VECTORS

A vector is a quantity that has both magnitude/size and direction/angle. Vectors are used to
represent physical ideas such as displacement, velocity, acceleration, force, weight and
momentum.

A vector can be named with two letters as in AB with an arrow indicating its direction or it
may be named with a single letter such as x or u etc.

x
Vectors are written in the form   , where x is the horizontal shift and y is the vertical
 y
rise.

NOTE:
 x  If x is positive move right and if negative move left.
  If y is positive move up and if negative move down.
 y

EXAMPLE:

 3 
If AB    , to move from A to B, we move 3 places left then 4 places upwards.
 4

EXERCISE 1
Explain the following:
 3
1. PQ    …………………………………………………………………………..
 4 

 1 
2. RS    …………………………………………………………………………..
 7 

5
3. MN    …………………………………………………………………………..
6
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EXERCISE 2
Write each of the following vectors as a column vector:
         
1. MN    2. WX    3. ZY    4. BA    5. GF   
         
M X

N
B

G F

TYPES OF VECTORS
EQUAL VECTORS:
Two vectors are said to be equal if they both have the same magnitude and direction.

 3
CD    H
 3
 3
GH   
 3

G 2
INVERSE VECTORS:
When two vectors have the same magnitude but opposite directions, then one vector is said
to be the inverse of the other vector.

PARALLEL VECTORS:
Vectors are parallel if they have the same direction. Two vectors are parallel if they are scalar
multiples of one another.

EXERCISE 3
State the relation between each of the following pairs of vectors:

6  6 
1. a    and b    …………………………………………………
3  3 

 4  4
2. p    and q    …………………………………………………
7 7

 3  6
3. m    and n    …………………………………………………
 10   20  3
 GRADIENT OF A VECTOR
x y
The gradient of vector in the form    .
 y x
EXAMPLE:
 2
Given that MN    . Find gradient of MN
 4
SOLUTION
 2
Given that MN   
 4
4
Then Gradient of MN  2
2

EXERCISE 4
Determine the gradient of the following:
6
1. LM   
 4
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………….…

 3 
2. JK   
 12 
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………….…
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 MAGNITUDE OF A VECTOR

The magnitude of a vector AC is the distance between the initial point A and the end
point C. In symbols the magnitude of AC is written as AC .

x
The magnitude of vector in the form    x 2  y 2 .
 y

EXAMPLE:
 3
Given the vector MN    . Determine MN
1 
SOLUTION
 3
If MN   
1 

MN  32  12
 9 1
 10
 3.16 units  2 d . p 

EXERCISE 5
 2  2
1. Determine the magnitude of the JK    and WX   
1   4
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………….…
2. What do you notice about the vectors JK and WX ?
…………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………… 5
…………………………………………………………………………………………
ADDITION OF VECTORS

AB + BC  AC
 4  5
  +    AC
 5   2 
9
   AC
3

NOTE:

AB  AC  BC
BC  AC  AB

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 POSITION VECTOR

The position vector is the movement from the origin (O) to the point.
x
The position vector of a point A  x, y  is OA    .
 y

NOTE:

 3  6
Where A   3, 2  ; OA    and B   6, 4  ; OB   
 2  4

 6   3   9 
AB  OB  OA         
 4  2  2

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CSEC PRACTICE

1. (a) The position vectors of point A, B and C, relative to the origin O, are

 2 6  10 
OA =   ; OB =   and OC =   respectively.
 -2  1   4

x
(i) Express in the form   the vectors
y

• AB 
• AC 

2. (a) The position vectors of the points R, S and T, relative to an origin, O, are
 -3  1  5
  ,   and   respectively.
 4   1  -2 

(i) Calculate the value of OR

x
(ii) Express in the form   , the vectors RS and ST
y

• RS 
• ST 

(iii) Using the results from combining the vectors in (b) (ii), justify that RS is parallel
to ST.

3. The points A, B and C have position vectors

x 6  3  12 
(i) Express in the form   the vector OA =   , OB =   and OC =  
y 2 4  -2 
(a) BA

(b) BC

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 (ii) State ONE geometrical relationship between BA and BC.

4. The diagram below shows two position vectors OR and OS such that
R  6, 2  and S  -4,3 .

x
Write as a column vector in the form   :
y

(i) OR 

(ii) OS 

(iii) SR 

(iv) Find OR

5. In the diagram below, the coordinates of P and Q are (2,4) and (8,2) respectively. The line
segment joining the origin (0,0) to the point P may be written as OP.

(i) What term is used to describe OP?

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 a
(ii) Write EACH of the following in terms of:  b 

(a) OP 
(b) OQ 
(c) PQ 

6. The diagram below shows two position vectors OA and OB.

x
(i) Write as a column vector, in the form   :
y
(a) OA
(b) OB
(c) BA

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