iGCSE Mathematics | X801

Topic 5A
Vectors

Topic p5Acc
Aicc c
oipoc
AAi
Notation
Vectors can be written in many ways. Usually they are represented
by a letter in bold or a letter that’s underlined. You can also represent
a vector that goes from point A to point B as AB

Column Vectors
Column vectors are one way of writing vectors, they are of the form:

(xy)
Where x is the number of units right, and y is the number of units up.
If x is negative it’s the number of units left, if y is negative it is the
number of units down.

Example 1
Draw the vector m = ( )
-3
2

The vector will be 3 units to the left and 2 units up:

m
Magnitude
The magnitude of a vector is just its length, to find the magnitude of
a vector we use Pythagoras. The magnitude is represented by |x|,
where x is a vector. So the formula to find the magnitude of vector
x= (xy) would be √x + y = |x|
2 2

Example
Find the magnitude of the vector AB = ()5
6

We use the formula above:

|AB| = √52 + 62

|AB| = √25 + 36

|AB| = √61 ≈ 7.8

Adding or Subtracting
Column Vectors
To add or subtract column vectors, simply add the x values together
and the y values together. The sum of these vectors is called the
resultant vector.

Example
p= ()
3
1 q= ( ) -2
0 r= ( )
1
-3

Work out the following and draw the resultant vectors:

a) p + q b) r – q

Answers:

a) p + q = ( 3 + (-2)
1+0 )=( )1
1 q

p+q
p

b) r – q = ( 1 – (-2)
-3 – 0 )=( ) 3
-3
r–q
r

–q
Multiplying Column Vectors
By a Scalar
A scalar is just a number. To multiply column vectors by a number
we multiple the x value and the y value by the number. The resulting
vector is parallel to the original vector. If the scalar is negative then
the vectors direction is reversed.

Example
If p = ( ), write the following as column vectors:
2
-3
1
a) 2 p b) p c) – p
2

Answers:

a) 2 p = ( 2×2
2 ×-3 )=( ) 4
-6

( )=( )
1
1 2 ×2 1
b) p= 1
× -3 -1.5
2 2

c) – p = ( -1 × 2
-1 × -3 )=( ) -2
3
Resultant Vectors
Resultant vectors can also be found by adding vectors that are
known to describe movements between points.

Example 1
Find the vector PR

P a Q

The best way to think of this, is we can get from point P to R

two ways. We could go from P to R directly, or we could go a
longer way, we could go from P to Q to R and add the vectors
as we go along. Both routes give the same vector. However as
we have no value for PR , we can use the latter to work out PR .

So the total route from P to Q to R would be:

PR = PQ + QR

PR = a + b

Note: If when working out the route you have to go backwards,

the vector becomes negative.
 Example 2
Find the vector AC

A C

p q
B

We can get from point A to C two ways, we could go from A to

C directly, or we could go a longer way, we could go from A to
B to C and add the vectors as we go along.

So the total route from A to B to C would be:

AC = AB + BC

Going from A to B is in the opposite direction to the vector p so

the vector to go form A to B would be -p.

AC = -p + q

Parallel Vectors
Vectors are considered parallel if they are scalar multiples of
one another.

Parallel vectors are also considered to be colinear, that is they lie on

the same line, so if you need to prove that vectors are colinear, all
you have to do is prove that they are on the same line.
Vectors with Ratio
Sometimes you may be given lengths of vectors as ratios. For
2
example, XY:YZ = 2:3 tells us that XY is the size of XZ, and YZ is
5
3
the size of XZ. This can be written as:
5
2 3
XY = 5 XZ and YZ = 5 XZ

Example 1
1
In the diagram, OB = a, AB = 2b, BD = a – b and DC = a – 4b.
2
Show that OAC is a straight line.

A
1
O a – 4b
2b 2

a
B a–b D

To prove OAC is a straight line we have to prove OA and AC are

scalar multiples of one another. So we first have to work out the
vector OA and AC.

OA = OB + BA
OA = a + – 2b
OA = a – 2b

AC = AB + BD + DC
1
AC = 2b + a – b + a – 4b
2
1
AC = 1 a – 3b
2 As AC is a scalar multiple of OA,
1
AC = 1 (OA) OAC is a straight line.
2
Example 2
b
A B

D E C

ABCD is a parallelogram, with AB parallel to DC and AD

parallel to BC.

Point E lies on DC, such that DE:EC = 3:1.

BC = a and BA = b

Find AE in terms of a and b.

Answer:

AE = AD + DE

3
DE = DC
4

As ABCD is a parallelogram AB = DC and AD = BC

DC = – b (as direction is opposite)

3
DE = (– b)
4

3
AE = a + – b
4
Self-Check Question 1
Draw arrows to represent the following vectors.

a) ( )
1
4 b) ( )
3
5 c) ( )
-2
4 d) ( )
0
5

Self-Check Question 2
Write the answers to the following calculations as column
vectors. For each expression, draw arrows to represent the two
given vectors and the resultant vector.

a) ()()
5
2 +
3
4 b) ( )()
4
-1 +
1
6

c) ()( )
0
5 +
-3
4 d) ( )( )
-2
6 +
-3
1

Self-Check Question 3
p C
ABCD is a trapezium. D

Write down, in terms

q
of p and q:

a) CA b) CB c) BD
A B
4p
Self-Check Question 4
In the diagram, OA = a B
and OB = b.
b
Point C is added such that
OC = a + b.

O A
a) What type of shape is OACB? a

b) Write down, in terms of a and b (i) CO , (ii) AB

Self-Check Question 5
GE = m, GF = n, GA = 5GE and GB = 3GF
B is the midpoint of AD, and C is the midpoint of BD.

A B C D

E n
m
G

a) Write down, in terms of m and n:

(i) GA (ii) GB (iii) FB (iv) AB (v) BC
If E, F and C were on a straight line, EF and FC would be parallel.
b) Find EF and FC in terms of m and n, and use your answers
to show that E, F and C do not lie on a straight line.