Vectors

11.1 Vectors
A vector has both magnitude and direction.
You can represent a vector using a directed line segment.
Q Q
⟶ ⟶
​ ​.​ It starts
This is vector PQ This is vector ​QP ​. It starts
at P and finishes at Q. at Q and finishes at P.
P P

The direction of the arrow shows the direction of the vector. Small (lower case)
a
letters are also used to represent vectors. In print, the small letter will be in bold
type. In writing, you should underline the small letter to show it is a vector: a or ~​a​
⟶ ⟶ P
■ If PQ
​ ​= ​RS ​then the line segments PQ and RS are equal in length R
and are parallel.
⟶ ⟶ B B
■ ​AB ​= −​BA ​ as the line segment AB is equal a
Q
in length, parallel and in the opposite –a S
direction to BA. A A

You can add two vectors together using the triangle law for vector addition.

■ Triangle law for B

Notation The resultant is the vector sum of
vector addition: a b
⟶ ⟶ ⟶ two or more vectors.
C C
​AB ​+ ​BC ​= ​AC ​ A
⟶ ⟶ ⟶ ⟶ B D
c ​ ​+ BC
AB ​ ​+ CD
​ ​= AD
​ ​
⟶ ⟶ ⟶
If ​AB ​​= a, BC
​ ​= b and AC
​ ​= c, then a + b = c A

Example 1
a
The diagram shows vectors a, b and c.
b c
Draw a diagram to illustrate the vector addition
a + b + c.

b
a
a+b First use the triangle law for a + b, then use it
again for (a + b) + c.
a+b+c c The resultant goes from the start of a to the end
of c.

Online Explore vector addition using

GeoGebra.

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Chapter 11

■ Subtracting a vector is Hint

a a
To subtract b, you reverse
equivalent to ‘adding a –b
the direction of b then add.
negative vector’: b
a − b = a + (−b) a–b

If you travel from P to Q, then back from Q to P, you are back where you started, so your
displacement is zero.
⟶ ⟶ Q
■ Adding the vectors PQ
​ ​and QP
​ ​gives  Hint ⟶ ⟶
⟶ ⟶ ​QP ​= −​​PQ ​.
the zero vector 0: PQ
​ ​+ QP
​ ​= 0 ⟶ ⟶ ⟶ ⟶
So PQ ​ ​= ​PQ ​− PQ
​ ​+ QP ​ ​= 0.

You can multiply a vector by a scalar (or number).

If the number is
If the number is a b negative (≠ −1)
positive (≠ 1) the the new vector
new vector has a 3a –2b has a different
different length length and
but the same 1
a – 12 b the opposite
2
direction. direction.

■ Any vector parallel to the vector a may be  Notation Real numbers are examples of
written as λa, where λ is a non-zero scalar.
scalars. They have magnitude but no direction.

Example 2
Q
⟶ ⟶ ⟶ ⟶
​ ​= a, ​QR ​= b, ​QS ​= c and RT
In the diagram, QP ​ ​= d. a
c b
Find in terms of a, b, c and d: P S
⟶ ⟶
​ ​
a PS b ​RP ​ R
⟶ ⟶
c PT
​ ​ d ​TS ​ d
T
⟶ ⟶ ⟶
a PS
​ ​ = PQ ​ ​ = −a + c
​ ​+ QS Add vectors using △PQS.
=c−a
⟶ ⟶ ⟶
b RP
​ ​ = RQ ​ ​ = −b + a
​ ​+ QP Add vectors using △RQP.
=a−b
⟶ ⟶ ⟶ Add vectors using △PRT.
c ​PT ​= PR ​ ​ = (b − a) + d
​ ​ + RT ⟶ ⟶
Use ​PR ​= ​−​RP ​= −(a − b) = b − a.
=b+d−a
⟶ ⟶ ⟶ ⟶ ⟶
d TS
​ ​ = TR ​ ​= −d + (​RQ
​ ​ + RS ​ ​+ QS
​ ​) Add vectors using △TRS and △RQS.
= −d + (−b + c)
=c−b−d

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Example 3
⟶ ⟶ ⟶
​ ​= a, AD
ABCD is a parallelogram. AB ​ ​= b. Find AC
​ ​.
D C
Notation This is called the parallelogram law
b
for vector addition.
A a B

⟶ ⟶ ⟶
​AC ​​= ​AB ​ + BC
​ ​ Using the triangle law for addition of vectors.
⟶ ⟶
​BC ​= ​AD ​ = b
⟶ AD and BC are opposite sides of a parallelogram
​ ​= a + b
So AC
so they are parallel and equal in magnitude.

Example 4

Show that the vectors 6a + 8b and 9a + 12b are parallel.

Here λ = _​32 ​
9a + 12b = __
​32 ​(6a + 8b)
∴ the vectors are parallel.

Example 5
⟶ ⟶ A
​ ​= a and AC
In triangle ABC, AB ​ ​= b.
P is the midpoint of AB. P Q

Q divides AC in the ratio 3 : 2. C

B
Write in terms of a and b:
⟶ ⟶ ⟶ ⟶
a BC
​ ​ b ​AP ​ c ​AQ ​ d ​PQ ​

⟶ ⟶ ⟶ ⟶ ⟶
a ​BC ​ = ​BA ​ + AC
​ ​ ​BA ​= −​​AB ​
⟶ ⟶
= −​​AB ​ + AC
​ ​
⟶ ⟶
​BC ​ = b − a AP = _​12 ​AB so ​AP ​= _​12 ​a

⟶ 1 ⟶ _1
b ​AP ​ = _ ​ ​ = ​2 ​a
​2 AB Watch out AP is the line segment between A
⟶
⟶ 3⟶ _ and P, whereas ​AP ​is the vector from A to P.
c ​AQ ​ = ​_ ​ ​= ​35 ​b
5 AC

⟶ ⟶ ⟶ Q divides AC in the ratio 3 : 2 so AQ = _​35 A

​ C.
d ​PQ ​ = ​PA ​ + AQ
​ ​
⟶ ⟶
= −​​AP ​ + AQ
​ ​
Going from P to Q is the same as going from P to
= ​_
3 _1
5 ​b − ​2 ​a A, then from A to Q.

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