Addition of Vectors
Case 1: Parallel and Anti-parallel Vectors

*Resultant – the sum of two or more vectors

Case 1
A
Given: C B

R
5m

3m

Find:
7m
1. A+B
2. B +A
3. A–B
4. B–A
5. C+B
6. A–C
7. A+C R=C+B=-7m+3m=-4m
Case 1

1. A + B
*head-to-tail method 

- involves drawing a vector to scale on a sheet of paper

beginning at a designated starting position. Where the
head of this first vector ends, the tail of the second vector
begins (thus, head-to-tail method).
R

R=A+B=-5m+3m=-5m+3m=-2m
Case 1
 
2. B + A

A B A
R

R = B + A = 3 m + (-5 m) = - 2 m -B
R = - A - B = - 5 m + -(3 m)
= -5 m - 3 m
=-8m
Case 1  

-A

R = B - A = 3 m + -(-5 m) = 3 m + 5 m = 8 m
R

B
 Case 1
5. C + B
Given: Solution:
C B R

3m

7m

R=C+B=-7m+3m=-4m
Case 1
 

Given: Solution:
C -C
A R

5m

7m

R = A - C = A + (-C) = - 5 m + -(-7 m) = - 5 m + 7 m = 2 m
or
R = A - C = A + (-C) = - 5 m + (7 m) = - 5 m + 7 m = 2 m
Case 1
7. A + C Solution:
Given:
A
R = A + C = - 5 m + (-7 m)
C =-5m-7m
= - 12 m

5m

7m
Addition of Vectors
Case 2: Orthogonal Vectors
Solution:

Using the Pythagorean Theorem:  

 a2 + b2 = c2
 

102 + 122 = r2
100 + 144 = r2
244 = r2
15.62 = r

The resultant vector is 15.62 km long, 50.19o clockwise from positive y-axis
Or, 15.62 km long, 50.19o East of North
Right Triangles
 

Cx
x-component (from x-axis)  Hypotenuse
or horizontal component
   Side which contains the angle
 (adjacent side)
 Remaining side (opposite
 
side)
Cy
C  
 Hypotenuse: C
 Side which contains the angle
Cy = -C sin θ (adjacent side): Cx
 Remaining side (opposite
Cx = C cos θ side): Cy
y-component (from y-axis)
or vertical component
Right Triangles
 

 Hypotenuse: C
 Side which contains the
Cx angle (adjacent side): -Cy
 
  Remaining side (opposite
side): Cx
 
 

Cy  
C
Cy
 
Cx
Example 1
Given the two vectors:

10 m
6m

Find:
1. resultant (magnitude and direction)
2. measure of the other acute angle
Solution 6m

Using head-to-tail 10 m
method: 10 m

 
Analysis: 6m
 

Solution:  

10 m

o
59.04
6m
 Solution:  

10 m C

59.04o
6m

The resultant is 11.66 m, 59.04o clockwise from the negative x-axis.

The resultant is 11.66 m, 59.04o North of West.
For the other angle ():
 = 90o – 59.04o = 30.96o or  = 180o – (59.04o + 90o) = 30.960
Example 2:
Given:
70o

5m

Find the x and y component.

Solution
x = 1.71 m
70o

y = 4.70 m
5m

Analysis:
 Hypotenuse: 5 m
 Side which contains the angle (adjacent side):
Unknown
 Remaining side (opposite side): Unknown
 : 70o
Computation: 
Practice 1
Find the x and y component.

1. 2.
50 m 60o
30 m

50o

3. 40o

75 m

 
Practice 2
Determine the resultant vector (magnitude and direction).

1. 2.

30 m
30 ft

45 m
30 ft
50 N
3.

30 N
Addition of Vectors
Case 3
Given the two vectors:

6m
10 m

80o

Find the resultant (magnitude and direction).

Solution
Apply head-to-tail method to know where the resultant lies.

Apply the principle of

supplementary angles,
R to determine the R
10 m 10 m
measurement of one of
the angles inside the
80
o 100o
triangle.
6m 6m

To determine the magnitude of R, utilize Law of Cosines.

To determine the direction of R, use Law of Sines.

Solution

R = 12.52 m  
10 m  
 
100o

6m

Apply Law of Cosines to determine the magnitude of R:

 

 
 

 
Solution

R = 12.52 m
10 m

100o 
6m
Apply Law of Sines to determine the direction () of
R:
 

 
 

 
 
Answer:

12.52 m

51.87o

The resultant is 12.52 m, 51.87o North of West.

or
The resultant is 12.52 m, 51.87o from the negative x-axis
clockwise.
Law of Sines
Law of Cosines
Source:

https://www.mathsisfun.com/algebra/trig-cosine-law.html

https://www.mathsisfun.com/algebra/trig-sine-law.html
Addition of Vectors
Case 4: Three or More Vectors
Given the three vectors:

6m
10 m 12 m

80o

Find the resultant (magnitude and direction).

Solution
*Apply head-to-tail method to know where the resultant lies.

12 m

10 m

80o
6m
*Find the x and y component of each given vectors. Then add parallel or
anti-parallel vectors. (Take note that vectors along x-axis have only x
component and vectors along y-axis has only y component.)

10 m
y2
6m 12 m
80o
x2
   
x component -6 m 0
= - 1.74 m
 
y component 0   12 m
= 9.85 m
x = -6 m – 1.74 m = -7.74 m y = 9.85 m + 12 m = 21.85 m
What does the following values represent?
x = -7.74 m
y = 21.85 m

R
 Now, how do we determine the resultant R?
*That’s right. Use Pythagorean Theorem and
tangent function.
Magnitude:
 
y = 21.85 m R
 

R = 23.18 m
Direction:

 
x = -7.74 m
The resultant is 23.18 m, 70.49o from the negative x-axis clockwise.
or The resultant is 23.18 m, 70.49o North of West.
 torture for Module 5.
This is the end of lecture

Thank you very much for listening.

Example 2
Case 4: Three or More Vectors
Vince, Marcos and Raenald are trying to push a 6 ft refrigerator in a corner. They
exerted the following forces.

25o 850 N
300 N
500 N

Compute the resultant of the forces exerted by the three students.

Solution
Let’s see how the sum of the forces exerted by the three will look like by
using the head-to-tail method.

300 N

R
25 o

500 N

850 N
To solve for the magnitude and direction of the resultant R, let’s
apply the component method of the given vectors--the three
forces exerted by Vince, Marcos and Raenald.
Find the x and y component of each given vectors. Then add parallel or anti-
parallel vectors. (Take note that vectors along x-axis have only x component
and vectors along y-axis has only y component.)

x2
25o 850 N
y2
300 N
500 N

   
x component 0 850 N
= 453.15 N
 
y component -300 N
 
0
= -211.31 N
x = 453.15N + 850 N = 1303.15 N y = -300 N - 211.31 N = -511.31 N
Solution

R
-511.31 N

1303.15 N
 1303.15 N


-511.31 N
R

Magnitude:
Direction:
 
 
 

R = 1399.87 N θ = -21.42o

The resultant is 1399.87 N, 21.42o from the positive x-axis, clockwise.

or The resultant is 1399.87 N, 21.42o South of East.
 torture for Module 5.
This is the end of lecture

Thank you very much for listening.