01.unit 01-02 Geometric Vectors Demo

MCV4U GEOMETRIC VECTORS UNITS 1/2
Expectations: Evaluation:
Demonstrate an understanding of vectors in two-space and three-space by representing Task 1 and Task 2
them geometrically and by recognizing their applications Vectors Test (Units 1 - 4)
Perform operations on vectors in two-space and three-space, and use the properties of Estimated time to complete:
these operations to solve problems, including those arising from real-world applications 8 days
A REVIEW OF TRIGONOMETRY 0.5 E ADDING VECTORS USING COMPONENTS

days 1 day
Read and complete activity on page A1. Read Learning Guide pages E1 to E4
Answer questions # 1 – 5 on page A2 Answer page E5 #2, 4, 6, 16, 18, 19
B VECTORS, PROPERTIES OF VECTORS AND F FORCE AS A VECTOR 1 day

SCALAR MULTIPLICATION 1 Read pages F1 - F4
day Answer questions on page F5.
Read pages B1 - B2 on the properties of vectors
Read Directions of Vectors on page B3 and answer G VELOCITY AS A VECTOR 2 days
questions on page B4 Read pages G1 - G4
Read Scalar Multiplication on pages B4 and B5 Answer questions on page G5.
Answer practice questions on pages B5 – B6
Complete Task 2
C VECTOR ADDITION 1 day
Read Learning Guide pages C1 – C4 SUMMARY AND REVIEW
Answer practice questions on page C5 Review is intended to prepare for the strand test.
D COMPONENTS OF VECTORS 0.5 days

Read Learning Guide pages D1 - D3
Answer questions on page D3 and D4
Complete Task 1
A – Review of Trigonometry
Trigonometric Ratios
The Sine Law
The Cosine Law
If necessary you might want to review some examples:

Sine, Cosine and Tangent Ratios Sine Law Cosine Law
Activity
For each question draw a fully-labeled diagram of the triangle, then solve for the requested information.
Answers are not provided in the guide so advice is given in each question on how to check your answers.
Make sure your calculator is in degrees rather than radians.
1. A right-angled triangle has a hypotenuse of length 12 cm and one angle of 57º. Use sine and cosine
ratios to find the lengths of the two remaining sides. Check your answers using the Pythagorean
theorem.
2. In ΔXYZ, ∠X = 90º, y = 14 cm and z = 20 cm. Find ∠Y

and ∠Z
independently using the tan ratio then
verify all the angles add to 180 º.
3. In ΔXYZ, ∠Y = 36º, XY = 8 m and YZ = 11 m. Find the length of the unknown side using the cosine
law. Verify your answer by using the cosine law to find ∠Z and ∠Y and adding the three angles.
4. In ΔDEF ∠E = 49º, ∠F

= 72º and side d = 57 m. Find the length of side e using the sine law. Verify your
answer using the cosine law.
5. In ΔABC BC = 10 cm, AB = 8 cm, AC = 15.5 cm and ∠C = 27 º. Use the sine law to find ∠B
. Use the
cosine law to find ∠B
. Compare your answers. Use a ruler to draw an accurate diagram of the triangle to
check which of your two answers are correct. Conclusion: If you have the choice of using sine law or
cosine to find an angle which one should you use?
A1
Practice Questions
1. A triangle ABC has AB = 6, ∠B

= 90º, and AC = 10. State the exact value of tan A and find the size of
angle A.
2. In ΔXYZ, XY = 6, ∠X
= 60º, and ∠Y
= 70º. Determine the values of XZ, YZ, and ∠Z
to two-decimal
accuracy.
3. In ΔPQR, PQ = 4, PR = 7, and QR = 5. Determine the measures of the angles to the nearest degree.
4. An aircraft control tower T is tracking two planes at points A, 3.5 km from T, and B, 6 km from T. If
∠ATB = 70º, determine the distance between the planes.
5. Three ships are at points A, B, and C such that AB = 2 km, AC = 7 km, and ∠B
AC = 142º. What is the
distance between B and C?
Answers (to page A2)

4
1. 3
, 53.1o 2. 7.36, 6.78, 50o 3. 34o, 44o, 102o 4. 5.8 km 5. 8.7 km
A2
B – Vectors, Properties of Vectors and Scalar Multiplication
Vectors are a part of everyone’s common experience, even if we don’t always recognize them. Consider a
typical winter weather report that you might hear on the nightly news: The temperature is presently –11 ºC,
with a wind from the northwest at 22 km/h. This weather report contains two different types of quantities.
One quantity (the temperature) is expressed as a single numerical value. The other quantity (the wind
velocity) has a numerical value (its magnitude) and also a direction associated with it. These quantities are
typical of the kind encountered in science. They are classified as follows:
Quantities having magnitude only are called scalars.

Quantities having both magnitude and direction are called vectors.
There seems to be some overlap here. For example, the temperature could be thought of as having
magnitude (11º) and direction (negative, meaning below 0). Sometimes this is a useful way to look at such
quantities however, in most situations we find it easier to use positive and negative numbers as scalars (so
the -11 is a scalar quantity referring to a location along a number line), and restrict the term vectors to
quantities that require a direction to define them.
Some examples of vector quantities are:

Force The force of gravity has a well defined magnitude and acts in a specific direction
(down). The force of gravity is measured when you step on a scale. Force is a vector
quantity. Weight, the force of gravity on an object, would also be a vector; whereas
mass, the amount of matter present in an object, would be a scalar quantity.
Displacement When you walk from point A to point B, you travel a certain distance in a certain
direction henced displacement is a vector quantity. The distance travelled is a scalar.
Magnetic Field Some magnets are strong; others are weak. All cause a compass needle to swing
around and point in a particular direction. A magnetic field is a vector quantity.
Velocity As discussed above. If no direction is specified we refer to the scalar quantity as
speed.
In a diagram, a vector is represented by an arrow: . The length of the arrow is a positive real
number and represents the magnitude of the vector. The direction in which the arrow points is the direction
of the vector. The head of the arrow is called the “tip” of the vector and the other end is called the “tail” so
the vector points from tail to tip. For now we will restrict our discussion to vectors in two dimensions or to
situations that can be expressed in two dimensions. Our definitions and conclusions are easily extended to
three dimensions (or more).
Example 1 A student travels to school by bus, first riding 2 km west, then changing buses and
riding a further 3 km north. Represent these displacements on a vector diagram.
Solution Suppose you represent a 1-km distance by a 1-cm line

segment. Then, a 2-cm arrow pointing left represents the first
leg of the bus trip. A 3-cm arrow pointing up represents the
second leg. The total trip is represented by a diagram
combining these vectors.
B1
Vector Notation
The algebraic symbol used in these learning guides for a vector is a eg. u→ and v→ are vectors
letter with an arrow on top.
Scalar quantities are written as usual. eg. x, y, a, b are scalars
The magnitude of a vector is expressed by placing the vector symbol eg. |u|
→
and |v|
→
are the magnitudes
in absolute value brackets. The magnitude of a vector is a positive of the vectors u→ and v→
scalar.
→
Often it is necessary to explicitly state the initial and end points of a eg. AB is the vector that starts at
vector. Then two capital letters are used. Such vectors are referred to point A and ends at point B. Its
as point-to-point vectors. →
magnitude is |AB| .
Properties of Vectors
Two vectors are equal if and only if both their magnitudes and their directions are the same.
Two vectors are opposite if they have the same magnitude but point in opposite
→ →
directions. When two vectors are opposite, such as AB and CD , one is the
→ →
negative of the other: AB =− CD .
Two vectors are parallel if their directions are either the same or opposite.
Example 2 ABCDEF is a regular hexagon. Give examples of vectors which are

a. equal
b. parallel but have different magnitudes
c. opposite
d. equal in magnitude but not parallel
e. different in both magnitude and direction
Solution Possible answers are:
B2
The Directions of Vectors
One way to specify the direction of a vector is to state the angle it makes with another vector or with some
given direction such as a horizontal or vertical axis or a compass direction.
The angle between two vectors is the angle ( ≤ 180o) formed when the vectors are placed tail to tail: that is,
starting at the same point.
To determine the angle between vectors it is often necessary to examine geometrical relationships and use
trigonometry.
Example 3 OABC is a square with sides measuring 6 units. E is the midpoint of BC.
Find the angle between the following vectors.
Solution a. The diagonal of the square bisects ∠AOC.
Direction can also be expressed as a true bearing (or simply a bearing) or as a

quadrant bearing. A true bearing is an angle measured clockwise from north
and expressed as a three-digit number. A quadrant bearing is an angle between
0o and 90o measured east or west of the north-south line.
For example the bearing 150o shown to the right is equivalent to the quadrant
bearing S30oE (south 30o east or 30o east of south).
Example 4 Describe the vector shown below in terms of a quadrant bearing

and in terms of a bearing.
Solution The magnitude of the force is 8.7 N.
B3
The angle given is measured west from the north-south line so it gives us our quadrant
bearing: S25oW
The force is 8.7 N [S25oW]
The true bearing is measured clockwise from north so we must add 180o:
The force is 8.7 N [205o]
Practice
1. Express each bearing as a quadrant bearing.
a. 030o b. 150o
c. 225o d. 325o
2. Express each quadrant bearing as a true bearing.

a. S40oE b. N30oW
c. S60oW d. N70oE
There is no special algebraic symbol for the direction of a vector (like |v|
→
specifies the magnitude of v→ ).
However we can accomplish something similar using a vector of magnitude 1 called a unit vector. Unit
vectors are denoted by a ^ symbol (called a carat but read as “hat”) placed over the symbol for the vector.
For instance v̂ (pronounced vee hat) is a vector of magnitude 1 but having the same direction as v→ .
Scalar Multiplication
When two vectors are parallel, one of the vectors can be expressed in terms of the other using
scalar-multiplication. Suppose, for example, M is the midpoint of the line segment AB. Since M is the
→ →
midpoint, then |AB| = 2|AM | , and since the directions of AB and AM are the same, we write the vector
equations
Thus, multiplication of a vector by a scalar k results in a new vector parallel to the original one but with a
different magnitude. It is true in general that two vectors u→ and v→ are parallel if and only if u→ = k v→ .
Any vector can be expressed as a scalar multiple of a unit vector:

vector v→ has magnitude |v|
→
, which is a scalar; the unit vector v̂ has the same direction as v→
thus v→ = |v|
→
vˆ
In this way we can write a vector as the product of its magnitude and its direction.
Or, a unit vector in the direction of any vector v→ can be found by dividing v→ by its magnitude |v|
→
:
1 →
v̂ = |v|
→ v
B4
B5
Example 4 Examine the vectors in the diagram.
→
a. Express b and c→ each as a scalar multiple of a→ .
→
b. Express a→ , b , and c→ each in terms of the unit vector â .
Solution a. On the grid, each vector lies on the hypotenuse of

right-angled triangle with sides in the ratio 1:2, so the three
vectors are parallel. The magnitudes of a, b, and c can be found
using the Pythagorean Theorem.
→
Therefore b = 5a→ and c→ =− 3a→
b. The unit vector in the direction of a→ is â = √1 a→ .
→
5
Then a→ = √5â , b = 5√5â and c→ =− 3√5â
Practice Questions
B6
Answers
Page B4
1. a) N30oE b) S30oE c) S45oW d) N35oW
2. a) 140o b) 330o c) 240o d) 070o
Practice Questions
6. a. b. c. d. solution
→ → → → → → → →
8
b. BA c. AF d. 3 ED e. GA 9
. a. AB = DC b. AD =− CB
→ →
|b| = 6 , 180o; |c|
→
= √29 , 112o; |d| = √41 , 219o; |e|
→
= 3 , 90o;
B7
C – Vector Addition
In many applications of vectors to physical problems, we must find the combined effect or sum of two or
more vectors. What, for example, is the combined effect of two or more forces acting on an object? How
does wind velocity affect the velocity of an aircraft? Vectors can be added together in a number of ways
such as drawing vector diagrams and applying rules of trigonometry or by breaking the vectors into
components and adding the components.
To determine what the sum of two vectors is, let us look first for a geometrical
answer. Suppose the rectangle ABCD at the right is a park at the corner of an
intersection. To get from A to C, some people will walk along the sidewalk from
A to B and then from B to C. They follow a route described by the sum
→ →
of two displacement vectors: AB + BC . Others may follow a shortcut through
the park directly from A to C. This route is described by the displacement vector
→
AC . Whichever route is followed, the displacement is the same; both get from
→ → →
A to C. Therefore AB + BC = AC .
The addition of the vectors is more clearly seen if we redraw the diagram to show
only the vectors. This is called a vector diagram. This model for vector addition is
valid for all vectors, because, in general, vectors can be represented geometrically
by a directed line segment.
Triangle Law of Vector Addition
To find the sum of two vectors u→ and v→ using the triangle law of vector addition,
draw the two vectors tip to tail. The sum u→ + v→ , or resultant, is the vector from
the tail of the first to the tip of the second.
The order in which we add the vectors is unimportant. If the vectors are added in
the opposite order, the resultant vector is the same. This demonstrates that
vectors satisfy the commutative law of addition: u→ + v→ = v→ + u→
By combining the two triangles of the triangle law in one diagram, a parallelogram is formed.
Parallelogram Law of Vector Addition
To find the sum of two vectors using the parallelogram law of vector addition,
draw the two vectors tail to tail. Complete the parallelogram with these vectors as
sides. The sum u→ + v→ is the diagonal of the parallelogram from the point where
the tails are joined to the point where the heads meet.
C1
These two laws of addition are equivalent. The method we use depends on which is the most convenient for
the problem at hand. When you set out to solve a problem involving vectors, start by drawing vector
diagrams.
→
Example 1 Given the three vectors a→, b and c→ , draw vector diagrams
showing the sums:
→ →
a. a→ + b and (a→ + b) + c→
→ →
b. b + c→ and a→ + (b + c→)
→ →
Solution a. Adding a→ to b first we obtain b. Adding b to c→ first we obtain
→ →
This example illustrates that vectors satisfy the associative law of addition: (a→ + b) + c→ = a→ + (b + c→) . It
→
means that we can omit the brackets and write simply a→ + b + c→ .
Example 2 Find the magnitude and direction of the sum of two vectors u→ and v→ , if their magnitudes are
5 and 8 units, respectively, and the angle between them is 30º.
Solution Make a vector diagram showing the two vectors tail-to-tail with an
angle of 30º between them. Complete the parallelogram and draw
the resultant.
The resultant is the third side of a triangle with sides 5 and 8.

Observe that the angle between the vectors (30º) is not an angle
in this triangle. The angle between the vectors is equal to an
exterior angle of the triangle and 150º is the interior angle. Use
the angle of 150º and the cosine law to find the magnitude of the sum.
The direction of the resultant is expressed as an angle measured relative to one of the given
vectors, say v→ . This is θ in the diagram. It can be found using the sine law.
Therefore, the resultant is 12.6 units [11.4º to v→ ]
C2
→ →
To subtract two vectors a→ and b , we express the difference in terms of a sum. To find the vector a→ − b , use
→ → →
the opposite of b and add it to a→ . Hence a→ − b is equivalent to a a→ + (− b) .
→
The difference of two equal vectors a→ − a→ is the zero vector, denoted by 0 . The zero vector has zero
magnitude. Its direction is indeterminate.
→ →
Example 3 In parallelogram ABCD, find the difference AB − AD
a. geometrically b. algebraically
→ → →
Solution a. Draw AD′ =− AD opposite to AD . Using the
→ →
parallelogram law, draw the sum AB + AD′ , which is
→
AC ′ in the diagram.
→ → → → →
But AC ′ = DB so AB − AD = DB .
→ → → →
b. AB − AD = AB + (− AD)
→ → → →
= AB + (DA) ( DA is the opposite of AD)
→ →
= DA + AB
→
= DB
When working with scalar multiples of vectors we can use rules for vector addition that are similar to the
rules that you learned for simplifying algebraic expressions. Scalar multiplication obeys both the associative
and distributive laws so you can add the vectors in any order and expand and factor expressions.
Example 4 Simplify the following expressions using the properties of vector operations.
a) 3u→ + 2u→ − 5u→
b) 4u→ − 3v→ + 7u→ + 2v→
c) 4(u→ − v→) + 3u→ − v→
d) 6(3v→ − 2u)→
+ 4u→ − (v→ − w
→
)
Solution:
a)
b)
C3
c)
d)
Example 5 Let u→ = 2x→ − y→ , v→ = 3y→ − 5x→ and z→ = x→ + 2y→ . Find

a) u→ + v→ + z→
b) − 3u→ + 6z→
Solution:
a)
b)
C4
Practice Questions
C5
Answers
4. a. 27.5 [24o to v→ ] or [46o to u→ ] b. 9.1 [98° to u→ ] or [17o to v→ ]
solution to 4.a.
5. n→ = 37.7 km, [S 75°E]
6. a. 4.4 b. 9.8
8. The 7 N vector and the 24 N vector must be perpendicular to each other
solution to 9.
solution to 12. a)
C6
D – Components of Vectors
Any vector can be resolved, or broken down into, its perpendicular or rectangular components. Consider a
vector, v→ , lying in an xy-coordinate system. We can represent v→ as the sum of a vector parallel to the
x-axis, x→ , and a vector parallel to the y-axis, y→ so that v→ = x→ + y→ . The two vectors x→ and y→ are the
components of v→ and are perpendicular to each other.
The magnitude of the components can be calculated using simple trigonometry. If is angle between v→
and the x-axis then:
The directions of the components are given by the xy-coordinate system being used: the x→ component is in
the positive x-direction, the y→ component is in the positive y-direction
Example 1: A train is traveling at 200 km/h at a bearing of 200o. Determine the components of the
velocity vector.
Solution
A diagram of the velocity vector is shown to the

right. The velocity is in the south-west direction
because the bearing is measured clockwise from
north.
The angle between the vector and the x-axis is 70o.
We can find the magnitudes using the formulas

listed above:
The directions of the components are clear from the diagram. Thus the components are:
68.4 km/h [W] and 187.94 km/h [S].
D1
If we know the horizontal and vertical components of a vector we can use simple trigonometry to add them
together and find the magnitude and direction of the vector.
The Pythagorean Theorem gives us the magnitude:
The direction can expressed using the angle θ measured from the
positive x-axis given by:
Example 2 The total force on a falling object has two components: a 10 N gravitational force pulling
vertically downwards, and the wind pushing it horizontally to the right with a force of 5 N.
Find the total force acting on the object.
Solution To add these two vectors we place the tip of one vector on the tail of the other as shown in
the diagram.
We must find the magnitude of r→ and its direction.
The magnitude is: The direction is:
Thus the total force is 11.18 N [right, 63.4o below the horizontal]
D2
Example 3 A vector v→ has a horizontal component of -15.2 and a vertical component of -8.7. Find the
magnitude and direction (from the positive x-axis) of the vector.
Solution We visualize v→ in the diagram to the right.

The horizontal component is negative so it points to the left.
The vertical component is negative so it points down.
The magnitude of v→ is: The angle θ is:
8.7
|v|
→
= √15.2 2 + 8.72 tan θ = 15.2
|v|
→
= 17.5 θ = 30°
The angle θ is the angle from v→ to the horizontal. To find the

direction from the positive x-axis we have to add 180o: 30 +
180 = 210
Thus v→ = 17.5 [210o]
Practice
1. Determine the horizontal and vertical components of each force.

a) magnitude of 570 N, θ = 37° counterclockwise from the horizontal
b) magnitude of 29 N, θ = 52° clockwise from the horizontal
c) magnitude of 1250 N, θ = 28° clockwise from the vertical
d) magnitude of 375 N, θ = 14° counterclockwise from the vertical
2. A jet takes off at a velocity of 500 km/h at an angle of 20° from the horizontal.
a) Find the rate of climb of the jet (vertical component of velocity)
b) Find the horizontal groundspeed of the jet.
3. A rope attached to a box is being used to drag it up a ramp. A 130 N force is applied to the box at an
angle of 35° to the ramp.
a) Find the magnitude of the force in the direction of motion of the box. Round your answer to the nearest
tenth of a newton.
b) Find the magnitude of the force perpendicular to the direction of motion of the box. Round your
answer to the nearest tenth of a newton.
4. Determine the resultant of each vector sum.

a) 54 km/h west and then 23 km/h south
b) 64 m horizontally and then 23 m vertically
D3
5. A hang glider is travelling horizontally with an acceleration of 15 m/s2. The force of gravity is acting on
the hang glider at 9.8 m/s2 vertically downward.
a) Draw a scale diagram showing the acceleration vectors and the resultant acceleration of the hang
glider.
b) Determine the magnitude and direction of the resultant acceleration of the hang glider.
6. Given each set of horizontal ( x→ ) and vertical ( y→ ) components, find the magnitude and direction (from the
positive x-axis) of the resulting vector.
a) x→ = − 7 , y→ = + 10
b) x→ = + 12 , y→ = − 15
c) x→ = − 5 , y→ = − 2
Answers
→ → → → → →
1. a) F h = 455.2 N; F v = 343.0 N b) F h = 17.9 N; F v = –22.9 N c) F h = 586.8 N; F v = 1103.7 N
→ →
d) F h = –90.7 N; F v = 363.9 2. a) 171.0 km/h b) 469.8 km/h 3. a) 106.5 N b) 74.6 N 4. a) 58.7
km/h at S66.9°W c) 68.0 m at 19.8° above the horizontal
5. a)
b) 17.9 m/s2, 33.2° from the horizontal
6. a) 12.2 [125o] b) 19.2 [309o] c) 5.4 [202o]
D4
E - ADDING VECTORS USING COMPONENTS
Components provide us with another method for adding vectors.

→ →
The diagram shows two vectors A and B added together
to give the resultant vector r→ .
It also shows the x and y components of each of the three

vectors.
We can see from the diagram that the x component of r→ ,

→ → →
r→x , is the sum of the x components of A and B , Ax and
→
B x respectively. The same is true for the y components:
→ →
the y component of r→ , r→y , is the sum of Ay and B y.
Algebraically:
→ → → →
r→x = Ax + B x and r→y = Ay + B y
This suggests the following method for adding vectors:

1. resolve the vectors into their x and y components
2. add the x components to get the x component of the resultant vector
3. add the y components to get the y component of the resultant vector
4. combine the x and y components to get the magnitude and direction of the resultant vector
Example 1
A sailboat in shifting winds travels 60 km [N30oE] then 100 km [N50oE]. Find the resulting displacement.
Solution
We will organize our calculations in a table.
We will also convert all of our angles to angles measured

counter-clockwise from the positive x-axis (ie. in standard
position).
continued →
E1
Distance Angle from +x x-component y-component

o
60 km 90 – 30 = 60 60 cos(60) = 30 60 sin(60) = 51.96
100 km 90 – 50 = 40o 100 cos (40) = 76.60 100 sin(40) = 64.28
rx = 30 + 76.60 ry = 51.96 + 64.28
Totals:
= 106.60 = 116.24
We combine the two components to find the magnitude and direction of r→ .
We must convert this angle measured from the

positive x-axis back into a quadrant bearing
measured from due North:
90 - 47.48 = 42.52
Thus, the resulting displacement is 157.7 km [N 42.5o E].
Example 2
→ →
Find the sum of the vectors A and B (solid lines) in the
diagram to the right.
Solution
This example illustrates the advantage to converting all

angles into standard position.
The dashed vectors show the resultant, r→ , from adding

→ →
A and B graphically.
We set up a table as in the previous example:
Magnitude Angle from +x x-component y-component

A 3.6 70o 3.6 cos(70) = 1.23 3.6 sin(70) = 3.38
B 2.8 180 + 30 = 210o 2.8 cos(210) = -2.42 2.8 sin(210) = -1.4
Totals: r→x = -1.19 r→y = 1.98
From the diagram it is clear that the x components of the two vectors points in opposite directions (Ax points

in the positive x direction, while Bx points in the negative x direction) as do the y components. Converting
all angles to standard position ensures that the sign on each component indicates its direction.
continued →
E2
If our x component is negative and our y

component is positive, our vector must lie in
quadrant II (points to the left and up). θ is the
angle from the vector to the x-axis (ie. the
tan(θ) = 1.98 related angle).
1.19
θ = 69° The direction to the positive x-axis will be
180o - 69o = 121o
Thus the resultant vector is 2.31 m [121o from the positive x-axis]
An advantage of the component method is that it can easily be extended to add three or more vectors. It can
also be extended for use with three-dimensional vectors (to be discussed later in the course).
Example 3
Find the sum of vectors A, B and C.
Solution
Length Angle from +x x component y component

A 12.0 90 – 37 = 53o 12.0 cos(53) = 7.22 12.0 sin(53) = 9.58
B 15.0 360 – 40 = 320o 15.0 cos(320) = 11.49 15.0 sin(320) = -9.64
C 6.0 180 + 60 = 240o 6.0 cos(240) = -3 6.0 sin(240) = -5.20
Resultant 15.69 -5.26
If our x component is positive and our y

component is negative our vector must lie
in quadrant IV ( points right and down).
18.5o is the related angle.
tan(θ) = 5.26
15.69 So the direction from the positive x-axis is
θ= 18.5° 360o - 18.5o = 341.5o
Thus our resultant is 16.6 m [341.5o from the positive x-axis] or [18.5o below the positive x-axis].
E3
Often we are not given directions for our vectors, we are only told the angle between them. In these cases
we can assume one vector lies along the positive x-axis. The direction of our resultant vector will be
expressed relative to whichever vector we have chosen to lie along the x-axis.
Example 4
Find the force that results from forces of 117 N and

223 N acting at an angle of 140o to one another.
Solution
We will assume the 117 N force lies along the positive

x-axis.
It will have an x component of +117 N and a y

component of 0.
The 223 N vector will have an angle of 140o measured

from the positive x-axis.
Force Angle x component y component

117 N 0 117 cos(0) = 117 117 sin(0) = 0
223 N 140 223 cos(140) =-170.83 223 sin(140) = 143.34
Resultant -53.83 143.34
If our x component is negative and

our y component is positive our
vector must lie in quadrant II.
Thus the resultant force is 153.1 N at an angle of 110.6o to the 117 N force.
E4
Practice Questions
2. Find the magnitudes of the horizontal and vertical components of each of the following forces.
4. Find the magnitude and the direction of the resultant of the four forces
shown in the given diagram.
6. Find the magnitude and the direction (to the nearest degree) of the resultant of each of the
following systems of forces.
a. forces of 3 N [0o] and 8 N [60o] (angles measured to positive x axis)
b. forces of 8 N and 15 N acting at angle of 130o to each other (to draw your diagram
assume the 8 N force is along the positive x-axis)
Help
17. For the vectors in question 16, find the resultant vector when u→, v→ and w
→
are added together.
18. An airplane leaves the airport travelling N30°W at 720 km/h. After 1 h, the airplane then turns north
and travels another 1.5 h at 850 km/h. What is the displacement of the airplane after 2.5 h?
19. A hiker travels 500 m [N30oE], then 430 m [E40oS] and then 200 m [N10oW]. How far, and in what
direction is the hiker from her starting position?
E5
Answers
2. a. 173.2 N, 100 N b. 52.1 N, 151.3 N c. 58.3 N, 47.2 N d. 0 N, 36 N

4. 5 N
6. a. 9.8 N [45o] b. 11.6 N [98o]
10. 18 N, 8o with 12 N, 32o with 5 N force, 28o with 2N force
14. 375 N, 0 N
15. 937.9 N, 396.4 N
16. u→x = 0 , u→y =+ 5 , v→x =+ 6.9 , v→y =− 5.8 , w→x =− 10.9 , w→y =− 5.1
17. r→ = 7.13 [235°] (measured from +ve x-axis)
18. 1932.4 km N10.7°W
19. 649 m [N57oE]
E6
F – Force as a Vector
A force on any object causes that object to undergo an acceleration. You can feel a force pushing you back
into your seat whenever the car you are riding in accelerates from a stop light. You no longer feel any force
once the car has reached a steady speed, but that does not mean that the force that set the car in motion has
ceased to exist. Instead that force is now balanced by other forces such as air resistance and road friction. A
steady speed is an example of a state of equilibrium in which the net force is zero.
Example 1 Describe the forces acting on an aircraft flying at constant velocity.
Solution An aircraft flying at a constant velocity is in a state of

equilibrium. The engines provide thrust, the force propelling the
aircraft forward. The thrust is counterbalanced by a drag force
coming from air resistance. The air rushing past the wings
produces lift, a force which counterbalances the force of gravity
and keeps the plane aloft.
The magnitude of a force is measured in newtons, which is abbreviated as N. At the earth’s surface, gravity
causes objects to accelerate at a rate of approximately 9.8 m/s2 as they fall. The magnitude of the
→
gravitational force is the product of an object’s mass and this acceleration: |F g | = 9.8 × (mass). The
gravitational force on a 1-kg object at the earth’s surface is approximately 9.8 N. In other words, a 1-kg
object weighs approximately 9.8 N.
It is generally the case that several forces act on an object at once, as in Example 1. It is important to know
the net effect of all these forces, because an object’s state of motion is determined by this net force. Since
forces are vectors, the single force that has the same effect as all the forces acting together can be found by
vector addition. This single force is the resultant of all the forces.
Sometimes a force acts on an object at an angle, so that only part of the force is affecting the motion of the
object.
Example 2 Jake and Maria are towing their friends on a toboggan. Each is exerting a horizontal force of
60 N. Since they are walking side by side, the ropes pull one to each side; they each make an
angle of 20º with the line of motion. Find the force pulling the toboggan forward.
Solution Make a diagram showing the forces. By completing the

parallelogram, we show the resultant, r→ , is the diagonal
of the parallelogram.
The towing force is about 113 N.
We could have solved this question by finding the component of each force along the
direction of travel and adding the results.
continued →
F1
The force Jake applies along the direction of travel would be:
→
|F T | = 60 cos 20° ≅ 56.38
For Maria, the force would be the same because the applied force and angle are the same:
→
|F T | = 60 cos 20° ≅ 56.38
The sum of these two forces is 56.38 + 56.38 = 112.76
The towing force is about 113N.
In Example 2, the toboggan is (probably) travelling at a constant speed, indicating that there is no
unbalanced force on it. This is because there is a frictional force that is equal and opposite to the towing
force.
The force that is equal in magnitude but opposite in direction to the resultant is called the equilibrant. It
exactly counterbalances the resultant. In Example 2, the force of friction is the equilibrant, which keeps the
towing force from accelerating the toboggan.
In Example 2, the forces exerted by Jake and Maria also have a component perpendicular to the direction of
motion. These are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction - they are equilibrants - so they cancel each
other out and the sled moves in a straight line.
What if Maria starts pulling at an angle of 30º instead of 20º? As the

diagram shows, the direction of the resultant will be a little to the right of
the axis of the toboggan. This means that the toboggan will not travel
forward in a straight line but will veer continually to the right. If these
conditions remain unchanged, the toboggan will travel in a circle.
Example 3 In Example 2, if Maria pulls with a force of 60 N at an angle of 30º,

what should the magnitude of the force exerted by Jake at an angle of
20º be if the toboggan is to move straight forward without turning?
Solution As before, we draw a diagram of the forces and complete the

parallelogram.
According to the sine law:
Jake must pull with a force of 88 N. Since Jake is pulling harder than before, the resultant
will be greater than before:
To solve this problem using components we first find the force Maria exerts perpendicular to
the direction of travel.
→
|F P | = 60 sin 30° = 30
continued →
F2
For motion in a straight line, the force Jake exerts perpendicular to the direction of travel
must be equal to this:
→
30 = |F | sin 20°
|F | = sin3020° ≅ 87.7
→
Jake must pull with a force of 88 N.
Example 4 A large promotional balloon is tethered to the top of a building by two guy wires attached at
points 20 m apart. If the buoyant force on the balloon is 850 N, and the two guy wires make
angles of 58º and 66º with the horizontal, find the tension in each of the wires.
Solution First draw the position diagram showing where the forces act. In this
problem, the resultant of the two tensions must be 850 N to
counterbalance the buoyant force of the balloon, which is the
equilibrant.
In making the force diagram, draw the tension vectors parallel to the
corresponding lines in the position diagram. In the diagrams, observe
step by step how the angles in the position diagram are first translated
into the force diagram, and then how these angles are used to
determine the angles inside the force triangle.
Since all three angles in the force triangle are known, the magnitudes of
→ →
the tension vectors T 1 and T 2 can be calculated using the sine law,
The tensions in the guy wires are approximately 417 N and 543 N, with the guy wire at the
steeper angle having the greater tension.
F3
Example 5 An object of mass 10kg is suspended from a horizontal beam by two strings that make angles
→ →
of 30o and 40o with the beam. Find the tensions T 1 and T 2 in the strings.
→
Solution: F , the downward force from the weight of the object, is the
→ →
equilibrant of T 1 and T 2 .
The force exerted by gravity on the mass of 10 kg is

9.8 x 10 = 98
→
Therefore, |F | = 98 N and it acts vertically downward.
→ → →
Since F , T 1 and T 2 are in equilibrium, they can be represented in direction and magnitude
by the sides of a triangle, as shown. In other words if we add the two tensions together they
→
produce a force equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to F .
Using the Sine Law, we find:
Therefore, the tension forces in the strings are approximately 80N acting 30o to the
horizontal and 90N acting 40o to the horizontal.
Example 6 A lawn mower is pushed with a force of 90 N directed along the handle, which makes an
angle of 36º with the ground.
a. Determine the horizontal and vertical components of the force on the mower.
b. Describe the physical consequences of each component of the pushing force.
Solution a. The force diagram is a right triangle. The components are:
b. The horizontal component of the force, 72.8 N, moves the

lawnmower forward across the grass.
The vertical component of the force, 52.9 N, is in the same direction (down) as the force of
gravity. However the lawnmower is not free to move in that direction - the mower does not
move into the ground along the line of the force.
In this case only the horizontal component of the force contributes to the motion of the
object. We will return to this idea in Unit 3/4 when we examine the concept of work.
F4
Practice Questions
Help
F5
Answers
6. a) solution
14. 375 N, 0 N solution

15. 937.9 N, 396.4 N solution
17. 1420 N
Corrections
2. b) 52.1 N , 151.3 N
F6
G – Velocity as a Vector
In elementary problems, the speed of a moving object is calculated by dividing the distance travelled by the
travel time. In advanced work, speed is defined more carefully as the rate of change of distance with time
(more on this in the calculus portion of the course).
In any case, speed is a quantity having magnitude only, so it is classified as a scalar. When the direction of
motion as well as its magnitude is important, the correct term to use is velocity.
Velocity is a vector quantity.

Speed is the magnitude of a velocity.
Velocity vectors can be added, the result is a new velocity vector. When you walk forward in the aisle of an
aircraft in flight, the 2-km/hr velocity of your walk adds to the 500-km/hr velocity of the plane, making
your total velocity 502 km/hr. When two velocities are not in the same direction, the resultant velocity
determined from the addition of two velocity vectors is nevertheless a meaningful, physical quantity.
Example 1 A canoeist who can paddle at a speed of 5 km/h in still water wishes to cross a
river 400 m wide that has a current of 2 km/h. If he steers the canoe in a
direction perpendicular to the current,
a. determine the resultant velocity.
b. Find the point on the opposite bank where the canoe touches.
Solution a. As the canoe moves through the water, it is carried sideways by the current.
So even though its heading is straight across the current, its actual
direction of motion is along a line angling downstream determined
by the sum of the velocity vectors.
From the vector diagram,
Therefore, the canoeist crosses the river at a speed of 5.4 km/h along a line at an angle of
about 22º.
b. If we draw a vector diagram for the displacement vectors, we see that it and the velocity
vector diagram are similar triangles.
He touches the opposite bank at a point 160 m downstream from the point directly
opposite his starting point. We could also find x by first finding the angle θ , but we must be
careful not to round off in the process.
G1
Example 2 Suppose the canoeist of Example 1 had wished to travel straight across the
river. Determine the direction he must head and the time it will take him to
cross the river.
Solution In order to travel directly across the river, the canoeist must steer the canoe
slightly upstream. This time, it is the vector sum, not the heading of the canoe,
which is perpendicular to the river bank. From the vector diagram,
Therefore, to travel straight across the river, the canoeist must head upstream at an angle of
about 24º. His crossing speed will be about 4.6 km/h. The time it takes to cross the river is
calculated from
It takes the canoeist approximately 5.2 minutes to cross the river.
Wind affects a plane’s speed and direction much the same way that current affects a boat’s. The airspeed of
a plane is the plane’s speed relative to the mass of air it is flying in. This may be different in both magnitude
and direction from the plane’s ground speed, depending on the strength and direction of the wind.
Example 3 An airplane heading northwest at 500 km/h encounters a wind of 120 km/h from 25º north of
east. Determine the resultant ground velocity (or ground speed) of the plane.
Solution Since the wind is blowing from 25º north of east, it can be represented by a vector whose
direction is west 25º south. This wind will blow the plane off its course, changing both its
ground speed and its heading.
Let v→ be the airspeed (or air velocity) of the plane and w

→
be the wind speed (or wind
velocity). On a set of directional axes, draw the two velocity vectors. Then draw the resultant
velocity using the parallelogram law of vector addition.
In parallelogram OCBA, ∠COA = 45º + 25º = 70º, so ∠OAB 110º.

continued →
G2
Then, in ΔOAB, two sides and the included angle are known, so the magnitude of the
resultant velocity can be calculated using the cosine law.
Store this answer in your calculator memory. Next, ∠AOB can be

calculated from the sine law.
= 33.2o
The resultant velocity has direction 33º north of west and a magnitude of 553 km/h. We
convert the direction to a quadrant bearing.
The groundspeed is 553 km/h [N57oW].
A key step in solving problems such as that in Example 3 is to find an angle in the triangle formed by the
vectors. Here is a helpful hint: identify which angle is formed by vectors whose directions are given, and
draw small axes at the vertex of that angle. Also note that in questions of this type the terms speed and
velocity are often used interchangeably - the “groundspeed” in Example 3 has both magnitude and
direction. Always find both magnitude and direction.
Example 4 A plane is steering at N45oE at an air speed (speed in still air) of 525 km/h. The wind is
from N60oW at 98 km/h. (The direction from which the wind is coming is usually specified.)
Find the resulting groundspeed of the plane.
Solution: Let a→ represent the plane’s airspeed velocity and w→

the wind velocity. Let g→ represent the
the groundspeed velocity. Let’s first visualize the vectors we are given:
The groundspeed will be the sum of the

airspeed and the windspeed:
g→ = a→ + w
→
To add the vectors we complete the

parallelogram and add small axes at each
vertex.
continued →
G3
We have filled in the angles at the top of

the triangle (45o from the Z pattern, 60o
from the direction of w →
). Adding them
o
gives 105 .
Alternatively from the previous diagram

we could see that the angle between a→
and w→
would be 180o - 45o - 60o = 75o. So
the other angle in the parallelogram must
be 105o.
Using the cosine law to find the magnitude of the groundspeed:

→2 →2 → 2
|g| = |a| + |w| − 2|a||w|
→ →
cos 105°
= (525)2 + (98)2 - 2(525)(98) cos 105o
= 311861
|g| ≅ 558.45
→
To determine the direction of the groundspeed we will first find the angle inside the triangle
at the tail of g→ marked θ . We could use either sine law or cosine law. Using the cosine law:
→2 →2 → 2
|a| +|g| −|w|
cos θ = → →
2|a||g|
5252 +311861−982 →2
cos θ = 2(525)(558.45) (we have used the exact value of |g| )
cos θ ≅ 0.9855
θ ≅ 9.76
We use this angle to find the quadrant bearing of g→ .
The plane is actually traveling (45 + 9.76 = 54.76)

degrees east of north.
Thus, the plane’s ground velocity is

558 km/h [N 55oE].
G4
Practice Questions
a. How long will it take the boat to reach the other bank?
(hint: consider only the component of the velocity that is perpendicular to the bank)
b. How far downstream from the marina will the boat reach the other bank?
(hint: consider only the component of the velocity that is parallel to the bank)
13. A sailor climbs a mast at 2 m/s on a ship travelling north at 12 m/s, while the current flows east at 3 m/s.
What is the speed of the sailor (magnitude only) relative to a point on the ocean floor?
Answers
2. a. 60o b. not possible
4. a. 6 min b. 0.6 km
10. a. S25oE b. 510 km/h Solution

13. 12.5 m/s
G5
Key Unit Concepts
A Review of right triangle trigonometry, sine law and cosine law

Cosine law is more reliable than sine law when finding angles.
B Understand the basic properties of vectors and unit vectors and how to express their magnitudes
and directions.
Represent vectors graphically.
Understand the operation of scalar multiplication and how it affects the magnitude and direction of
the resulting vector.
C Represent the addition of two vectors graphically by placing them tip-to-tail and drawing the
resultant vector (triangle and parallelogram laws)
Use trigonometry to find the magnitude and direction of the resultant vector.
Simply expressions involving the addition and scalar multiplication of vectors.
D Use trigonometry to find the horizontal and vertical components of a vector.

Use trigonometry to find the magnitude and direction of a vector from its horizontal and vertical
components
E Add two or three vectors together by adding their components.
F Solve problems involving the addition of force vectors:

- finding resultant or equilibrant forces from a set of forces
- finding an individual force given information about the resultant or equilibrant and the
other forces
- finding tension or compression forces
G Solve problems involving the addition of velocity vectors

- find the resultant velocity given the velocity of a plane or boat and the velocity of the wind
or water current acting on it
- find the heading a plane or boat should choose in order to travel in a particular resultant
direction given the velocity of the wind or water current acting on it
R1
Review Questions by Section
B - Properties of Vectors and Scalar Multiplication

1.
C - Vector Addition
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
F - Force as a Vector
8.
9.
R2
G - Velocity as a Vector
10.
11.
12.
13.
Answers
B 1. a. the zero vector b. 1 c. 0
C 3. 7u→ + 6v→ 4. this is the distributive property 5. 12.5 N 6. a. 79 N b. 32 N 7. 513 N, 605 N
F 8. 94 N, 80 N 9. 294 N, 392 N
G 10. 68o upstream to the bank, 2 min 55 sec 1 1. a. N86oE b . 1 h 5 min
12. 140 km/h 1 3. a. N69oE b . 451 km/h
R3
Review Questions
1. ABCD is a parallelogram with diagonals AC and 4. Simplify each of the following algebraically.
BD that intersect at E. Assuming the properties of a a) a→ + 2a→ + 4a→
parallelogram, state, where possible, an equivalent b) 7u→ + 5v→ − 2u→ + 8v→
vector to each of the following. c) 2(u→ + 5v)
→
− 3(u→ − 2v)
→
d) 7u + 5v − 2(− v ) + 2u→
→ → →
e) − 3(u→ + v→) + 2(u→ − v→)

f) 6(u→ + 2v)
→
− 5(u→ − 3v)
→
→
5. For the vectors a→ and b shown, draw
a) b)
c) d)
→ →
2. Given the vectors a , b , and c→ , draw a diagram of
→
a) 2 a→ c) a→ + 2 b
each expression. b) –3 b
→
d) – a→ – 3 b
→
6. Express u as a scalar multiple of v→ , where

→
possible.
→
a) a→ + b + c→
→
b) a→ + b − c→
→
c) a→ − b − c→
→
d) − a→ − b + c→
3. The diagram shows three congruent equilateral

triangles.
7. In parallelogram ABCD, opposite sides are parallel
and equal, = , and = .
Let = u→ and = v→ .
Express each difference as a single vector.

a)
b)
c) Express the following vectors in terms of u→ and v→ .
d) a) b)
c) d)
e) f) g)
R4
8. Find the magnitude of the resultant vector of each b) In which direction should the sailor sail?
of the following systems of forces. c) What will the sailboat’s groundspeed be?
a) 22 N and 26 N acting at an angle of 47° to one 13. A canoeist leaves a dock and paddles her canoe at
another an angle across a river. The current is flowing at 3
b) 117 N and 223 N acting at an angle of 140° to km/h. The resulting velocity of the boat is 5.4 km/h
one another downstream, in a direction that forms a 15° angle
with the adjacent shore.
9. A 120 N sign is hanging from two chains attached a) Draw a vector diagram of this situation.
to a ceiling as shown. b) Determine the canoeist’s velocity relative to the
water.
c) How far downstream will she be in 20 min?
14. A jet’s takeoff velocity has a horizontal

component of 500 m/s and a vertical component of
85 m/s. Determine the resultant velocity of the jet.
15. An airplane travelling with an airspeed of 725

km/h is at an angle of 20° to the horizontal. Find
a) Draw the vector diagram that illustrates this the horizontal ground-speed and the rate of climb
situation. of the aircraft, both in kilometres per hour.
b) Determine the tensions in the chains.
16. Three forces act on an object: a force of 10 N
10. A community centre plans to install a new to the east, a force of 7 N in the direction
basketball hoop on the side of the building. The N50oE and a force of 15 N in the direction
hoop and backboard have a combined weight of N80oW. Find the resultant force on the object.
196 N and are supported by a brace and a wire.
Determine the tensions in the wire and the brace.
11. An airplane is flying at 560 km/h on a heading of

340°. The wind is blowing at 140 km/h from the
east.
a) Draw a vector diagram of this situation.
b) Determine the ground velocity of the airplane.
12. A sailor wishes to sail to a port that is located

S25°E of his present position. The average speed
of his sailboat is 23 knots and the wind is blowing
from N85°E at 12 knots.
a) Draw a vector diagram of this situation.
R5
Answers b)
1. a) b) none c) none d)

2. a)
c)
b)
d)
c) 6. a) u→ =− 0.6v→ b) not possible c) u→ = 2v→ d) not

possible
7. a) 2 v→ b) u→ c) 2 u→ d) u→ + v→
e) 2u→ + 2v→ f) u→ + 2v→ g) 2v→ − 2u→
8. a) 44 N b) 153 N
9. a) Diagrams may vary. For example,
d)
→ → → →
3. a) EB b) BD c) ED d) CB b) |T 1 | = 105.5 N , |T 2 | = 41.7 N
10. |T1| = 202.9 N, |T2| = 52.5 N
4. a) 7 a→ b) 5 + 13 c) – +8
d) 9 +7 e) – –5 f) + 27
5. a)
b) 622.0 km/h at a bearing of 328°
R6
b) 2.6 km/h at an angle of 32.2° with the adjacent
12. a) Diagrams may vary. For example, shore
c) 1.7 km
14. 507.2 m/s at 9.6° from the horizontal
15. rate of climb: 248.0 km/h; horizontal
groundspeed: 681.3 km/h
16. 7.1 N [N5oE]
b) S54.4°E c) 15.9 knots

R7

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MCV4U GEOMETRIC VECTORS UNITS 1/2

A REVIEW OF TRIGONOMETRY​ 0.5 E ADDING VECTORS USING COMPONENTS

B VECTORS, PROPERTIES OF VECTORS AND F FORCE AS A VECTOR​ ​ 1 day

D COMPONENTS OF VECTORS​ ​ 0.5 days

The Sine Law

The Cosine Law

If necessary you might want to review some examples:

2. In ΔXYZ, ​∠​X = 90º, y = 14 cm and z = 20 cm. Find ​∠Y

4. In ΔDEF​ ∠​E = 49º, ​∠F

1. A triangle ABC has AB = 6, ​∠B

Answers ​(to page A2)

B – Vectors, Properties of Vectors and Scalar Multiplication

Quantities having magnitude only are called ​scalars​.

Some examples of vector quantities are:

Solution Suppose you represent a 1-km distance by a 1-cm line

Scalar quantities are written as usual. eg. ​x, y, a, b ​are scalars

Example 2 ABCDEF​ is a regular hexagon. Give examples of vectors which are

Solution Possible answers are:

The Directions of Vectors

Solution a. The diagonal of the square bisects ∠​AOC.​

Direction can also be expressed as a​ true bearing​ (or simply a bearing) or as a

Example 4 Describe the vector shown below in terms of a quadrant bearing

Solution The magnitude of the force is 8.7 N.

2. Express each quadrant bearing as a true bearing.

Any vector can be expressed as a scalar multiple of a unit vector:

Solution a. On the grid, each vector lies on the hypotenuse of

Triangle Law of Vector Addition

Parallelogram Law of Vector Addition

The resultant is the third side of a triangle with sides 5 and 8.

Therefore, the resultant is 12.6 units [11.4º to v→ ]

Example 5 Let u→ = 2x→ − y→ , v→ = 3y→ − 5x→ and z→ = x→ + 2y→ . Find

A diagram of the velocity vector is shown to the

The angle between the vector and the x-axis is 70​o​.

We can find the magnitudes using the formulas

We must find the magnitude of r→ and its direction.

The magnitude is: The direction is:

Solution We visualize v→ in the diagram to the right.

The angle θ is the angle from v→ to the horizontal. To find the

Thus v→ = 17.5 [210​o​]

1.​ Determine the horizontal and vertical components of each force.

4.​ Determine the resultant of each vector sum.

b) 17.9 m/s​2​, 33.2° from the horizontal

6. a)​ 12.2 [125​o​] ​ b)​ 19.2 [309​o​] ​ c)​ 5.4 [202​o​]

E - ADDING VECTORS USING COMPONENTS

Components provide us with another method for adding vectors.

It also shows the x and y components of each of the three

We can see from the diagram that the x component of r→ ,

This suggests the following method for adding vectors:

We will organize our calculations in a table.

We will also convert all of our angles to angles measured

Distance Angle from +x x-component y-component

We combine the two components to find the magnitude and direction of r→ .

We must convert this angle measured from the

Thus, the resulting displacement is 157.7 km [N 42.5​o​ E].

This example illustrates the advantage to converting all

The dashed vectors show the resultant, r→ , from adding

We set up a table as in the previous example:

Magnitude Angle from +x x-component y-component

If our x component is negative and our y

Find the sum of vectors ​A​, ​B​ and ​C.​

Length Angle from +x x component y component

If our x component is positive and our y

Find the force that results from forces of 117 N and

A REVIEW OF TRIGONOMETRY 0.5 E ADDING VECTORS USING COMPONENTS

B VECTORS, PROPERTIES OF VECTORS AND F FORCE AS A VECTOR 1 day

D COMPONENTS OF VECTORS 0.5 days

2. In ΔXYZ, ∠X = 90º, y = 14 cm and z = 20 cm. Find ∠Y

4. In ΔDEF ∠E = 49º, ∠F

1. A triangle ABC has AB = 6, ∠B

Answers (to page A2)

Quantities having magnitude only are called scalars.

Scalar quantities are written as usual. eg. x, y, a, b are scalars

Example 2 ABCDEF is a regular hexagon. Give examples of vectors which are

Solution a. The diagonal of the square bisects ∠AOC.

Direction can also be expressed as a true bearing (or simply a bearing) or as a

The angle between the vector and the x-axis is 70o.

Thus v→ = 17.5 [210o]

1. Determine the horizontal and vertical components of each force.

4. Determine the resultant of each vector sum.

b) 17.9 m/s2, 33.2° from the horizontal

6. a) 12.2 [125o] b) 19.2 [309o] c) 5.4 [202o]

Thus, the resulting displacement is 157.7 km [N 42.5o E].

Find the sum of vectors A, B and C.

The 223 N vector will have an angle of 140o measured

2. a. 173.2 N, 100 N b. 52.1 N, 151.3 N c. 58.3 N, 47.2 N d. 0 N, 36 N

14. 375 N, 0 N solution

Velocity is a vector quantity.

The groundspeed is 553 km/h [N57oW].

10. a. S25oE b. 510 km/h Solution

B 1. a. the zero vector b. 1 c. 0

F 8. 94 N, 80 N 9. 294 N, 392 N

6. Express u as a scalar multiple of v→ , where

3. The diagram shows three congruent equilateral

7. In parallelogram ABCD, opposite sides are parallel

14. A jet’s takeoff velocity has a horizontal

15. An airplane travelling with an airspeed of 725

11. An airplane is flying at 560 km/h on a heading of

12. A sailor wishes to sail to a port that is located

1. a) b) none c) none d)

c) 6. a) u→ =− 0.6v→ b) not possible c) u→ = 2v→ d) not

9. a) Diagrams may vary. For example,

b) 622.0 km/h at a bearing of 328°

b) S54.4°E c) 15.9 knots