scalar product

American  

noun

Mathematics.

1. inner product.

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scalar product British  

noun

1. Also called: dot product.  the product of two vectors to form a scalar, whose value is the product of the magnitudes of the vectors and the cosine of the angle between them. Written: A · B or AB Compare vector product

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scalar product Scientific  

1. The numerical product of the lengths of two vectors and the cosine of the angle between them.

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Etymology

Origin of scalar product

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

To calculate the angle between two vectors, you multiply them together using the scalar product and then divide by the two vector lengths.

From Scientific American

Joules are applied only if this torque moves through a unitless vector rotation, with the scalar product yielding the scalar quantity of energy.

From Nature