Resolving Vectors, Unit Vectors, Magnitude of Vectors

Example:

ABif ⃗
(a) Find ⃗ OA=3i and ⃗
OB=2 i− j .
AO=−3 i
⃗

OB=2 i− j .
⃗

AB=⃗
⃗ AO+ ⃗
OB = −i− j

(b) Find |2 i−3 j|

= root 13.

Example:

O A=2 i+ j and ⃗
A, B are points on the cartesian plane such that ⃗ OB=i−3 j.Find ⃗
AB and |⃗
AB|.
AB=⃗
⃗ A O+⃗
OB = −2 i− j+i−3 j=−i−4 j
AB| = root (1 + 16) = root 17.
|⃗

Unit Vectors

A unit vector is a vector of length one unit (i∧ jare unit vectors ¿ .The unit vector in the direction of
a is a^ .

a
a^ =
|a|
So, vector a has direction and magnitude. So, if we divide a by magnitude of a, we get 1 unit in the
direction.

Example:

Let a = 3 i+ 4 j.

Find |a|, the magnitude of a, and hence the unit vector in the direction of a.

|a| = 5
3i+ 4 j 1
a^ = = (3i + 4 j)
5 5

Questions:

OA=i+2 j and ⃗
1. A, B are points on the cartesian plane such that ⃗ O B=3 i−5 j . Find ⃗
AB.
AB=⃗
⃗ A O+⃗
OB = 2 i−7 j
OA=5i and the vector ⃗
2. OAPB is a rectangle in which the vector ⃗ OB = 6j.
Express the following vectors in terms of i and j .

OP
(a) ⃗ AB
(b) ⃗ BA
(c) ⃗

Solution:

OP=5 i+ 6 j
(a) ⃗

AB
(b) ⃗ = - 5i + 6j

BA=5 i−6 j
(c) ⃗