Vectors Tutorial PDF

Omega Education Unit
CXC MATHEMATICS
Vectors Tutorial
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Equal Vectors
Vector representation:
Vector e is equal to vector h if they both have the same

magnitude and direction.
It follows that equal vectors are also parallel vectors
Triangle law of vectors
The sum (resultant) of any two vectors is equal to the
line needed to close the triangle.
Fig-3
1.
A
B
2.
A
B =
3.
as two letters with an overhead arrow
4
3
as a column vector
as a common letter
Note the directions of the arrows

The two vectors that are chasing head to tail:
Modulus, Magnitude , size or length of vector.

Using Pythagoras: 42 3 2 = 5
A
B
********************************************* **********
and
are equal to the third vector

BC
AC
=AC
A
B B C
Parallel & Equal Vectors

Parallel Vectors
Equal Vectors
c = k.b
c = k .b
example
Q
e =h
If vector b is parallel to vector c then :

c = kb, and k is a scalar multiplier. ( a constant)
=a ;
=b
In the fig above: P Q
and R Q
Express each of the following in terms of: a and b.
(i) R P ;
(ii) P R ;
**************************************************
Example:
b = 3 ; c = 12
2
8
Prove that vectors b and c are parallel
Solution:
Solution:
(ii)
now:
c =

12
8
4 3
2
=4b
so : c = 4b ( required proof, k = 4)
(i)
R
P a
R
P =
b a
P
R b
P
R
conclusion:
=
=
a
ab
P
R
R P
Position Vectors
4
A (2,3)
Collinear vectors
3
2
A (2,3)
-1
-1
Point A(2,3) can be viewed as being displaced from the

origin O, by a vector called a position vector where:
Position vector of Point A:
O
A =
2
3
A (2,3)
Solution:
We need to prove that :
. ( the condition for collinearity)

A
B =k B C
so we need to find the two displacement vectors A B

and then establish the relationship between
and B C
them.
Re-writing as column vectors:
Ex: Given points A(2,3) and B(3,1)

Find the displacement vector
Using the triangle law of vectors;

a A
B =b
A
B =b a
A
B= 3 2
1
3
2
1
2
3
8
6
Position Vector of B(2, 3) = O

B =b=
=c=
Position Vector of C(8,6) = O C
We can now use the position vectors to find the displacement

vectors.
2 2
4
=b a =
=
AB
3
1
2
Position Vector of A(-2, 1) = O

A =a=
A
B
Solution:
Let us define the position vectors using the lowercase vector
notation: such that:
O
A= a = 2 ;
O
B= b = 3
3
1
So:
. ( vectors are collinear)
Given Points A(-2,1);

B(2,3) and C(8,6) .
Use a vector method to prove that the points are collinear
+B (3,1)
-1
A
B =kB C
Example:
If two vectors are collinear (on a straight line), then they

have the same direction, but not necessarily the same
magnitude, so:
where k is a scalar (constant)
Displacement vectors
Using two position vectors to find a displacement
vector
collinear vectors
1
2
8
6
2
3
6
3
from the above we can see that:
6
3
Conclusion:
The displacement vector is the found by subtracting the
ending position vector from the starting position vector.

= c b =
BC
k. 4
2
= 1.5 A
BC
B
where k = 1.5
Points are collinear.
Vector addition and resultant vectors

The resultant vector can be found by noting that the
sum of the vectors going in one direction is equal to the
sum of the vectors going in the opposite direction.
P
R = cd
Finding the vector from
R T
Vectors that are going in the same direction appear to

be chasing each other, ( head to tail)
c
Q
T
a
c
Considering Triangle RTS
Vectors R T and a are head to tail so:
T
a
R T a = e
R T = e a
Example:
The fig shown above has points PQRST, with vectors
a,b,c,d, and e.
Finding vector
Find the following in terms of a,b,c,d and e.
Q
S
R
S; P
R ; R T ; Q
S
c
Q
T
a
Finding vector
R
S
Note that vectors c, d and e are chasing so:

so:
c+d+e =a+b
R
S = e = (a+b) - (c+d)
d
e
Considering triangle QSR

Vectors d and e are chasing each other ( head to tail) so:
Q
S = d e
Finding vector P R
P
b
c
Q
T
a
S
d
e
P
R is the vector from P to R.
From triangle PQR,:
c and d are chasing head to tail so:
A
B ;
Example:1
; DC
and
AC
DX
Two points A and B have position vectors

2
5
O
A
4
2
O
B
, where O is the
origin ( 0,0). The point G lies on the line AB such that
1
x
AB . Express in the form
,
3
y
; position vector O G
A
B ;
AG
AG=
From the triangle law of vectors, the two vectors that are
chasing will sum to produce the resultant vector.
Considering triangle OAB
Note that OA and AB are chasing head to tail
**************************************************
A(- 2, 5)
Finding A B
O
A A
B=O B
A
B= O
BO
A
so
A
B = b 3a
B(4,2)
Finding
AC
now: C is mid point AB

= A
B
AC
= ( b 3a)
Define Position vector as follows

O
A
O
B = b=
A
B =ba=
also:
AG
DC
Considering Triangle DAC

Note that DA and AC are chasing, so:
-
= 1/3 (AB) = 1/3
Now
4
2
2
5
6
3

6
3
=D
DC
A A C
=
=
=
=
2
1
a + ( b 3a)
a + b - 1.5 a
b-a
( b a)
OG
Finding
Now
so
Finding
2
5
4
2
= a=
Finding D X
Considering Triangle ODX
- O
= OG
A
+ O
= AG
A
AG
OG
+ =
2
1
0
4
2
5
OD and DX are chasing; so:
**************************************************
O
X =O
D D
X
Exercise2
=O X
O
DX
D
A
Express the following
in terms of
and
= 2b 2a
= 2( b a )
a
D
Two Geometrical Relationships:

C
ii) DX and DC are parallel, (2) DX = 4 DC

iii) D, C and X are collinear ( on a straight line)
2a
*************************************************************

Finding Vector
Vectors
R (8, 9))
S(2, 5)
now if
Q
S
and :
Q
S= s q
Q
S =
8.6
Q (-1, 3)
P(3, 2)
If
a 1
b 3
a
b
-
a
b
1
3

a 1
b 3
then
Q
S=O
P
=s=
O
S
3
2
a+1 = 3; and b-3 = 2

a = 2;
The position vectors are :
= p =
OP
O
R =r
so:
1
3
3
2
8
9
=
O Q=q
- = 96
8
9
O
P =Q
S
is parallel to
but:
9
6
Q
R :
-
8
9
1
3
can be written as:
Q
R =
3. O
P
now:
3
2
P
S
9
6
=
3
3
2
1
3
OQ
P
S
need to find
where:
O
SO
P
- =
2
5
3
2
=P
OQ
S =
..( proven since k = 3)
P
R
P
R =rp
O
P =Q
S =
Prove that:
Finding magnitude of
=P
OQ
S
and
Q
R
( k is a constant)
k. O
P
Q
R=r q
where:
O
P is parallel to
Q
R =
2
5
1
3
and
Now, if
Now OPSQ is a parallelogram if:
but:
O
P
O
S =
Proof that OPSQ is a parallelogram:
Q
R=r q =
Prove that:
and b = 5
O
P
1
3

1
3
.. this completes the proof
is parallel to
Finding magnitude of
Q
R
P
R
Find S(a,b) given that OPSQ is a parallelogram
- =
8
9
magnitude
3
2
5
7
2
2
P
R= 5 7 = 8.6

Example
TD
Finding
Considering Triangle CTD:
A
D
s + 3r
=C
C T T D
D
=C D
C T =
TD
So:
=3s
TD
4r
= 3B T
TD
r + 3s
.. .
B T = s
But:
r 3sr
from eqn 1
..
k=3
Which proves that points BT and D are collinear.
****************************************
Exercise 1
P
In the diagram above, not drawn to scale:

=r 3s ;
CD
If the ratio
Show that :
B A= s 3r and
C
A= 4r
x + 4y
CT : TA is 1 : 3
points B, T and D are collinear

Q
Solution:
y + 4x
In the diagram above:
If point B, T and D are on a straight line then:

= k B T
TD
..
Finding
B T
Now:
B T +
so :
Now
so:
Q
P = x+4y
T
A
= B A
( from BTA)
and
RP=5y
R
D= y+ 4x
Find
1.
2.
B T = s 3rT
A
P
D and Q
R
show that Points Q, M and P are collinear
CT:TA = 1:3
3
T
A= C
A
4
T
A= 3r
C T = r
PM : MR = 4:1 and
B T = B
AT
A
so:
where k is a constant
3
4r
4
1.
2.
B T = s 3r3r
B T = s
Answer:
..
( eqn. 1)

Exercise 2
Exercise 3
The Position vectors of R and J are :
ABCD is a quadrilateral such that:
O
R = 2
3
O
J=
and

1
1
R
J in the form
1. Express
a
b
OM is a point on OA such that the ratio

OM:OA = 1:3.
Prove that ABCM is a parallelogram
R
J
2. Find the length
3. Given that another point is such that
R T = 8
2
Find the coordinates of T
*********************************************************
*********************************************************
Hint: The coordinates of T is the position vector
O T
*********************************************************
*********************************************************
Answer:
Answer
1.
R
J
2.
length
3.
Tip: The opposite sides of a parallelogram are equal., so this

question is testing that you know how to prove that two
vectors are equal.

3
4
R
J
O T =
B(-5,7)
= 5
6
5
hence coordinates are T(6,5)
C(1,4)
A(-8,4)
***********************************************
Help with directed numbers:
a sketch of the Quadrilateral is shown below.

Most persons find it easier to add directed numbers than to
subtract them. So you may want to note that:
A (B) is the same as A + ( - B)
=
A
B =M C
i.e. Change the sign of the number you are subtracting and
then Add.
M
A= C
B =
()
( )
3
3
.... (1)
6
3
(2)
Examples:
- 5 - (4) = - 5 + (- 4) = - 9
6 - ( - 2) =
6 + (2) = 8
From (1) and (2), ABCM is a parallelogram.

*******************************************************

8 2
4
1
8 2 = 6
4
1
3


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Omega Education Unit

All rights reserved.

cxcDirect Institute - 876 469-2775

Math Forum : http://cxclink.50.forumer.com/

Omega Education Unit

Vector e is equal to vector h if they both have the same

as two letters with an overhead arrow

Note the directions of the arrows

Modulus, Magnitude , size or length of vector.

are equal to the third vector

Parallel & Equal Vectors

If vector b is parallel to vector c then :

Math Forum : http://cxclink.50.forumer.com/

Omega Education Unit

Point A(2,3) can be viewed as being displaced from the

We need to prove that :

. ( the condition for collinearity)

so we need to find the two displacement vectors A B

Re-writing as column vectors:

Ex: Given points A(2,3) and B(3,1)

Using the triangle law of vectors;

Position Vector of B(2, 3) = O

We can now use the position vectors to find the displacement

Position Vector of A(-2, 1) = O

. ( vectors are collinear)

Given Points A(-2,1);

If two vectors are collinear (on a straight line), then they

where k is a scalar (constant)

from the above we can see that:

cxcDirect Institute - 876 469-2775

Math Forum : http://cxclink.50.forumer.com/

Points are collinear.

Omega Education Unit

Vector addition and resultant vectors

Finding the vector from

Vectors that are going in the same direction appear to

Find the following in terms of a,b,c,d and e.

Note that vectors c, d and e are chasing so:

Considering triangle QSR

Math Forum : http://cxclink.50.forumer.com/

Omega Education Unit

Two points A and B have position vectors

origin ( 0,0). The point G lies on the line AB such that

now: C is mid point AB

Define Position vector as follows

Considering Triangle DAC

OD and DX are chasing; so:

Two Geometrical Relationships:

ii) DX and DC are parallel, (2) DX = 4 DC

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Math Forum : http://cxclink.50.forumer.com/

Omega Education Unit

a+1 = 3; and b-3 = 2

The position vectors are :

can be written as:

..( proven since k = 3)

Now OPSQ is a parallelogram if:

Proof that OPSQ is a parallelogram:

.. this completes the proof

Find S(a,b) given that OPSQ is a parallelogram

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Math Forum : http://cxclink.50.forumer.com/