8.5 Note

8.
5 Vectors in the Plane
The physical world is filled with applications of vectors. For example, your speedometer represents
how fast you are driving. This value is known as a scalar, because speed can be defined by its
magnitude alone, only the value or number is important. Temperature, area, mass, and time are also
examples of scalars quantities. When we are concerned with both direction and magnitude, such as
velocity, then we have a quantity called a vector. Vector applications appear in economics with the
velocity of money, vector graphics in computer graphics, and probability vectors in statistics.
head A directed-line segment is the geometric representation of a

vector. The starting (initial) point P is called the tail or base
point and the terminal point Q, indicated by the arrow, is
called the head, tip, or terminal point. This notation is written
��⃗ . The magnitude, or length of v is denoted as ‖𝐯𝐯‖ and
as 𝐯𝐯 = 𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃
measures the distance from P to Q. In most textbooks, vectors
are represented by boldface lowercase letters such as u, v, w,
tail a, b, etc.
Vector Terminology
Two non-zero vectors, u and v are called parallel if the lines through the vectors are parallel.
Parallel vectors can point in the same direction or opposite directions.
A vector that is moved parallel to itself without changing its length or direction is a translation.
A translated vector has the same magnitude and direction but different basepoints.
Translated vectors are said to be equivalent.
A vector with its initial point at the origin is said to be in standard position.
Every vector can be translated so that its tail is at the origin.
Scalar Products and Vectors

The term scalar is another word for “real number.” The product of a vector v and a scalar k is
the vector that is k times as long as v. When the scalar is positive, then the product 𝑘𝑘𝐯𝐯 has the
same direction as v. However, if the scalar is negative, then the vector 𝑘𝑘𝐯𝐯 has the opposite
direction as v.
3 1
𝐯𝐯 2𝐯𝐯 −2𝐯𝐯 𝐯𝐯 − 𝐯𝐯
EX #1: Given vector v, sketch each scalar 2 2
product using the grid, at right, to represent
each new vector.
© 2018 Flamingo MathTM, LLC (Jean Adams)

Component Form of a Vector
If v is a vector in the plane whose initial point is the origin and whose terminal point is (𝑎𝑎, 𝑏𝑏),
then the component form of v is given by 𝐯𝐯 = 〈𝑎𝑎, 𝑏𝑏〉.
The coordinates a and b are called components of v. If both the initial point and the terminal
point lie at the origin, the v is called the zero vector and is denoted by 𝟎𝟎 = 〈0, 0〉.
Magnitude of a Vector
��⃗, then by the

If 𝑃𝑃 (𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) and 𝑃𝑃 (𝑥𝑥2 , 𝑦𝑦2 ) are the initial and terminal points of vector 𝐯𝐯 = 𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃
distance formula, it can be shown that the magnitude of v is
��⃗ � = �PQ
�𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃 ��⃗� = �(𝑥𝑥2 − 𝑥𝑥1 )2 + (𝑦𝑦2 − 𝑦𝑦1 )2
‖𝐯𝐯‖ = �(𝑣𝑣1 )2 + (𝑣𝑣2 )2
��⃗ where 𝐴𝐴 = (3,7) and 𝐴𝐴 = (6, 5)

EX #2: Given vector 𝐯𝐯 = 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
A. Write component form of the vector ��⃗
𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
B. Find the magnitude of ��⃗

𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
��⃗ and the translated vector v

C. Sketch the vector 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
Vector Addition
When adding two vectors we draw them using the “tip-to-tail” method. The sum u + v is called
the resultant vector. To geometrically represent the resultant, you want the initial point (tail)
of one vector to coincide with the terminal point (head) of the other vector. The magnitude
and direction of the vectors must not change. The resultant is the vector that points from the
tail of u to the tip of v.
EX #3: Use vectors A. Sketch a + b B. Sketch 𝐚𝐚 − 𝐛𝐛 C. 2a + b

a and b:

Vector Operations using Components
If 𝐯𝐯 = 〈𝑎𝑎, 𝑏𝑏〉 and 𝐰𝐰 = 〈𝑐𝑐, 𝑑𝑑〉, then:

1) 𝐯𝐯 + 𝐰𝐰 = 〈𝑎𝑎 + 𝑐𝑐, 𝑏𝑏 + 𝑑𝑑〉
2) 𝐯𝐯 − 𝐰𝐰 = 〈𝑎𝑎 − 𝑐𝑐, 𝑏𝑏 − 𝑑𝑑〉
3) 𝑘𝑘𝐯𝐯 = 〈𝑘𝑘𝑎𝑎, 𝑘𝑘𝑏𝑏〉
4) 𝐯𝐯 + 𝟎𝟎 = 𝟎𝟎 + 𝐯𝐯 = 𝐯𝐯
EX #4: Given the vectors 𝐮𝐮 = 〈−3, 8〉 and 𝐯𝐯 = 〈5, 2〉, find the following:
A. −3𝐮𝐮 B. 2𝐮𝐮 − 3𝐯𝐯
C. ‖2𝐮𝐮 − 3𝐯𝐯‖ D. ‖𝐮𝐮 − 𝐯𝐯‖
Unit Vectors
If v is a nonzero vector in the plane, then the unit vector is a vector in the same direction as the
original vector with magnitude 1 and is given by:
𝐯𝐯 1
𝐮𝐮 = = 𝐯𝐯
‖𝐯𝐯‖ ‖𝐯𝐯‖
EX #5: Find the unit vector in the direction of 𝐯𝐯 = 〈−5, 15〉 and verify that it has length 1.

Linear Combinations
The standard unit vectors of 𝐢𝐢 = 〈1,0〉 and 𝐣𝐣 = 〈0, 1〉 can be used to represent any vector
as a linear combination of i and j, such that,
𝐯𝐯 = 𝑎𝑎𝐢𝐢 + 𝑏𝑏𝐣𝐣
where the scalars 𝑎𝑎 and 𝑏𝑏 are called the horizontal and vertical components of v.
EX #6: Let u be the vector with initial point (3, −5) and terminal point (−2, 4) and let 𝐯𝐯 = 2𝐢𝐢 − 3𝐣𝐣 .
Write each of the following as a linear combination of i and j.
A. u B. 𝐰𝐰 = 2𝐮𝐮 − 3𝐯𝐯 C. the unit vector of w
Direction Angle of a Vector
The direction angle of a vector is the angle the vector makes with the positive x-axis.
𝑏𝑏
If 𝐯𝐯 = 〈𝑎𝑎, 𝑏𝑏〉, 𝑎𝑎 = ‖𝐯𝐯‖ cos 𝜃𝜃 and 𝑏𝑏 = ‖𝐯𝐯‖ sin 𝜃𝜃. Also, tan 𝜃𝜃 = 𝑎𝑎
For any nonzero vector v that makes an angle 𝜃𝜃 with the positive x-axis, then
𝐯𝐯 = ‖𝐯𝐯‖〈cos 𝜃𝜃, sin 𝜃𝜃〉 = ‖𝐯𝐯‖ cos 𝜃𝜃 𝐢𝐢 + ‖𝐯𝐯‖ sin 𝜃𝜃 𝐣𝐣
EX #7: Write vector v as a linear combination of the unit

vectors i and j, if the magnitude of the vector is 4 and the
angle measure is 𝜃𝜃 = 30°.
v
𝜽𝜽

EX #8: A weight of 500 pounds is suspended from a steel
beam by two cables, shown at right. What is the magnitude
25° 65°
of the force on the two cables?
500 lbs.

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8.

5 Vectors in the Plane

head A directed-line segment is the geometric representation of a

Scalar Products and Vectors

© 2018 Flamingo MathTM, LLC (Jean Adams)

�������⃗, then by the

‖𝐯𝐯‖ = �(𝑣𝑣1 )2 + (𝑣𝑣2 )2

�����⃗ where 𝐴𝐴 = (3,7) and 𝐴𝐴 = (6, 5)

B. Find the magnitude of �����⃗

�����⃗ and the translated vector v

EX #3: Use vectors A. Sketch a + b B. Sketch 𝐚𝐚 − 𝐛𝐛 C. 2a + b

© 2018 Flamingo MathTM, LLC (Jean Adams)

If 𝐯𝐯 = 〈𝑎𝑎, 𝑏𝑏〉 and 𝐰𝐰 = 〈𝑐𝑐, 𝑑𝑑〉, then:

A. −3𝐮𝐮 B. 2𝐮𝐮 − 3𝐯𝐯

C. ‖2𝐮𝐮 − 3𝐯𝐯‖ D. ‖𝐮𝐮 − 𝐯𝐯‖

© 2018 Flamingo MathTM, LLC (Jean Adams)

A. u B. 𝐰𝐰 = 2𝐮𝐮 − 3𝐯𝐯 C. the unit vector of w

Direction Angle of a Vector

EX #7: Write vector v as a linear combination of the unit

© 2018 Flamingo MathTM, LLC (Jean Adams)

© 2018 Flamingo MathTM, LLC (Jean Adams)

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��⃗, then by the

��⃗ where 𝐴𝐴 = (3,7) and 𝐴𝐴 = (6, 5)

B. Find the magnitude of ��⃗

��⃗ and the translated vector v