MCE 131: Mechanics of

Machines I

LECTURE 1 VECTORS

Dr Peter Nyanor
Mechanical Engineering Department
Accra Technical University
 Sections of Lecture 1
• What is a vector?
• Describing vectors
• Multiplication and Division of vectors
• Addition and Subtraction of Vectors
• Vectors in same or opposite directions
• Vectors at right angles
• All other vectors
 What is a vector?

Vectors are quantities that have magnitude (size)

AND direction.
For example:
35 m is a scalar quantity.
35 m [East] is a vector quantity.

Quantities like temperature, time, mass and

distance are examples of scalar quantities.
Quantities like force, velocity, and displacement are
examples of vector quantities.
 Describing Vectors
Consider a gravitational force of 65 N [down]

magnitude unit direction

Vectors are graphically represented by arrows:

Length = magnitude
Drawn to scale
 When describing vectors, it is convenient to
use a standard (x,y) reference frame.

+ y direction
North
up

- x direction +x direction
West East
left right

- y direction
South
down
 In physics, convention dictates vector direction
(angle) is measured from the x axis of the frame of
reference.

+ y direction
North
up
S

- x direction 30o +x direction

West
East
left
right

[right, 30o above horizontal]

[30o N of E] - y direction
[E, 30o upwards] South
down
In math it is common to describe direction differently:

For example:

To a physicist, the direction of

this vector is [60o S of W]

OR . . . measure the angle of

direction in a counter clockwise
direction from East. The same
vector direction is now described as
[240o] This method has advantages.
 Multiplication and Division with Vectors
Any vector can be multiplied or divided by a
scalar (regular) number.
The multiplication or division will change the
magnitude of the vector quantity but not the
direction.
For example:

F 2F
 Addition and Subtraction of Vectors
Part 1: Parallel vectors

Example 1: Akua walks 35 m [E], rests for 20 s and

then walks 25 m [E]. What is Akua’s overall
displacement? (what is displacement??)

Solve graphically s1 s2
by drawing a scale
diagram.

1 cm = 10 m
Place vectors head to
tail and measure
s  60 m [E]
resultant vector.
 Solve algebraically by adding the two magnitudes.
WE CAN ONLY DO THIS BECAUSE THE VECTORS ARE
IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
SO 35 m [E] + 25 m [E] = 60 m [E]

Example 2: Akua walks 35 m [E], rests for 20 s

and then walks 25 m [W]. What is Akua’s overall
displacement?

x1 x2
Solve Graphically 
x1  x 2 resultant

x  10 m [E]
Algebraic solution, we can still add the two
magnitudes. WE CAN ONLY DO THIS BECAUSE THE
VECTORS ARE PARALLEL!
WE MUST MAKE ONE VECTOR NEGATIVE TO
INDICATE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.
SO 35 m [E] + 25 m [W]
= 35 m [E] + – 25 m [E]
= 10 m [E]

Note that 25 m [W] is the same as – 25 m [E]

 Addition and Subtraction of Vectors
Part 2: Perpendicular Vectors
Example 3: Blog walks 30 m [N], rests for 20 s and
then walks 40 m [E]. What is Blog’s overall
displacement?
Solve Graphically
x1  x 2
x1 x2


length  50 m
  37o
x  50 m [37o N of
 Addition and Subtraction of Vectors
Part 2: Perpendicular Vectors
Algebraic solution: use trigonometry.

Diagram does not need

x1 x2
to be to scale.


x  302  402  50 m 

y 30
  tan1 x tan1     37o
40
x  50 m [37o N of
E]
Part 3 - Adding multiple vectors (method of components)

Consider the following 3 displacement vectors: A

student walks
3 m [45o N of E]
6 m [N]
5 m [30o N of W]

Vectors are illustrated here to scale.

To determine the resultant displacement, add the
individual vectors graphically by drawing them head to
tail.
 Show scale diagram solution here

3 m [45o N of E]

6 m [N]

5 m [30o N of W]

The resultant displacement is 11 m [102o] OR 11 m [78o N of W]

It is not possible to add the
vectors shown in the
diagram by the algebra
methods discussed
previously. The vectors are
neither parallel or
perpendicular.
 Method of Components
To add vectors that are not in the same or perpendicular
directions – use method of components.
All vectors can be described in terms of two components
called the x component and the y component.
This is a
displacement vector
of magnitude 36 m

The vector has been

placed on an x,y
coordinate axis with
the tail at the origin
(0,0)
 Method of Components
The x component of this vector is shown by the green
line. The y component of this vector is shown by the
pink line.

x
 Method of Components
You may have noticed that the original vector is just the sum
of the two vector components

y
+
x
There is NO
difference in 36 m [34o N of E]
displacement
between walking 36
m [34o N of E] and
walking x m
[E] followed by y m [N]
 Now consider this vector

36 m [34o N of E]

Graphically added
Resultant
to a second
vector
18 m [45o S of E] We can’t use algebra to add
these vectors directly BUT
we could use algebra to add
their components.
 18 m [45o S of E]
36 m [34o N of E]
y1 y2

x2

x1
y2

y1
To get the same resultant

x1 x2
Conclusion: Adding the vectors
graphically using their components
produces the same result.

BONUS: Components can be added using

math methods because all x components
are in the same plane as are all y
components. Furthermore, x and y
components are perpendicular and can be
added to each other using Pythagorean
theorem.
 Determining Components

y 
S sin    
y S

x 
 cos    
S
x

The x component = S (cos 

The y component = S (sin )

Where S is the magnitude of the original vector and

 is the angle between the original vector and the x axis
Examples:
Resolve the following vectors into x and y components

Vector X Y
15.2 m [27o N of E] 13.5 m 6.90 m
12.7 ms-1 [56o] 7.1 ms- 10.5 ms-1
1

45.0 N [48o N of W] -30.1 33.4 N

N
725 m [205o] -657 -306 m
m
 Solving vector problems
Example: Akua starts his walk at the old oak tree. He
walks 55 m [42o S of E] to Point A. He then walks
75 m [185o] to Point B. He then walks a final
62 m [78o N of W] to Point C. What is Akua’s overall
displacement?

Step 1 (always) C
Sketch a diagram
(does not have to be to
scale but it helps) A
B
 Solving vector problems
Step 2: Resolve vectors into x and y
components and add them.
Vector X Y

55 m [42o S of E] 40.9 -36.8

75 m [185o] -74.7 -6.54

62 m [78o N of W] -12.9 60.6

s x  Ax  B x  C x
s x  55 cos(42)  75 cos(185)  62
cos(78)
 sx  40.9  74.7  12.9
 Solving vector problems
Step 2: Resolve vectors into x and y
components and add them.
Vector X Y

55 m [42o S of E] 40.9 -36.8

75 m [185o] -74.7 -6.54

62 m [78o N of W] -12.9 60.6

s y  Ay  B y  C y
s y  55 sin(42)  75 sin(185)  62

sin(78)
s y  36.8  6.54  60.6
 Solving vector problems
Step 3: Use sum of components to determine
resultant.
Sx = -46.7 m OR 46.7 m [W]
Sy = 17.3 m or 17.3 m [N]
Use trig to find length and direction
of resultant.

49.8 m [20.3o N of W]
Sy = 17.3 m

Sx = - 46.7 m