Math & Vector Practice Assignment

Be sure to read all directions throughout the packet. All work must be completed on the pages
below in the areas provided. Calculators should be avoided. No physics is needed for this
assignment!

Scientific Notation Review

Solve the following. Final answers should be in scientific notation.

−8 2 −11 1.00 ×10 26

1) (5.0 ×10 )(2.9 ×10 ) 2) 6.000 ×10
2.00 ×10 7

Unit Conversions Review

3) Finish the SI prefix table below. Follow the example of the centi- prefix. You should be familiar
with these.

Symbol Name Numerical

Equivalent
n
µ
m
c centi 10-2
k
M
G

Example for #4-6:

140 kilometers is how many centimeters?

140 km X 1000 m X 100 cm = 1.4 x 107 cm

1 1 km 1m

4) 16.7 kilograms is how many grams?

5) 8.99 ×10 9 seconds is how many years?

€
6) 2.998 ×10 m/s is how many kilometers per hour?
8

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Trigonometry Review
Use the figure below to answer problems 7-10. Simplify as much as you can.

c
a
q
b

7) Find c if given a and b. 8) Find a if given b and c.

9) Find b if given a and q. 10) Find q if given b and c.

11) Using the properties of triangles, prove that ÐA ≅ ÐC in the drawing below.

Answer:

Area Review
12) What is the area under the curve at the right?
4
_____________________

12 20
 Algebra Review
Solve the following equations for the given variable and conditions. Simplify if needed.

Example: 2x + xy = z . Solve for x.

x(2 + y) = z
z
x=
2+ y

2 2
13)
v f = v i + 2ad
A.) Solve for vi. B.) Solve for d.

1 2
d f = di + v o t +
at
14) 2
A.) Solve for vo. B.) Solve for t, if vo = 0.

v2
ac = Solve for v.
15) r

1 1
2 2
mv f + mgh f = mv i + mghi Solve for hf , if hi = 0 and vf = 0.
16) 2 2

m1v i,1 + m2v i,2 = m1v f ,1 + m2v f ,2 . Solve for vf,2 , if vi,1 = 0.
17)

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 L
T = 2π . Solve for g.
18) g

Miscellaneous
Simplify without using a calculator. Remember to show all of your work.

1 1 1 1
19) + 20) +
4 6 3 18

x s2
21) Consider z = , c = ab , l = m − n , or r = 2 .
y t

a.) As x increases and y stays constant, z _____________________.

€ €
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€ b.) As y increases and x stays constant, z _____________________.

c.) As x increases and z stays constant, y _____________________.

d.) As a increases and c stays constant, b _____________________.

e.) As c increases and b stays constant, a _____________________.

f.) As b increases and a stays constant, c _____________________.

g.) As n increases and m stays constant, l _____________________.

h.) As l increases and n stays constant, m _____________________.

i.) If s is tripled and t stays constant, r is multiplied by _____________________.

j.) If t is doubled and s stays constant, r is multiplied by _____________________.

 Vectors

Most of the quantities in physics are vectors. This makes proficiency in vectors extremely
important.

Magnitude: Size or extent. The numerical value. Answers questions like “how big?” or “how much?”
Direction: Alignment or orientation of any position with respect to any other position. Answers
questions like “which way?” and ”relative to what point of reference?”
Scalars: A physical quantity described by a single number and units. A quantity described by
magnitude only.
Examples: time, mass and temperature (they do not have a direction associated with them)
Vectors: A physical quantity with both a magnitude and a direction. A directional quantity.
Examples: velocity, acceleration, force (you need to know how big and in which direction)
Notation: A or A Length of the arrow is proportional to the vector’s magnitude.
Direction the arrow points is the direction of the vector.
Negative Vectors
Negative vectors have the same magnitude as their positive counterpart. They are just pointing in the opposite
direction.

A -A

Vector Addition and Subtraction

Think of it as vector addition only. The result of adding vectors is called the resultant. R
A+ B = R A + B = R
So if A has a magnitude of 3 and B has a magnitude of 2, then R has a magnitude of 3+2=5.
When you need to subtract one vector from another, think of the one being subtracted as being a negative
vector. Then add them.
 
( )
A − B is really A + - B = R A + -B = R

A negative vector has the same length as its positive counterpart, but its direction is reversed.
So if A has a magnitude of 3 and B has a magnitude of 2, then R has a magnitude of 3+(-2)=1.

This is very important. In physics, a negative number does not always mean a smaller number.
Mathematically, –2 is smaller than +2. But, in physics, these numbers have the same magnitude (size), they just
point in different directions (180o apart).

There are two methods of adding vectors

Parallelogram
A+B
A A A
R
B
B B
A–B

A R
B A A
-B -B
 “Tip to Tail”
A+B
B B
A
B A A R

A–B
-B -B
A
B A R
A

Both methods arrive at the exact same solution since either method is essentially a parallelogram. It is useful
to understand both systems. In some problems, one method works better than the other.

22) Draw the resultant vector using the parallelogram method of vector addition (just DRAW them, no calculations
here).
Example b. d.

a. c. e.
 23) Draw the resultant vector using the “tip to tail” method of vector addition. Label the resultant as vector R.
b. T – S
Example 1: A + B
B
R A T S
A B

c. A+B+C
Example 2: A – B
-
B A B C
A B A R

d. A–B–C
a. X+Y

Y A B C
X

Direction: What does positive or negative direction mean? How is it referenced? The answer is the coordinate axis
system. In physics, a coordinate axis system is used to give a problem a frame of reference. Positive direction is a
vector moving in the positive x or positive y direction, while a negative vector moves in the negative x or negative y
direction. This also applies to the z direction, which will be used sparingly in this course.

+y
-x q

+x
-y

What about vectors that don’t fall on the axis? You must specify their direction using degrees measured from East.
“East” is the same as the positive X-axis in this case.
Component Vectors
A resultant vector is a vector resulting from the sum of two or more other vectors. Finding the components is the
reverse of finding a resultant. Component vectors are the vectors that are parallel to the x- and y-axes that, when
added together, equal the resultant. (NOTE: this is true at least for now…just wait until rotation!)

R R R
+Ry +Ry

+Rx or +Rx

Any vector can be described by an x-axis vector and a y-axis vector, which when summed together, mean the exact
same thing. The advantage is you can then use plus and minus signs for direction instead of the angle.

24) For the following vectors draw the component vectors along the x and y axes.
a. c.

b. d.

Note: The quadrant that a vector is in determines the sign of the x and y component vectors.