MAT122

Lecture Notes
VECTORS

Vectors

In this lecture, we will learn about:

Vectors and their applications.
Elementary Vector Analysis
Definition (Scalar and vector)
Scalar is a quantity that has magnitude
but not direction.
For instance mass, volume, distance

Vector is a directed quantity, one with

both magnitude and direction.
For instance acceleration, velocity, force
 VECTOR
The term vector is used by scientists to
indicate a quantity (such as displacement
or velocity or force) that has both magnitude
and direction.
 TYPES OF VECTORS
1. Zero Vector A vector whose initial and terminal points
coincide, is called a zero vector (or null vector), and denoted as
0. Zero vector can not be assigned a definite direction as it has
zero magnitude. Or, alternatively otherwise, it may be regarded
as having any direction. The vectors AA, BB represent the zero
vector.
2. Unit Vector A vector whose magnitude is unity (i.e., 1 unit) is
called a unit vector. The unit vector in the direction of a given
vector a is denoted by a ˆ
3. Coinitial Vectors Two or more vectors having the same initial
point are called coinitial vectors.
 TYPES OF VECTORS
4. Collinear Vectors Two or more vectors are said to be
collinear if they are parallel to the same line, irrespective of their
magnitudes and directions.
5. Equal Vectors Two vectors a and b are said to be equal, if
they have the same magnitude and direction regardless of the
positions of their initial points, and written as a = b
Negative of a Vector A vector whose magnitude is the same as
that of a given vector say, AB, but direction is opposite to that of
it, is called negative of the given vector. Eg. BA is negative of AB
and written as BA = -AB
Exercise 1

Exercise 2
 REPRESENTING A VECTOR
A vector is often represented by an arrow or a
directed line segment.
REPRESENTING A VECTOR

A vector is often represented by

an arrow or a directed line segment.

 The length of the arrow represents the magnitude

of the vector.
REPRESENTING A VECTOR

A vector is often represented by

an arrow or a directed line segment.

 The length of the arrow represents the magnitude

of the vector.

 The arrow points in the direction of the vector.

 DENOTING A VECTOR

We denote a vector by either:

 Printing a letter in boldface (v, a, F, …)

 Putting an arrow above the letter ( v , a,F, . . . )

 Underline (v, a, F . . .)

Scalars : ordinary or italic font (m, q, t . . .)

Exercise 3
Exercise 4

Exercise 5
 MAGNITUDE/MODULUS OF A VECTOR

If we represent a vector as an arrow from the origin O

to a point A.

A A
OA or
a
O O

then, the length or the size of the arrow is the

magnitude of the vector written as
OA , a or a

.
 MAGNITUDE/DIRECTION OF A VECTOR
If we denote a vector as, a
the magnitude of a vector as a
and a unit vector specifying the direction of the
vector is given as
a
Then the vector can be represented as
a aa
This implies that a vector can be written as a product
of its magnitude and its unit vector in the direction of
the vector.
VECTOR MAGNITUDE
1 1 A
A
2 A or OP 2 A,A or OP

3 A 3 A

4 A 4 A

5 OP 5 OP
Note: You can as well use small letters
 UNIT VECTOR
A unit vector is a vector with length or magnitude 1 and may
point in any direction.
A unit vector in the direction of vector a
a
a
a
 COMPONENTS OF A VECTOR
Suppose a is a 2-D vector which has initial point Q  x1 , y1 
and terminal point R  x2 , y2 , then the components of the
vector are a1  x1  y1; a2  x2  y2

Then, a   a1 , a2 

y  axis
Q  x2 , y2 
y2
a a2
R  x1 , y1 
y1
a1

x  axis
x1 x2
 COMPONENTS OF A VECTOR
A 3-Dimensional vector can then be represented as
A   A1 , A2 , A3 
 COMPONENTS OF A VECTOR
A 3-Dimensional vector can then be represented as
a   a1 , a2 , a3 

MAGNITUDE/MODULUS OF A VECTOR
a  a1  a2
2 2 and a  a1
2
 a2
2
 a3
2
for a 3-D

y  axis
Q

a a2
R
a1

x  axis
 i, j, k NOTATION FOR VECTORS
Consider the vector a   a1 , a2 , a3  , this can also be represented
 a1 
as   or a   a1i  a2 j  a3k 
a   a2 
 a3 
where
i to represent the unit vector along x-axis i.e. (1,0,0)

j to represent the unit vector along y-axis i.e. (0,1,0)

And
k to represent the unit vector along z-axis i.e. (0,0,1)

The triple of vector i, j, k is called the standard basis of 3 or

rectangular component vectors or simply component vectors of
a in the x, y and z direction respectively
 POSITION VECTOR

Given a Cartesian coordinate system, the

position vector or radius vector r of a point
A (x, y, z) is the vector with the origin (0,0,0)
as the initial point and A as the terminal point,
then r can be written as r   x, y, z  ; r   xi  yj  zk 

The magnitude or modulus is given as

r  r  x2  y 2  z 2
 2-DIMENSIONAL VECTOR
It is 2-dimensional because of x-and y-axes; and
rectangular because right angle between x and y
directions.
2
It is also called 2-space or where R is a real number
and 2 represents dimension.

3-DIMENSIONAL, 3-space, 3
or  , , 
 y  axis
2-dimensional

x  axis

z  axis
3-dimensional, 3-space,
3
 , , 

y  axis

x  forward
x  axis
y  right
z  up
In the diagram below a, b and c are mutually
perpendicular.
 ADDITION OF VECTORS
The sum/resultant of two vectors, say, AB
and BC is the single vector AC . The journey
from A to C can be accomplished in two ways:
(i) From A to B and then from B to C
C
(ii) Directly from A to C

A B
 TRIANGLE LAW OF VECTORS ADDITION

The sum or resultant of two vectors, A and B

is the vector C formed by placing the initial
point of B on the terminal point of A and then
joining the initial point of A to the terminal
point of B. This is written as C  A  B
NOTE: This is also known as nose-to-tail or
head-to-tail.
C
B
A
 PARALLELOGRAM LAW OF VECTORS ADDITION
If we have two vectors A and B represented by
the two adjacent sides of a parallelogram in
magnitude and direction, then their sum A + B is
represented in magnitude and direction by the
diagonal of the parallelogram through their
common point. NOTE: This is also called tail-to-
tail.
A C  A B

 

B
 PARALLELOGRAM LAW OF VECTORS ADDITION

The parallelogram law of vector addition

states that the resultant of two vectors is
represented by the diagonal of the
parallelogram whose adjacent sides are the
two vectors.
 Polygon Law of Vector Addition
Suppose there are more than two vectors to be added. The
triangle law of vector addition can be used repeatedly to add
more than two vectors.

A
A
O B
B D
C C
S
could represent
four forces D
acting upon S =A+ B + C +D
point 0 -tug-of-war
 a  b  AC
AC  c  AD

a  b  c  AD

a  b  c  d  AE
The sum of all vectors
a, b, c ,d, is given by the
single vector joining the start of the first to the
end of the last, AE. i.e.
AB  BC  CD  DE  AE
 PQ  QR  RS  ST  PT

1. AK  KL  LP  PQ  ?

AQ

2. AB  BC  CD  DE  EF  ?

AF
.

AB  BC  CD  DE  EA  0

The sum of the vectors a, b, c, d, e in the above

diagram is a closed figure which has zero magnitude,
because the end of the last vector coincides with the
beginning of the first, so that the resultant sum is a
vector with no magnitude.
1. GH  HJ  JK  KL  LG  0
2. AB  BC  CD  DA  0

1. AB  CB  CD  ED

Note: –CB = BC and –ED = DE

then,
AB  CB  CD  ED  AB  BC  CD  DE  AE

2. AC  CL  ML
3. PQ, TQ, PS , ST

PQ  TQ, PS  ST 

PQ  QT , PS  ST  PT  PT  2PT
 MULTIPLICATION OF A VECTOR BY A SCALAR
Multiplication of the vector a by a scalar l produces a
vector la which has magnitude l times the
magnitude of a. If l > 0 the direction of la is the same
as that of a. If l < 0 the direction of la is the opposite
to that of a. If l = 0 then la = 0.
Illustration: Let a be a vector and l some
scalar number. Then l a is a vector with
magnitude |l||a|. The sign of l dictates
the direction of l a.

a 2a

-3a
 LAWS OF VECTOR ALGEBRA

If a, b and c are vectors and m and n are scalars, then the following rules
hold:

1. a + b = b + a. Commutative law for addition

2. m a = mb. Commutative law for multiplication
2. a + (b + c) = (a + b) + c. Associative law for addition
3. m (n a) = (m n) a = m (n a) Associative law for multiplication
4. (m + n) a = m a + n a Distributive law
5. m (a + b) = m a + m b Distributive law
 
    a
Commutative : a  b  b  a  
      ba 
Associative : a  (b  c )  (a  b )  c    b
b ab

a

 
ab 
   
a  b  a  (b ) b

a

  b
ab
ADDITION, SUBTRACTION AND SCALAR MULTIPLICATION
OF VECTORS IN CARTESIAN FORM
Suppose vectors a and b are given by a  a1i  a2 j  a3 k and

b  b1 i  b2 j  b3 k .
Then,

a  b  (a1  b1 )i  (a2  b2 ) j  (a3  b3 )k

and

a  b  (a1  b1 )i  (a2  b2 ) j  (a3  b3 )k

Also,
ca  ca1 i  ca2 j  ca3 k
where c is a scalar multiplier.
COMPONENTS Example 5

If a = i + 2j – 3k and b = 4i + 7k,
express the vector 2a + 3b in terms
of i, j, and k.
COMPONENTS Example 5
Given a = i + 2j – 3k and b = 4i + 7k,
Using Properties 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7 of vectors,
we have:
COMPONENTS Example 5
Given a = i + 2j – 3k and b = 4i + 7k,
Using Properties 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7 of vectors,
we have:

2a + 3b = 2(i + 2j – 3k) + 3(4i + 7k)

COMPONENTS Example 5
Given a = i + 2j – 3k and b = 4i + 7k,
Using Properties 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7 of vectors,
we have:

2a + 3b = 2(i + 2j – 3k) + 3(4i + 7k)

= 2i + 4j – 6k + 12i + 21k
COMPONENTS Example 5
Given a = i + 2j – 3k and b = 4i + 7k,
Using Properties 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7 of vectors,
we have:

2a + 3b = 2(i + 2j – 3k) + 3(4i + 7k)

= 2i + 4j – 6k + 12i + 21k
= 14i + 4j + 15k
Exercise 6
1. Find the values of x & y so that vectors 2i+3j
and xi+4j are equal

2.
Exercise 7

Find the magnitudes of

 ASSIGNMENT
Compute the magnitude of the following