Finding Vector Components

Calisthenics Sheet
Me En 101 Static Systems in Mechanical Engineering
C. Sorensen | Rev. 1.0

1 Cartesian Components
A common requirement in using vectors is to find the cartesian components of the vector. Cartesian com-
ponents are helpful in doing vector addition, dot products, and cross products.
The specific techniques for determining Cartesian components depend on the type of information given
to describe the vector.

1.1 Magnitude and Angle, 2D

When the magnitude and angle are given, the components are found using trigonometry.
For a 2-D vector, with the angle given relative to the positive x axis, we have the following:

 
 ⃗
Ax =  A  cos θ (1)
 
 ⃗
Ay =  A  sin θ (2)

If the angle is given relative to the positive y axis, the equations are different:

 
 ⃗
Ax =  A  sin θ (3)
 
 ⃗
Ay = A  cos θ (4)

Rather than using these equations blindly, it is generally best to think carefully and use the basic defini-
tion of the trigonometric functions.

Set 1
Find the x and y components of the given vectors. For each of these diagrams, x is to the right and y is up.
1. 2. 15° 3. 4. 5.
A=10 cm A=6 N A=4 lbf A=20 mm/s 150°

30°
45° 20° A=5 in.

Ax Ay Ax Ay Ax Ay Ax Ay Ax Ay
10 cos 30°cm 10 sin 30°cm 6 sin 15°N 6 cos 15°N -4 cos 45°lbf 4 sin 45°lbf -20 sin 20°mm/s -20 cos 20°mm/s 5 cos 150°in. 5 sin 150°in.

1.2 Magnitude and Angles, 3-D

For a 3-D vector, angles can be given two two or three axes. If angles are given only two axes, the third
angle can be found from the following relationship:

cos2 θx + cos2 θy + cos2 θz = 1 (5)

Which is solved for the missing angle as

1
 √
cos θx = ± 1 − cos2 θy − cos2 θz (6)
√
cos θy = ± 1 − cos2 θx − cos2 θz (7)
√
cos θz = ± 1 − cos2 θx − cos2 θy (8)
(9)

with the proper sign being chosen by inspection (positive if the vector head is on the positive side of the
axis).
The components of 3-D vector are then found from

 
 ⃗
Ax = A  cos θx (10)
 
 ⃗
Ay =  A  cos θy (11)
 
 ⃗
Az =  A  cos θz (12)

Set 2
1. z 2. z 3. z 4. z
A=200 mph
41° 77°
A=20 m
115° 130°
y 139°
y 80° y y
60°
A=10 lb 135°
115°
60°
x x x x
A=50 N

Ax Ay Az Ax Ay Az Ax Ay Az Ax Ay Az
10 cos 60°lb 10 cos 115°lb 10 cos 41°lb 50 cos 60°N 50 cos 115°N 50 cos 115°N -20(0.96)m 20 cos 80°m 20 cos 77°m 200 cos 135mph200 cos 130°mph
200(.295)mph

1.3 Rise and Run, 2D

The direction of a vector is sometimes given with a triangle that shows rise and run. Given a rise and run,
the hypotenuse of the triangle can be found by the Pythagorean theorem:
√
hyp = rise2 + run2 (13)

The angles can then be found from trigonometry:

cos θx = run/hyp (14)

cos θy = rise/hyp (15)

And the components can be found as listed above once the angles are known.

Set 3
Find the x and y components of the given vectors. x is to the right and y is up.

2
 1. 2. 5 3. 4. 5. 1
A=5 mm/s 12 A=12 in.
A=10 N 4 A=20 kN 1 1
1 A=12 in.
3 1
2

Ax Ay Ax Ay Ax √ Ay Ax Ay Ax Ay
10(5/13)mm/s -20(2/ 5)kN √ √ √ √ √
10(3/5)N 10(4/5)N -10(12/13)mm/s 20(1/ 5)kN 12/ 2in. 12/ 2in. -12/ 2in. -12/ 2in.

1.4 Rise and Run, 3D

In 3D, we are given a slope in 3 dimensions, with a representative length parallel to the x, y, and z axes.
Proceeding as in the case of 2D, we calculate the hypotenuse as follows:

√
hyp = lx2 + ly2 + lz2 (16)

The direction cosines are then obtained from

cos θx = lx /hyp (17)

cos θy = ly /hyp (18)
cos θz = lz /hyp (19)

Set 4
1. z 2. z 3. z 4. z
5
A=10 lb
6 A=20 m
9
3 2 y y y y
12
16 12
8
9
11
x x x x A=10 kN 5
A=300 N
Ax Ay Az Ax Ay Az Ax Ay Az Ax Ay Az
10(2/7)lb -10(3/7)lb 10(6/7)lb 300(8/21)N 300(16/21)N -300(11/21)N -20(9/15.8)m 20(5/15.8)m -10(9/15.8)kN 10(5/15.8)kN
-20(12/15.8)m -10(12/15.8)kN

1.5 Projection, 3D

One way of working with 3D vectors is to project the vector on to one of the coordinate planes (usually the
xy plane). Then, the 3D problem becomes a coupled set of 2D problems. Each of the 2D problems can be
defined by either rise and run or by an angle. Then the appropriate 2D methods can be applied.

Set 5
Find the x, y, and z components of the following vectors.

3
1. z 2. z 3. z 4. z
A=10 lb A=30 ft/s
1 5
12 A=5 m 3 1 12
5 4
50° y y 30° y A=200 m/s y

20° 20°

x x x x

Ax Ay Az Ax Ay Az Ax Ay √
Az Ax Ay Az
10(12/13) cos 50°lb -5(3/5) sin 20°m -30/ 2 cos 30°ft/s 200(12/13) cos 20°ft/s
√
-10(12/13) sin 50°lb 10(5/13)lb 5(3/5) cos 20°m 5(4/5)m -30/ 2 sin 30°ft/s 30/sqrt2ft/s 200(12/13) sin 20°ft/s 200(12/13)m/s