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Introduction to Vectors

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Definition Vector: Examples 1. 2. 3. Vectors have an initial point (where it starts), and a terminal point (where it ends). For example, imagine a molecule moving from a point A to a point B, this movement could be modeled by a displacement vector where its length represents how far it moved, and it would point in its direction of movement. Non-Examples

B A
Two vectors are considered to be equal if: 1. 2. The zero vector is denoted 0, has length 0 and has no particular direction.

Magnitude and Direction in Standard Position

Finding magnitude and direction of vector in standard position: 1. To find the magnitude of a vector not in the coordinate plane, just measure it with a ruler. 2. To find the direction of a vector in standard position that is not in the coordinate plane, use a protractor to the measure the degree of rotation from the positive x-axis. Just like angles in trigonometry. Find the magnitude and direction of the following vectors. a. b.

v x

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Combining Vectors Geometrically Geometric definition of vector addition: If u and v are vectors positioned so the initial point of v is at the terminal point of u, then the sum u + v is the vector from the initial point of u to the terminal point of v. Triangle Law:

Parallelogram Law: (u + v = v + u)

We will investigate three types of vector multiplication. First we will look at scalar multiplication. Ex1: Take vectors u and v below and combine them the following ways. Draw the resultant vector, and find the magnitude and direction of the resultant vector.

u a. u + v

v
b. u v

c.

2v

d. 2u v

e. v +(v)

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Component Form of Vectors

Vectors can also be represented by an ordered set of numbers and can be sketched on a coordinate system with initial point at the origin and terminal point at ( a1 , a2 ) A 2-D vector can be given in component form as a1 , a2 Remember that any vector that has the same length as u and is parallel to u is an equivalent vector. Ex1: Find the vector AB where A(-2, 3) and B(1, 5). Graph AB in standard position and find | AB | . Lastly, find the direction of AB

A displacement vector from A( x1 , y1 ) to B( x2 , y 2 ) given by AB = ,

The Magnitude or Length of a vector a = a1 , a2 can be calculated using the distance formula based on the Pythagorean Theorem a = _______________

The reference angle of a vector a = a1 , a2 can be found by :

Remember, that you still need to find the direction depending on what quadrant the vector is in

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In order to add vectors in component form, add the respective components. Ex2. Let u = 3,2 and v = 4,2 . Calculate:

a. u + v b. 2v

b. u v

c. 4u 3v

Standard Unit Vectors: i = 1,0 j = 0,1 are special vectors called the standard unit vectors. They have length 1 (unit) and point in the direction of the x and y-axis respectively. Any vector written in component form can be rewritten as the sum of a multiple of these two vectors. Ex 3: Rewrite 6,9 in terms of the standard unit vectors

Ex 4: Find a unit vector parallel in the direction of 6,8

Ex 5: Using the vector diagram below, find the following for each vector: (a) the direction, (b) the magnitude, (c) the vector in unit vector form, and (d) the unit vector in the same direction as the given vector.

r v = 3, 5

y
r u = 3, 5

x
r w= 1, 4 r a = 5, 3

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