Chapter 3—Vectors

MULTIPLE CHOICE

Instructions: On occasion, the notation = [A,  will be a shorthand notation for

.

1. If = [15, 80] and , what is the magnitude of ?

a. 15
b. 35
c. 32
d. 5.0
e. 23
ANS: C PTS: 2 DIF: Average

2. Vectors and are shown. What is the magnitude of a vector if ?

a. 46
b. 10
c. 30
d. 78
e. 90
ANS: A PTS: 2 DIF: Average

3. If and , what is the magnitude of the vector ?

a. 42
b. 22
c. 64
d. 90
e. 13
ANS: C PTS: 2 DIF: Average

4. If and , what is the direction of the vector ?

a. −49
b. −41
c. −90
d. +49
e. +21
ANS: B PTS: 2 DIF: Average

5. If = [10 m, 30] and = [25 m, 130], what is the magnitude of the sum of these two vectors?
 a. 20 m
b. 35 m
c. 15 m
d. 25 m
e. 50 m
ANS: D PTS: 2 DIF: Average

6. If = [10 m, 30] and = [25 m, 130], what is the direction of the sum of these two vectors?
a. 17
b. 73
c. 107
d. 163
e. 100
ANS: C PTS: 2 DIF: Average

7. A vector, , when added to the vector yields a resultant vector which is in the positive y
direction and has a magnitude equal to that of . What is the magnitude of ?
a. 3.2
b. 6.3
c. 9.5
d. 18
e. 5
ANS: A PTS: 2 DIF: Average

8. If vector is added to vector , the result is . If is subtracted from , the result is .

What is the magnitude of ?
a. 5.1
b. 4.1
c. 5.4
d. 5.8
e. 8.2
ANS: B PTS: 2 DIF: Average

9. If = [2.5 cm, 80], i.e., the magnitude and direction of are 2.5 cm and 80, = [3.5 cm, 120],
and , what is the direction of (to the nearest degree)?
a. 247
b. 235
c. 243
d. 216
e. 144
ANS: D PTS: 3 DIF: Challenging

10. If vector is added to vector , the result is . If is subtracted from , the result is
. What is the direction of (to the nearest degree)?
a. 225
b. 221
c. 230
 d. 236
e. 206
ANS: B PTS: 2 DIF: Average

11. A vector is added to . The resultant vector is in the positive x direction and has a
magnitude equal to . What is the magnitude of ?
a. 11
b. 5.1
c. 7.1
d. 8.3
e. 12.2
ANS: D PTS: 3 DIF: Challenging

12. A vector is added to . The resultant vector is in the positive x direction and has a
magnitude equal to that of . What is the direction of ?
a. 74
b. 100
c. −81
d. −62
e. 106
ANS: A PTS: 3 DIF: Challenging

13. If two collinear vectors and are added, the resultant has a magnitude equal to 4.0. If is
subtracted from , the resultant has a magnitude equal to 8.0. What is the magnitude of ?
a. 2.0
b. 3.0
c. 4.0
d. 5.0
e. 6.0
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy

14. If two collinear vectors and are added, the resultant has a magnitude equal to 4.0. If is
subtracted from , the resultant has a magnitude equal to 8.0. What is the magnitude of ?
a. 2.0
b. 3.0
c. 4.0
d. 5.0
e. 6.0
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Easy

15. When vector is added to vector , which has a magnitude of 5.0, the vector representing their sum
is perpendicular to and has a magnitude that is twice that of . What is the magnitude of ?
a. 2.2
b. 2.5
c. 4.5
d. 5.0
e. 7.0
 ANS: A PTS: 2 DIF: Average

16. Starting from one oasis, a camel walks 25 km in a direction 30 south of west and then walks 30 km
toward the north to a second oasis. What distance separates the two oases?
a. 15 km
b. 48 km
c. 28 km
d. 53 km
e. 55 km
ANS: C PTS: 2 DIF: Average

17. Starting from one oasis, a camel walks 25 km in a direction 30 south of west and then walks 30 km
toward the north to a second oasis. What is the direction from the first oasis to the second oasis?
a. 21 N of W
b. 39 W of N
c. 69 N of W
d. 51 W of N
e. 42 W of N
ANS: D PTS: 3 DIF: Challenging

Instructions: On occasion, the notation = [A,  will be a shorthand notation for

.

Exhibit 3-1
The three forces shown act on a particle.

Use this exhibit to answer the following question(s).

18. Refer to Exhibit 3-1. What is the magnitude of the resultant of these three forces?
a. 27.0 N
b. 33.2 N
c. 36.3 N
d. 23.8 N
e. 105 N
ANS: D PTS: 2 DIF: Average

19. Refer to Exhibit 3-1. What is the direction of the resultant of these three forces?
a. 35
b. 45
c. 65
 d. 55
e. 85
ANS: A PTS: 3 DIF: Challenging

Instructions: On occasion, the notation = [A,  will be a shorthand notation for

.

20. If vector is added to vector , the result is a third vector that is perpendicular to and has a
magnitude equal to 3 . What is the ratio of the magnitude of to that of ?
a. 1.8
b. 2.2
c. 3.2
d. 1.3
e. 1.6
ANS: C PTS: 2 DIF: Average

Instructions: On occasion, the notation = [A,  will be a shorthand notation for

.

Exhibit 3-2
A child starts at one corner of a cubical jungle gym in a playground and climbs up to the diagonally
opposite corner. The original corner is the coordinate origin, and the x, y and z axes are oriented along
the jungle gym edges. The length of each side is 2 m.

Use this exhibit to answer the following question(s).

21. Refer to Exhibit 3-2. The child's displacement is:

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy

22. Refer to Exhibit 3-2. What is the child’s distance from her starting position?
a. 2.8 m
 b. 3.5 m
c. 6.0 m
d. 6.9 m
e. 12.0 m
ANS: B PTS: 2 DIF: Average

Instructions: On occasion, the notation = [A,  will be a shorthand notation for

.

23. The displacement of the tip of the 10 cm long minute hand of a clock between 12:15 A.M. and 12:45
P.M. is:
a. 10 cm, 90
b. 10 cm, 180
c. 10 cm, 4 500
d. 20 cm, 180
e. 20 cm, 540
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy

24. A student decides to spend spring break by driving 50 miles due east, then 50 miles 30 degrees south
of east, then 50 miles 30 degrees south of that direction, and to continue to drive 50 miles deviating by
30 degrees each time until he returns to his original position. How far will he drive, and how many
vectors must he sum to calculate his displacement?
a. 0, 0
b. 0, 8
c. 0, 12
d. 400 mi, 8
e. 600 mi, 12
ANS: E PTS: 2 DIF: Average

25. Given that and , what is ?

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

ANS: A PTS: 2 DIF: Average

26. Given that and , what is ?

a.

b.
 c.

d.

e.

ANS: D PTS: 2 DIF: Average

27. Given that and , what is ?

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

ANS: A PTS: 2 DIF: Average

28. The diagram below shows 3 vectors which sum to zero, all of equal length. Which statement below is
true?

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy

29. Which statement is true about the unit vectors , and ?

a. Their directions are defined by a left-handed coordinate system.
b. The angle between any two is 90 degrees.
c. Each has a length of 1 m.
d. If is directed east and is directed south, points up out of the surface.
e. All of the above.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Easy

30. Vectors and have equal magnitudes. Which statement is always true?
a. .
 b. .
c. is perpendicular to .
d. is perpendicular to .
e. The magnitude of equals the magnitude of .
ANS: C PTS: 3 DIF: Challenging

31. When three vectors, , , and are placed head to tail, the vector sum . If the vectors
all have the same magnitude, the angle between the directions of any two adjacent vectors is
a. 30
b. 60
c. 90
d. 120
e. 150
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy

Instructions: On occasion, the notation = [A,  will be a shorthand notation for

.

Exhibit 3-3
The vectors , , and are shown below.

Use this exhibit to answer the following question(s).

32. Refer to Exhibit 3-3. Which diagram below correctly represents ?

a. d.

b. e.
 c.

ANS: B PTS: 2 DIF: Average

33. Refer to Exhibit 3-3. Which diagram below correctly represents ?

a. d.

b. e.

c.

ANS: A PTS: 2 DIF: Average

Instructions: On occasion, the notation = [A,  will be a shorthand notation for

.

Exhibit 3-4
The diagram below shows the path taken by a sailboat tacking sideways because it cannot sail directly
into the wind.

Use this exhibit to answer the following question(s).

34. Refer to Exhibit 3-4. The total distance it travels is

 a. 1 000 m.
b. 1 732 m.
c. 2 000 m.
d. 6 298 m.
e. 8 000 m.
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Easy

35. Refer to Exhibit 3-4. The total displacement of the sailboat, the vector sum of its displacements OB,
BC, CD and DE, is
a. 1 732 m, East.
b. 2 000 m, Northeast.
c. 6 298 m, East.
d. 8 000 m, Southeast.
e. 8 000 m, East.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Easy

Instructions: On occasion, the notation = [A,  will be a shorthand notation for

.

36. Dana says any vector can be represented as the sum of two vectors: . Ardis says any
vector can be represented as the difference of two vectors: . Which one, if either, is
correct?
a. They are both wrong: every vector is unique.
b. Dana is correct: Any vector can be represented as a sum of components and not as a
difference.
c. Ardis is correct: Any vector can be represented as a difference of vector components and
not as a sum.
d. They are both correct: A difference of vectors is a sum .
e. They are both wrong: Vectors can be moved as long as they keep the same magnitude and
direction.
ANS: D PTS: 2 DIF: Average

37. The vector has components +5 and +7 along the x and y axes respectively. Along a set of axes
rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise relative to the original axes, the vector's components are
a. −7; −5.
b. 7; −5.
c. −7; 5.
d. 7; 5.
e. 7; 0.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Easy

38. Anthony has added the vectors listed below and gotten the result . What errors has he
made?
 a. He lost the minus sign in vector .
b. He read the in as .
c. He lost the minus sign in vector .
d. All of the above are correct.
e. Only (a) and (b) above are correct.
ANS: E PTS: 2 DIF: Average

39. Given the statement that , what can we conclude?

a. and .
b. .
c. and .
d. Any one of the answers above is correct.
e. Only (a) and (b) may be correct.
ANS: D PTS: 2 DIF: Average

40. Adding vectors and by the graphical method gives the same result for + and + . If
both additions are done graphically from the same origin, the resultant is the vector that goes from the
tail of the first vector to the tip of the second vector, i.e, it is represented by a diagonal of the
parallelogram formed by showing both additions in the same figure. Note that a parallelogram has 2
diagonals. Keara says that the sum of two vectors by the parallelogram method is . Shamu says
it is . Both used the parallelogram method, but one used the wrong diagonal. Which one of
the vector pairs below contains the original two vectors?
a. ;
b. ;
c. ;
d. ;
e. ;
ANS: E PTS: 3 DIF: Challenging

41. Given two non-zero vectors, and , such that , the sum satisfies
a. .
b. .
c. .
d. .
e. .

ANS: A PTS: 2 DIF: Average

42. The vector has components +5 and +7 along the x and y axes respectively. If the vector is now
rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise relative to the original axes, the vector's components are now
a. −7; −5.
b. 7; −5.
c. −7; 5.
 d. 7; 5.
e. 7; 0.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Easy

43. The rectangular coordinates of a point are (5.00, y) and the polar coordinates of this point are (r,
67.4°). What is the value of the polar coordinate r in this case?
a. 1.92
b. 4.62
c. 12.0
d. 13.0
e. More information is needed.
ANS: D PTS: 2 DIF: Average

44. In what quadrant are both the sine and tangent negative?
a. 1st
b. 2nd
c. 3rd
d. 4th
e. This cannot happen.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy

PROBLEM

45. Two vectors starting at the same origin have equal and opposite x components. Is it possible for the
two vectors to be perpendicular to each other? Justify your answer.

ANS:
Yes. If the y components are of the right magnitudes, the angle can be 90 degrees. (This will occur if
and A = B tan 1.)

PTS: 3 DIF: Challenging

46. A vector starts at coordinate (3.0, 4.0) and ends at coordinate (−2.0, 16.0). What are the magnitude and
direction of this vector?

ANS:
13.0 m, 113°.

PTS: 2 DIF: Average

47. What two vectors are each the same magnitude as and perpendicular to ?

ANS:
and .

PTS: 3 DIF: Challenging