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How do you express a vector y as the sum of two perpendicular components using orthogonal projection?

Calculate the projection pp of yy onto a line spanned by vv. Calculate the residual r=y−pr = y - p. The vector yy is then expressed as y=p+ry = p + r, where pp is parallel to vv and rr is perpendicular to vv.

Conditions

  • vv is a nonzero vector defining the line.
  • yy is the vector to be decomposed.

Reasoning, step by step

  1. Compute the projection p=y⋅vv⋅vvp = \frac{y \cdot v}{v \cdot v} v.
  2. Compute the residual r=y−pr = y - p.
  3. Verify that p⋅r=0p \cdot r = 0 to ensure perpendicularity.
  4. Write the decomposition as y=p+ry = p + r.

Example

The script states: 'Adding the projected vector and residual recovers (7,6).' In the example, y=(7,6)y=(7,6), p=(8,4)p=(8,4), and r=(−1,2)r=(-1,2), so (7,6)=(8,4)+(−1,2)(7,6) = (8,4) + (-1,2).

Common misconceptions

  • Assuming the components are always orthogonal regardless of the projection method.
  • Forgetting that one component must lie on the line spanned by vv.
  • Confusing the residual with the projection.

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