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Lecture 4

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mosesdayes
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Math 211: MC & LA

Intro. to vectors I (Vector operations and geometry)

Patrick Dwomfuor

Department of Engineering
Ashesi University

September 27, 2022

Patrick Dwomfuor (Department


Math 211:
of MC
Engineering
& LA September 27, 2022
Ashesi University) 1/8
Lecture Outline

Learning Objectives

Describe a vector using correct notation.

Perform basic vector operations (scalar multiplication, addition,


subtraction).

Express a vector in component form.

Explain the formula for the magnitude of a vector.

Express a vector in terms of unit vectors.

Patrick Dwomfuor (Department


Math 211:
of MC
Engineering
& LA September 27, 2022
Ashesi University) 2/8
Illustration of vectors in a Plane

Figure 1: A raft drifting down a river by the current.

The speed and direction of the raft at a point may be represented by


an arrow.
The length of the arrow represents the speed of the raft at that point.
The orientation of the arrow gives the direction in which the raft is
headed at that point.
What can you say about the arrows at points A and C?
What can you say about the arrows at point B?

Patrick Dwomfuor (Department


Math 211:
of MC
Engineering
& LA September 27, 2022
Ashesi University) 3/8
Vector Representation
The arrows that describe the raft’s motion are examples of vectors.

A vector is a quantity that has both magnitude and direction.

Vectors arise naturally in situations like electric and magnetic fields,


the flow of air over an airplane wing, etc.
A vector is represented geometrically as a directed line segment with
an arrowhead indicating direction.

Patrick Dwomfuor (Department


Math 211:
of MC
Engineering
& LA September 27, 2022
Ashesi University) 4/8
Basic Vector Operations
The initial point is called the tail and the terminal point is called the
head.
The length of the line segment represents its magnitude.
Two vectors are equal provided they have the same magnitude and
direction.
A vector with an initial and terminal point being the same is called
the zero vector, denoted 0. It has length 0 and no direction.

Scalar Multiples and Parallel Vectors


Given a scalar c and a vector v, the scalar multiple, cv is a vector whose
magnitude is |c| multiplied by the magnitude of v.
If c > 0, then cv has the same direction as v.
If c < 0, then cv and v point in opposite directions.
Two vectors are parallel if one vector is a scalar multiple of the other
vector.
Patrick Dwomfuor (Department
Math 211:
of MC
Engineering
& LA September 27, 2022
Ashesi University) 5/8
Basic Vector Operations
Vector Addition and Subtraction: Let u and v be two nonzero
vectors.

Patrick Dwomfuor (Department


Math 211:
of MC
Engineering
& LA September 27, 2022
Ashesi University) 6/8
Position Vectors and Vector Components
A vector u with initial point (0, 0) and terminal point (u1 , u2 ) is called a
position vector and it is written as
u = ⟨u1 , u2 ⟩.
u1 and u2 are called the components of u.

Magnitude of a Vector
Given the points P(x1 , y1 ) and Q(x2 , y2 ), the magnitude, or length, of
−→ −→
PQ = ⟨x2 − x1 , y2 − y1 ⟩ denoted
q |PQ|, is the distance between P and Q:
−→
PQ = (x2 − x1 )2 + (y2 − y1 )2 .

Let c be a scalar, u = ⟨u1 , u2 ⟩, and v = ⟨v1 , v2 ⟩ be vectors in R2 (2D).


u + v = ⟨u1 + v1 , u2 + v2 ⟩ Vector addition
u − v = ⟨u1 − v1 , u2 − v2 ⟩ Vector subtraction
cu = ⟨cu1 , cu2 ⟩ Scalar multiplication

Patrick Dwomfuor (Department


Math 211:
of MC
Engineering
& LA September 27, 2022
Ashesi University) 7/8
Unit Vectors
A unit vector is a vector with magnitude 1. In 2D, the two useful unit
vectors are i = ⟨1, 0⟩ and j = ⟨0, 1⟩. In general, the vector u = ⟨u1 , u2 ⟩ can
be written as
u = u1 ⟨1, 0⟩ + u2 ⟨0, 1⟩ = u1 i + u2 j.

Let u be a nonzero vector of length k. We can use scalar multiplication


to find a unit vector v̂ that has the same direction as u. So that,

u = kv̂,
v
where v̂ = .
|v|

Patrick Dwomfuor (Department


Math 211:
of MC
Engineering
& LA September 27, 2022
Ashesi University) 8/8

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