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Appendix 1: Vector Analysis and
Ordinary Differential Equations
Many mathematical techniques will be introduced as the need arises, but vector analysis and ordinary
differential equations (ODEs) are the basic techniques set forth as preliminaries to the main discussion.
A1.1 ELEMENTS OF VECTOR ALGEBRA
Vectors are quantities possessing magnitude and direction, and their combination with each other
has a commutative property. A vector quantity will be denoted by boldface type (as A) or with an
arrow over the symbol (as
), and its magnitude will be represented by the symbol itself (as A). The
corresponding letter with a circumex over it, such ...