1 } { vec { A } }$ is like "the square root of blue", i.e. meaningless.
– TonyK
Nov 23 at 14:01




$frac { 1 } { vec { A } }$ is like "the square root of blue", i.e. meaningless.
– TonyK
Nov 23 at 14:01












How do you define $frac{1}{vec{A}}$?
– 5xum
Nov 23 at 14:02






How do you define $frac{1}{vec{A}}$?
– 5xum
Nov 23 at 14:02












1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes

















up vote
2
down vote













There is no standard definition of $frac{1}{boldsymbol{x}}$ where $boldsymbol{x}$ is a vector. Therefore, the expression "$frac{1}{boldsymbol{x}}$" is generally meaningless (undefined), unless it is specifically defined in the context where it is used.






share|cite|improve this answer





















    Your Answer





    StackExchange.ifUsing("editor", function () {
    return StackExchange.using("mathjaxEditing", function () {
    StackExchange.MarkdownEditor.creationCallbacks.add(function (editor, postfix) {
    StackExchange.mathjaxEditing.prepareWmdForMathJax(editor, postfix, [["$", "$"], ["\\(","\\)"]]);
    });
    });
    }, "mathjax-editing");

    StackExchange.ready(function() {
    var channelOptions = {
    tags: "".split(" "),
    id: "69"
    };
    initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);

    StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
    // Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
    if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
    StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
    createEditor();
    });
    }
    else {
    createEditor();
    }
    });

    function createEditor() {
    StackExchange.prepareEditor({
    heartbeatType: 'answer',
    convertImagesToLinks: true,
    noModals: true,
    showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
    reputationToPostImages: 10,
    bindNavPrevention: true,
    postfix: "",
    imageUploader: {
    brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
    contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
    allowUrls: true
    },
    noCode: true, onDemand: true,
    discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
    ,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
    });


    }
    });














    draft saved

    draft discarded


















    StackExchange.ready(
    function () {
    StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fmath.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f3010393%2fis-1-vector-is-a-vector-or-not%23new-answer', 'question_page');
    }
    );

    Post as a guest















    Required, but never shown

























    1 Answer
    1






    active

    oldest

    votes








    1 Answer
    1






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes








    up vote
    2
    down vote













    There is no standard definition of $frac{1}{boldsymbol{x}}$ where $boldsymbol{x}$ is a vector. Therefore, the expression "$frac{1}{boldsymbol{x}}$" is generally meaningless (undefined), unless it is specifically defined in the context where it is used.






    share|cite|improve this answer

























      up vote
      2
      down vote













      There is no standard definition of $frac{1}{boldsymbol{x}}$ where $boldsymbol{x}$ is a vector. Therefore, the expression "$frac{1}{boldsymbol{x}}$" is generally meaningless (undefined), unless it is specifically defined in the context where it is used.






      share|cite|improve this answer























        up vote
        2
        down vote










        up vote
        2
        down vote









        There is no standard definition of $frac{1}{boldsymbol{x}}$ where $boldsymbol{x}$ is a vector. Therefore, the expression "$frac{1}{boldsymbol{x}}$" is generally meaningless (undefined), unless it is specifically defined in the context where it is used.






        share|cite|improve this answer












        There is no standard definition of $frac{1}{boldsymbol{x}}$ where $boldsymbol{x}$ is a vector. Therefore, the expression "$frac{1}{boldsymbol{x}}$" is generally meaningless (undefined), unless it is specifically defined in the context where it is used.







        share|cite|improve this answer












        share|cite|improve this answer



        share|cite|improve this answer










        answered Nov 23 at 14:02









        Eff

        11.5k21638




        11.5k21638






























            draft saved

            draft discarded




















































            Thanks for contributing an answer to Mathematics Stack Exchange!


            • Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

            But avoid



            • Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

            • Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.


            Use MathJax to format equations. MathJax reference.


            To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.





            Some of your past answers have not been well-received, and you're in danger of being blocked from answering.


            Please pay close attention to the following guidance:


            • Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

            But avoid



            • Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

            • Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.


            To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.




            draft saved


            draft discarded














            StackExchange.ready(
            function () {
            StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fmath.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f3010393%2fis-1-vector-is-a-vector-or-not%23new-answer', 'question_page');
            }
            );

            Post as a guest















            Required, but never shown





















































            Required, but never shown














            Required, but never shown












            Required, but never shown







            Required, but never shown

































            Required, but never shown














            Required, but never shown












            Required, but never shown







            Required, but never shown







            Popular posts from this blog

            Le Mesnil-Réaume

            Ida-Boy-Ed-Garten

            web3.py web3.isConnected() returns false always