CIVIL ENGINEERING ENHANCEMENT COURSE 1 BY: ENGR.

AML

Module 5 – VECTORS AND ITS APPLICATIONS

This module is designed to provide you with a solid foundation in vectors. Through engaging
explanations and practical examples, you'll gain a deep understanding of these mathematical concepts
and their applications in engineering.

Topics included in this module are the following:

 Vectors, Direction Vectors
 Unit Vectors and Direction Cosines
 Sum and Difference of Vectors
 Vector Multiplication
 Application of Vectors

VECTORS

A vector is a mathematical quantity that has

both magnitude (size) and direction. It's often
represented by an arrow, where the length of the
arrow indicates the magnitude and the direction of the
arrow shows the orientation.

Vector A:
𝑨⃑ = 𝑨𝒙 𝒊 + 𝑨𝒚 𝒋 + 𝑨𝒛 𝒌

𝑨⃑ = 〈𝑨𝒙 𝑨𝒚 𝑨𝒛 〉
Magnitude:
𝑨⃑ = (𝑨𝒙 )𝟐 + (𝑨𝒚 )𝟐 + (𝑨𝒛 )𝟐

Problem: Determine the magnitude of the following vectors.

1. 𝐴 = 8𝑖 + 4𝑗 − 2𝑘
2. 𝐵 = 2𝑗 + 6𝑘
3. 𝐶 = 〈3 − 2 4〉

DIRECTION VECTORS

A direction vector is a vector that points in a specific direction. It is often used to represent
the orientation of a line, plane, or other geometric object.

Problem: Given the three points in a 3D space, P (2, -1, 3), Q (1, 2, 4) and R (3, 1, 1).
1. Determine the vector 𝑷𝑸⃑.
2. Determine the vector 𝑷𝑹⃑.

Problem: Define a vector whose coordinate of Head is (1, 4, -7) and tail (-3, -7, 10), if the vector
defined by these coordinates is transferred to another location such that its tail is on point (1, 2, -5)
determine the coordinate of the head.
A. (5, -13, -22) B. (5, 13, -22) C. (-5, 13, 22) D. (-22, 13, 5)

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 CIVIL ENGINEERING ENHANCEMENT COURSE 1 BY: ENGR. AML

Problem: If A (x, y, z) and B (2y, x, 6) and the vector 𝑨𝑩⃑ is < 1 -1 5 >

1. Which of the following gives the value of x.

A. 2 B. 4 C. 1 D. -1

2. Which of the following gives the value of y

A. 0 B. -8 C. 2 D. 1

UNIT VECTOR

A unit vector is a vector with a magnitude of 1. It is often used to represent a direction without
specifying a particular magnitude.

𝝀⃑ = 〈𝝀𝒙 𝝀𝒚 𝝀𝒛 〉

𝑨⃑ 〈𝑨𝒙 𝑨𝒚 𝑨𝒛 〉 𝑨𝒙 𝑨𝒚 𝑨𝒛
𝝀𝑨⃑ = = =〈 〉
𝑨⃑ (𝑨𝒙 )𝟐 + (𝑨𝒚 )𝟐 + (𝑨𝒛 )𝟐 𝑨⃑ 𝑨⃑ 𝑨⃑

𝝀⃑ = (𝝀𝒙 )𝟐 + (𝝀𝒚 )𝟐 + (𝝀𝒛 )𝟐 = 𝟏 𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕

Problem: Determine the unit vectors of the following:

1. 𝐴 = 2𝑖 + 3𝑗
2. 𝐵 = 2𝑖 + 6𝑗 + 𝑘
3. 𝐶 = 〈2 7 1〉

Problem: If A = 5i - 2j + 8k and B = xi - 4j + zk. Determine x and z component of B, if unit vector

of A is equal to unit vector of B.
A. 0 & 16 B. -10 & -16 C. 100 & 256 D. 10 & 16

Problem: Determine a vector whose magnitude is 20 and with the same direction with vector A = 5i
- 2j + 8k.

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 CIVIL ENGINEERING ENHANCEMENT COURSE 1 BY: ENGR. AML

DIRECTION COSINE

- are the cosines of the angles between a vector and the coordinate axes. They are used to
describe the direction of a vector in a three-
dimensional space.

𝝀⃑ = 〈𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝜽𝒙 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝜽𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝜽𝒛 〉

𝟏 (𝝀
𝜽𝒙 = 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝒙)

𝟏
𝜽𝒚 = 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝝀𝒚

𝟏 (𝝀
𝜽𝒛 = 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝒛)

Where:
𝜽𝒙 , 𝜽𝒚 , 𝜽𝒛 – are angles measured from the
positive axes to the direction of the vector.

Problem: Determine the angles that vector 8𝑖 + 4𝑗 − 2𝑘 makes with the positive axes.

Problem: Determine the angle that vector 𝑨⃑ = 4i + 3j - 1k makes with the negative x axis
A. 141.7° B. 38.3° C. 54.0° D. 101.3°

SUM AND DIFFERENCE OF VECTORS

Let:
𝑨⃑ = 〈𝑨𝒙 𝑨𝒚 𝑨𝒛 〉
𝑩⃑ = 〈𝑩𝒙 𝑩𝒚 𝑩𝒛 〉
For 𝑨⃑ + 𝑩⃑ :

𝑨⃑ + 𝑩⃑ = (𝑨𝒙 + 𝑩𝒙 )𝒊 + 𝑨𝒚 + 𝑩𝒚 𝒋 + (𝑨𝒛 + 𝑩𝒛 )𝒌

For 𝑨⃑ − 𝑩⃑ :

𝑨⃑ − 𝑩⃑ = (𝑨𝒙 − 𝑩𝒙 )𝒊 + 𝑨𝒚 − 𝑩𝒚 𝒋 + (𝑨𝒛 − 𝑩𝒛 )𝒌

Problem: Let 𝐴 = 4𝑖 + 2𝑗 − 7𝑘 and 𝐵 = 3𝑖 − 4𝑗 + 5𝑘 determine the following.

1. A + B
2. A – B

Problem: If A = 2i + 4j - 8k, B = i + 9j - 4 k and C = 5i - 7j + 3k,

1. Determine the Resultant of vectors A, B and C.
2. Determine the Magnitude of the resultant

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VECTOR MULTIPLICATION

Let:
𝑨⃑ = 〈𝑨𝒙 𝑨𝒚 𝑨𝒛 〉
𝑩⃑ = 〈𝑩𝒙 𝑩𝒚 𝑩𝒛 〉

A. DOT (SCALAR) PRODUCT:

𝑨⃑ ∙ 𝑩⃑ = (𝑨𝒙 𝑩𝒙 ) + 𝑨𝒚 𝑩𝒚 + (𝑨𝒛 𝑩𝒛 )

Also,
𝑨⃑ ∙ 𝑩⃑ = 𝑨⃑ 𝑩⃑ 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝜽
Where:
𝑨⃑ − 𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑑𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑣𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝐴
𝑩⃑ − 𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑑𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑣𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝐵
𝜽 − 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑣𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝐴 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑣𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝐵

B. CROSS (VECTOR) PRODUCT:

𝒊 𝒋 𝒌
⃑ ⃑
𝑨×𝑩= 𝐴 𝐴 𝐴
𝐵 𝐵 𝐵

𝑨⃑ × 𝑩⃑ = + 𝑨𝒚 𝑩𝒛 − 𝑨𝒛 𝑩𝒚 𝒊 − (𝑨𝒙 𝑩𝒛 − 𝑨𝒛 𝑩𝒙 )𝒋
+ 𝑨𝒙 𝑩𝒚 − 𝑨𝒚 𝑩𝒙 𝒌

Also,
𝑨⃑ × 𝑩⃑ = 𝑨⃑ 𝑩⃑ 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜽

Where:
𝑨⃑ × 𝑩⃑ − 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑣𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑜𝑡ℎ 𝑣𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝐴 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑣𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝐵.

Problem: Let 𝐴 = 4𝑖 + 2𝑗 − 7𝑘 and 𝐵 = 3𝑖 − 4𝑗 + 5𝑘 determine the following.

1. 𝑨⃑ ∙ 𝑩⃑
2. 𝑨⃑ × 𝑩⃑
3. The angle between vector A and vector B.

Problem: What is the angle between the two vectors A and B if A = 4i + 12j + 6 k and B = 24i - 8j +
6k?
A. 94.56° B. 78.33° C. 84.32° D. 44.56°

APPLICATIONS OF VECTOR

Problem: What is the perpendicular distance of the line AB that passes from A (1, 4, -5) to B (1, -4,
9) from the origin?
A. 3.505 B. 1.409 C. 2.271 D. 1.612

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 CIVIL ENGINEERING ENHANCEMENT COURSE 1 BY: ENGR. AML

Problem: Find the value of c so that vectors 2i + 4j + 5k and 2ci + cj – k are perpendicular.

Problem: The coordinates of triangle in space are as follows: A (-2, 3, 1), B (-3, 2, -2) and C (1, 4, -
1).
1. Determine the interior angles of the triangle.
2. Determine the area of the triangle.

Problem: Find the area of the parallelogram if two sides are represented by vector 〈1 2 7〉 and
〈5 7 9〉.

Problem: Find the volume of the parallelepiped whose edges are represented by A = 2i – 3j + 4k, B
= i + 2j – k and C = 3i – j + 2k?

Problem: If 𝐴 = 4𝑖 − 9𝑗 − 8𝑘 and 𝐵 = 〈𝑥 𝑥 𝑥 〉. If their dot product is zero, determine the value

of x.

Problem: Resolve into component if a force of 1000 KN passes through point A (2,1,9) to B (7,9,12).

Problem: A concurrent force system in space is composed of 3 forces described as follows. A = 100
kN acts through origin and (3, 4, 2). B = 60 kN and acts through the origin and (4, 1, -2). C = 80 kN
and acts trough the origin and (2, -3, 3).

1. What is the resultant force?

2. What are the xyz-components of the resultant force?

Problem: The resultant of the concurrent forces has a magnitude of 1000 kN and acts through the
origin and the points (2,3,4). What is the z component of the resultant force?
A. 748.27 kN B. 742.78 kN C. 811.22 kN D. 911.22 kN

Problem: A force F = 1000 KN passes through the point (1, 2, 5) to (7, 8, 10). Determine the
magnitude of the moment of the force about the origin.
A. 3307.29 B. 3037.92 C. 2330.79 D. 2313.90

Problem: A force F=1500 KN passes through the point (1, 1, 1) to (5, 5, 5). Determine the components
of moment about point (-1, -1, -1)
A. < 9 7 4 > B. < 0 0 0 > C. < 4 6 9 > D. < 1 6 7 >

Problem: A force F represents a force that has a magnitude of 9 lb and 2π/3 is the radian measure of
its direction angle. Find the work done by the force in moving the object from the origin to the point
( -4, -2). Distance is in ft.
A. 2.41 B. 3.41 C. 6.71 D. 3.56

Problem: Two particles represented by the vectors F1 = 3i – 5j + 7k and F2 = 3i + 2j – 7k act on a

particle and causes it to move along the line from the point A (2, 4, 1) to the point B (5, 3, -8). Find
the work done. F is in Newton and distance is in meters.
A. 34 Nm B. 14 Nm C. 21 Nm D. 24 Nm

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