CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javascriptc++mathvector
jonarya
jonarya

Reputation: 323

Angle between 3 points math explain

I have converted a c++ code into javascript which calculates angle between 3 points. Though it is working properly I do not understand math behind it.

    function angle(a, b, c) {
        var ab = { x: b.x - a.x, y: b.y - a.y };
        var cb = { x: b.x - c.x, y: b.y - c.y };

        var dot = (ab.x * cb.x + ab.y * cb.y); // dot product
        var cross = (ab.x * cb.y - ab.y * cb.x); // cross product

        var alpha = -Math.atan2(cross, dot);
        if (alpha < 0) alpha += 2 * Math.PI;
        return alpha;
    }

What is the use of dot and cross product here? How does atan2 use cross and dot products to calculate angle?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 451

Answers (1)

marvel308
marvel308

Reputation: 10458

var ab = { x: b.x - a.x, y: b.y - a.y };
var cb = { x: b.x - c.x, y: b.y - c.y };

these points represent the lines AB and BC. Now dot product of 2 lines is

dot = |AB|.|BC|.cos(theta)
cross = |AB|.|BC|.sin(theta)

their division would get

cross/dot = tan(theta)

so

theta = atan(cross, dot)

we know the value of dot and cross from 

dot = (ab.x * cb.x + ab.y * cb.y);
cross = (ab.x * cb.y - ab.y * cb.x);

hence we can find the angle using the above information

Upvotes: 2

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