org.opensourcephysics.numerics
Class VectorMath

java.lang.Object
  extended byorg.opensourcephysics.numerics.VectorMath

public final class VectorMath
extends java.lang.Object

VectorMath is a utility class for vector math. Contains static methods for dot products, cross products, etc.


Method Summary
static double[] cross2D(double[] v, double b)
          Calculates the cross product of a double[2] vector in a plane and a vector perpendicular to that plane.
static double cross2D(double[] a, double[] b)
          Calculate the cross product of two-component vectors.
static double[] cross3D(double[] v1, double[] v2)
          Calculates the vector cross product of double[3] vectors v1 and v2.
static double dot(double[] a, double[] b)
          Calculate the dot product of two vectors.
static double magnitude(double[] a)
          Calculates the magnitude a vector.
static double magnitudeSquared(double[] a)
          Computes the magnitdue squared of this vector.
static double[] normalize(double[] a)
           
static double[] perp(double[] a, double[] b)
          Computes the part of the first vector that is perpendicular to the second vector.
static double[] plus(double[] a, double[] b)
          Add two vectors.
static double[] plus(double[] a, double[] b, double c)
          Add a vector times a scalar to a vector.
static double[] project(double[] a, double[] b)
          Projects the first vector onto the second vector.
 
Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait
 

Method Detail

plus

public static double[] plus(double[] a,
                            double[] b,
                            double c)
Add a vector times a scalar to a vector. Elements in the first vector are modified and set equal to the sum.

Parameters:
a - the first vector
b - the second vector
c - the scalar multiplier
Returns:
double[] the first vector.

plus

public static double[] plus(double[] a,
                            double[] b)
Add two vectors. Elements in the first vector are modified and set equal to the sum.

Parameters:
a - the first vector
b - the second vector
Returns:
double[] the first vector.

normalize

public static double[] normalize(double[] a)

dot

public static double dot(double[] a,
                         double[] b)
Calculate the dot product of two vectors.

Parameters:
a - the first vector
b - the second vector
Returns:
the dot product

project

public static double[] project(double[] a,
                               double[] b)
Projects the first vector onto the second vector.

Parameters:
a - the first vector
b - the second vector
Returns:
the projection

perp

public static double[] perp(double[] a,
                            double[] b)
Computes the part of the first vector that is perpendicular to the second vector.

Parameters:
a - the first vector
b - the second vector
Returns:
the perpendicular part

magnitudeSquared

public static double magnitudeSquared(double[] a)
Computes the magnitdue squared of this vector. The magnitude squared is dot product of a vector with itself.

Parameters:
a - the vector
Returns:
the magnitude squared

magnitude

public static double magnitude(double[] a)
Calculates the magnitude a vector.

Parameters:
a - the vector
Returns:
the magnitude

cross3D

public static final double[] cross3D(double[] v1,
                                     double[] v2)
Calculates the vector cross product of double[3] vectors v1 and v2.

Parameters:
v1 - the first vector
v2 - the second vector
Returns:
double[] the 3D cross product

cross2D

public static double[] cross2D(double[] v,
                               double b)
Calculates the cross product of a double[2] vector in a plane and a vector perpendicular to that plane. Elements in the given vector are modified. The resulting vector componets are in the basis set of the given vector.

Parameters:
v - the vector in the plane
b - the vector perpendicular to the plane
Returns:
the cropss product

cross2D

public static double cross2D(double[] a,
                             double[] b)
Calculate the cross product of two-component vectors. The result is the component perpendicular to the plane.

Parameters:
a - the first vector
b - the second vector
Returns:
the cross product.