Experiment 2: Vector Addition
Laboratory Report
Rafael Antonio David, Pamela de Leon, Katrina de Vera, Manette Dejelo
Department of Sports Science
College of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Santo Tomas
España Street, Manila Philippines
Abstract
Scalar is a quantity that deals with
magnitude. Vector is a quantity that deals
with both magnitude and direction. Vector
addition is a process wherein two vectors
are added to determine the resultant vector.
There are three methods in solving for the
resultant vector: the polygon method,
parallelogram method, and the component
method.
1. Introduction
Vector addition is a process of
combining two or more vectors. The
resultant vector (R), also known as the
resultant displacement, is a vector that
results from adding two or more vectors
together. There are three different ways to
calculate the resultant vector: the polygon
method, the parallelogram method, and the
component method.
The polygon method, or the “head
to tail” method, calculates the resultant
vector by lining up the head of the last
vector to the tail of the first vector. The
parallelogram method involves drawing
the vector to scale in the indicated direction,
sketching a parallelogram around the vector
such that the resultant vector is the diagonal
of the parallelogram, and determining the
magnitude of the components using the
scale. The component method involves
adding the x- components of each of the
vectors and adding them together to get the
total of x-components, and adding the y-
components of each vectors and adding
them together to get the total of y-
components.
In vector addition, the commutative
law simply shows that the resultant vector is
+  or + . The associative law
shows that the resultant vector is ( + ) +
or + ( + ). It states that the vector
sum remains same irrespective of their order
or grouping in which they are arranged.
In this experiment, the group should
be able to achieve the following objectives:
(1) To determine the resultant displacement
by the component method, parallelogram
method and polygon method, and (2) to
show that vector addition is commutative
and associative.
2. Theory
Many mathematical operations can
be used to manipulate a vector. Addition of
vectors is an example of such. To determine
the resultant of a vector, two vectors must be
added. The resultant vector corresponds to
the resultant or sum of a physical quantity
having the same directions.
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 The Pythagorean Theorem is used in
finding the resultant of adding two vectors
that make a right angle to each other. Also,
it is not advisable to use the Pythagorean
Theorem when more than two vectors are
given or for summing up vectors that are not
90 degrees to each other. The Pythagorean
Theorem has the equation:
a2 + b2 = c2
Trigonometric functions are also
helpful in determining the direction of a
resultant vector. The usage of SOH CAH
TOA helps one to keep in mind the meaning
of these three trigonometric functions; sine,
cosine and tangent respectively. These three
functions relate an acute angle in a right
triangle to the ratio of the lengths of two of
the sides of the right triangle. The Sine
function relates the measure of an acute
angle to the ratio of the length of the side
opposite the angle to the length of the
hypotenuse. The Cosine function relates the
measure of an acute angle to the ratio of the
length of the side adjacent the angle to the
length of the hypotenuse. The Tangent
function relates the measure of an angle to
the ratio of the length of the side opposite
the angle to the length of the side adjacent to
the angle. The equations of the functions
are as follows:
Polygon method of vector addition is
when numbers of vectors are represented by
(n-1) sides of a polygon in sequence, the n th
side, closing the polygon in the opposite
direction, represents the sum of the vectors
in both magnitude and direction. Polygon
formation has great deal of flexibility. It
might appear that we should elect vectors in
increasing or decreasing order of direction.
But it is not so. The order of grouping of
vectors for addition has no consequence on
the result. This characteristic of vector
addition is known as “associative” property
of vector addition and is expressed
mathematically as:
(a + b) + c = a + (b + c)
Parallelogram method is when two
vectors are represented by two adjacent
sides of a parallelogram, and then the
diagonal of parallelogram through the
common point represents the sum of the two
vectors in both magnitude and direction.
The Component method is when the
components of a vector are those vectors
which, when added together, give the
original vector. The sum of the components
of two vectors is equal to the sum of these
two vectors. If components are appropriately
chosen, this theorem can be used as a
convenient method for adding vectors.
The direction of vectors is always
defined relative to a system of axes. For
example, in discussing displacement on
the surface of the earth, it is convenient
to use axes directed from South to North
and from West to East. In such a
situation, an arbitrary displacement A can
be thought of as being made up of two
components A1 and A2 directed along
these axes, such that A = A1 + A2. The
component method also makes use of
trigonometric functions to determine the
resultant.
x-component: Projection of the vector at
x-axis; AcosΘ
y-component: Projection of the vector at
y-axis; AsinΘ
∑y
θ=tan -1 | |
∑x
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3. Methodology
The materials that were used for this
experiment were the meter stick, chalk,
graphing paper and protractor.
In the first activity, the initial
position of one member of the group was
marked. This member underwent the
following successive displacements: 1m E,
2.5m N, and 3m 30° N of W. His final
position was marked. An arrow was drawn
from his initial position to his final position.
This represented his resultant displacement.
The magnitude as well as the direction of his
resultant displacement was determined using
the ruler and protractor. This member was
asked to walk starting from his initial
position to this following order: 2.5m N, 3m
30° N of W and 1m E. The resultant
displacement was determined. The same was
repeated but in this following order: 3m 30°
N of W, 2.5m N and 1m E.
In the second activity, the successive
displacements were still used: = 1m E,
= 2.5m N, and = 3m 30° N of W. A
suitable scale was used to determine the
resultant displacement by the use of the
parallelogram method. A and B were added
first for the first determination for the
resultant displacement. Their resultant was
added to C. B and C were added for the
second determination, and their result was
added to A.
In the third activity, the resultant
displacement was determined by using the
component method. Using this resultant as
the accepted value, the % error of
magnitude, as well as the direction for the
resultant displacement obtained in activities
1 and 2, was computed.
4. Results and Discussion
Tables 1, 2, and 3 show the
magnitude of R, % error for magnitude,
direction of R, % error for direction using
the three graphical methods: polygon
method (Trial 1), parallelogram method
(Trial 2), and the component method (Trial
3). Three trials were made in activity 1 using
the polygon method and two trials for
activity 2 using the parallelogram method.
Table 1. Polygon Method
TRIAL 1 TRIAL 2 TRIAL 3
Magnitude of R 4.3 m 4.4 m 4.2 m
% error for
0% 2.3 % 2.3 %
magnitude
Direction of R 68° NW 70 ° NW 68 ° NW
% error for
0.3 % NW 2.6 % NW 0.3 % NW
direction
The polygon method is used to find
the resultant of two or more than two
vectors. It states that if a number of vectors
can be represented by the side of the
polygon in magnitude and direction taken in
order, then their resultant is represented by
the side which closes the polygon taken in
the opposite order. Table 1 shows the
magnitude, % error for the magnitude,
direction of the resultant and % error for the
direction. In the first trial, the magnitude of
R is 4.3 m with a % error for magnitude of
0% and the direction of R is 68° North of
West which has a %error for direction of
0.3% North of West. In the second trial, the
magnitude of R is 4.4 m with a %error of 2.3
for the magnitude and is directed 70° North
of West which has a %error for direction of
2.6% North of West and for the last trial, the
magnitude of R is 4.2 m and its %error for
magnitude is 2.3% directed 68° North of
West with a %error for direction of 0.3%
North of West.
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 The probable sources of % error may
be the wrong plotting of the given scales or
Table 2. Parallelogram Method quantities as well as the wrong computations
made. Also, with these results it simply
TRIAL 1 TRIAL 2
Length of arrow
projects that vector addition is commutative
4.3 m 4.3 m and associative because the order of addition
representing R
Magnitude of R 4.3 m 4.3 m does not affect the final result and the result
% error for
0% 0%
of vector addition is independent of the
magnitude order in which the vectors are added.
Direction of R 30° NW 30° NW
% error of direction 56 % 56 %

The parallelogram method involves
using an accurately drawn, scaled vector
diagram to determine the components of the
vector. The method involves drawing the
vector to scale in the indicated direction,
sketching a parallelogram around the vector
such that the vector is the diagonal of the
parallelogram, and determining the
magnitude of the components using the scale
and vectors are drawn at a common origin.
Table 2 shows the magnitude of R, %error
for magnitude, direction of R and %error of
direction. Given that A= 1m E; B= 2.5m N;
C= 3m 30° N of W. The magnitude of R is
4.3m with a %error for magnitude of 0%
and the direction of R is 30° NW having a
%error for direction of 56%. Trial two has
the same results as well.
Table 3. Component Method
Displacement x - component y - component
A 1 0 commutative in the sense that even though
B 0 2.5
C - 2.598 1.5
∑x = 1.598 ∑y = 4
Magnitude of R = 4.3m, Direction of R = 68.2 NW
5. Conclusion
In this experiment, measuring and
determining direction is mostly what this
activity is about. The resultant displacement
was successfully determined by using each
of the three graphical methods: The polygon
method, parallelogram method, and
component method. These methods are not
an easy process, for it takes focus and time
to determine the right answers to the
problems. Each of the method has a certain
process you have to follow to arrive at an
accurate answer with a measurement and a
note of direction. The resultant displacement
using the component method was 4.3 m.
Knowing that the commutative law shows
that the resultant vector is +  or +
and the associative law shows that the
resultant vector is ( + ) + or + (
+ ), vector addition is associative and
you interchange the variables, you can still
arrive at the precise answer.

Using the resultant as the accepted

6. Applications
value, we computed that the magnitude of R
is 4.3 m and the direction of R is 68.2° NW 1) You are given only the
making use of the values above. The x- magnitudes of two vectors: 3
component of A, B and C was obtained units and 4 units. What is the
using the cosine function and the y- range of magnitude of
component was obtained using the sine resultant? What must be the
function. angle between these vectors to
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get A) maximum resultant B)
minimum resultant C) a
resultant of magnitude 5 units
D) a resultant of 6 units?
2) Differentiate distance from
displacement. Is it possible for
you to have no displacement
even though you have travelled
a great distance? Explain by
giving examples.
Distance can be measured as the
distance travelled around the path
of motion. It can also represent
the net distance travelled between
the start position and the end
position (Displacement). The
distance is a vector quantity while
displacement is a scalar. Both are
measured using the SI unit; meter
= m. No, it is not impossible
because displacement is defined
as the net distance travelled
between the start position and the
end position. When you have
travelled a great distance, there
will always be a start position and
the end position; thus a
displacement will be present.
Example:
A person walks in a curvy path
from point A to point B. So a
displacement will always be
present when a distance is
present.
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3) To go to a grocery, a student 7. References
has to walk 8.25m S, 4.0 m E,
and then 2.5m SE from his [1] Cutnell, J.D. & Johnson, K.W. (2010).
dormitory. Specify the distance Introduction to physics. (8th ed.). USA: John
and bearing of the grocery Wiley & Sons.
relative to the student’s
dormitory. [2] Properties of vector addition. Retrieved
on Novermber 29, 2010 from
http://www.citycollegiate.com/vectorXIg.ht
m

[3] Vector addition. Retrieved on November

29, 2010 from
http://cnx.org/content/m13601/latest/

[4] Distance and displacement. Retrieved on

November 20, 2010 from
http://www.splung.com/content/sid//2/page/
distance