Basic vector math you will need for this course

• Scalars and Vectors

• Multiplication of a Vector with a Scalar
• Component vectors
• Addition of vectors
• Component vectors: ‘tail-to-tip’ method
• Parallelogram method
• Product of 2 vectors
• dot product (the result is a scalar)
• vector product (the result is a vector)
• Trigonometry (including sin and cos laws)
Note: Use Chapters 3 of the textbook, your math books from high school or the web to
review the information listed above. A very comprehensive review of vectors and
trigonometry will be offered during the 1st tutorial (week of Sept. 11th).
 Vectors
(Chapter 2)

Q. What is a vector?
A. A quantity with magnitude and direction

B
How do we write a vector?
10
9
8 
7
6
A or A
5
4
3
2
1
A or A
0
-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
-2
-3
This is a unit vector Â
-4

Aˆ  1
-5
-6
-7
-8
-9
-10
 Component vectors in 2D

10
9
y
A  ( A iˆ  A ˆj )
x y
8
7
6

A  (A  A ) Ay
2 2 5
x y 4
3
A
 2

j 1
0
Ax x
-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1-1 0

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
-2
-3
i
 4   3 
-4
2 2
A -5
-6
-7
16  9  25  5 -8
-9
-10
 Copyright © 2014 by Nelson Education Ltd.
Vectors in 2D
 Component vectors in 3D
z

Az
A A  ( A x iˆ  A y ˆj  A z kˆ )
Ax Ay
Ax , Ay , Az Magnitudes of the
component vectors
x y

 Ax 
 
A  ( Ax , Ay , Az ) A   Ay 
A 
 z
Multiplication of a Vector and a Scalar
10
9

Example b=2 8
7 C  Ab
Ab  C
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
A
-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
-2
-3
-4
-5
C A b
-6
-7
-8
-9
-10
 Q. What if b is < 0?

10
9
8
Example b=-2 7

Ab  C
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
A
-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
-2
-3

C A b
-4
-5
-6

C  Ab
-7
-8
-9
-10
General Rule for Multiplying a Vector
by a Scalar:

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Addition of 2 vectors at angle ≠ 90°
(component vector method – ‘tail-to-tip’)

10
y
9
Use tail to tip
8
A=6x+1y 7 C=A+B
C=A+B
6
B=3x+6y 5
4 B B
3
C=A+B 2 A
1
0
-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
x
9 10
-2
-3
-4
C=9x+7y -5
-6
-7
-8
-9
-10
Addition of 2 vectors at angle ≠ 90°
(parallelogram method)

10
y
A=6x+1y 9
Use Parallelogram rule
8
7
B=3x+6y 6
5 C=A+B
C=A+B 4 B
3
2 A
C=9x+7y 1
0
-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
x
9 10
-2
-3
-4
-5
-6
-7
-8
-9
-10
Generalized algebraic Addition of Vectors

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 In-Class Voting Question

1. 2. 3. 4.

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Vector Subtraction
   
 
F1  F2  F1   F2

Copyright © 2014 by Nelson Education Ltd.

 In-Class Voting Question

1. 2. 3. 4.

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 The Dot Product of Two Vectors
The dot, or scalar, product is a
scalar quantity that represents the
product of the magnitudes of a
vector and the component of
another vector projected on to it.

Copyright © 2014 by Nelson Education Ltd.

 Properties of a Dot Product
• A dot product of two perpendicular vectors equals
zero.
• A dot product of two vectors of given magnitudes is
greatest when the vectors are parallel to each other.
• A dot product of two vectors of given magnitudes is
smallest when the vectors are antiparallel to each
other.
• A dot product of two vectors is commutative:

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 The Cross Product of Two Vectors

The cross, or vector, product of

two vectors defines a vector that
is perpendicular to the two given
vectors.

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The Cross Product of Two Vectors

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Properties of a Cross Product

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 Summing Up…
• In Chapter 3 we learned about quantities with
magnitude and direction: vectors.

• The dot product is used to determine the

projections of vectors onto various directions.

• The cross product of vectors can be used to define

or calculate physical quantities, such as angular
momentum, torque, and magnetic force.

• In Chapter 2 we will look at three key vector

quantities: position, velocity and acceleration.

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