Planar Component of a Force (Rectangular Component)

When a force is resolved into two components along x and y axes, the components are then called
rectangular components. The rectangular components of force F shown are found using parallelogram
law, so that 𝐹 = 𝐹𝑥 + 𝐹𝑦 . Because these components form a right triangle, they can be determined from
𝐹𝑥 = 𝐹𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 and 𝐹𝑦 = 𝐹𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃.

Instead of using the angle 𝜃, however, the direction of F can also be defined using a small slope triangle
as in the figure shown.

Since this triangle and the larger shaded triangle are similar, the proportional length of the sides gives
𝐹𝑥 𝑎
=
𝐹 𝑐

𝑎
𝐹𝑥 = 𝐹( )
𝑐
and

𝐹𝑦 𝑏
=
𝐹 𝑐

𝑏
𝐹𝑦 = −𝐹( 𝑐 ) , the y component is a negative scalar since 𝐹𝑦 is directed along the negative y axis.

When the force F is defined by its rectangular components 𝐹𝑥 and 𝐹𝑦 , the angle 𝜃 defining its direction
𝐹𝑦
can be obtained by writing tan 𝜃 =
𝐹𝑥

The magnitude F of the force can be obtained by applying the Pythagorean Theorem

𝐹 = √𝐹𝑥2 + 𝐹𝑦2
Example:
1. A force of 800 N is exerted on a bolt A as shown in figure. Determine the horizontal and vertical
components of the force.

𝐹𝑥 = −𝐹𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛼 = −800𝑁𝑐𝑜𝑠350 = 655.32𝑁

𝐹𝑦 = 𝐹𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛼 = 800𝑁𝑠𝑖𝑛350 = 458.86𝑁

2. A man pulls with a force of 300 N on a rope attached to a building as shown. What are the
horizontal and vertical components of the force exerted by the rope at point A?

𝐹𝑥 = 300𝑁𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛼 𝐹𝑦 = 300𝑁𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛼

From the figure, 𝐴𝐵 = 10𝑚

8𝑚 8𝑚 4
𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛼 = = =
𝐴𝐵 10𝑚 5

6𝑚 6𝑚 3
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛼 = = =
𝐴𝐵 10𝑚 5

4
𝐹𝑥 = 300𝑁 ( ) = 240𝑁
5

3
𝐹𝑦 = 300𝑁 ( ) = 180 𝑁
5