Home » Blog » Find all orthogonal vectors with the same length as a given vector

Find all orthogonal vectors with the same length as a given vector

Find all vectors in \mathbb{R}^2 that have the same length as A and are orthogonal to A when A is each of the following:

  1. A = (1,2);
  2. A = (1,-2);
  3. A = (2,-1);
  4. A = (-2,1).

  1. If A = (1,2), let B = (b_1, b_2) be a vector such that A \cdot B = 0 and \lVert A \rVert = \lVert B \rVert. Then we have

        \[ A \cdot B = 0 \quad \implies \quad b_1 + 2b_2 = 0 \quad \implies \quad b_1 = -2b_2. \]

    Since the lengths are the same and \lVert A \rVert = \sqrt{5} we also have

        \[ \sqrt{5} = \lVert b \rVert = \sqrt{b_1^2 + b_2^2} = \sqrt{5b_2^2} \quad \implies \quad b_2 = \pm 1, \ b_1 = \mp 2. \]

    Therefore, B = (2,-1) or B = (-2,1).

  2. If A = (1,-2), let B = (b_1, b_2) be a vector such that A \cdot B = 0 and \lVert A \rVert = \lVert B \rVert. Then we have

        \[ A \cdot B = 0 \quad \implies \quad b_1 - 2b_2 = 0 \quad \implies \quad b_1 = 2b_2. \]

    Since the lengths are the same and \lVert A \rVert = \sqrt{5} we also have

        \[ \sqrt{5} = \lVert b \rVert = \sqrt{b_1^2 + b_2^2} = \sqrt{5b_2^2} \quad \implies \quad b_2 = \pm 1, \ b_1 = \pm 2. \]

    Therefore, B = (2,1) or B = (-2,-1).

  3. If A = (2,-1), let B = (b_1, b_2) be a vector such that A \cdot B = 0 and \lVert A \rVert = \lVert B \rVert. Then we have

        \[ A \cdot B = 0 \quad \implies \quad 2b_1 - b_2 = 0 \quad \implies \quad b_2 = 2b_1. \]

    Since the lengths are the same and \lVert A \rVert = \sqrt{5} we also have

        \[ \sqrt{5} = \lVert b \rVert = \sqrt{b_1^2 + b_2^2} = \sqrt{5b_1^2} \quad \implies \quad b_1 = \pm 1, \ b_2 = \pm 2. \]

    Therefore, B = (1,2) or B = (-1,-2).

  4. If A = (-2,1), let B = (b_1, b_2) be a vector such that A \cdot B = 0 and \lVert A \rVert = \lVert B \rVert. Then we have

        \[ A \cdot B = 0 \quad \implies \quad -2b_1 + b_2 = 0 \quad \implies \quad b_2 = 2b_1. \]

    Since the lengths are the same and \lVert A \rVert = \sqrt{5} we also have

        \[ \sqrt{5} = \lVert b \rVert = \sqrt{b_1^2 + b_2^2} = \sqrt{5b_1^2} \quad \implies \quad b_1 = \pm 1, \ b_1 = \pm 2. \]

    Therefore, B = (1,2) or B = (-1,-2).

Point out an error, ask a question, offer an alternative solution (to use Latex type [latexpage] at the top of your comment):