Table of contents
- 0. Review of College Algebra4h 43m
- 1. Measuring Angles39m
- 2. Trigonometric Functions on Right Triangles2h 5m
- 3. Unit Circle1h 19m
- 4. Graphing Trigonometric Functions1h 19m
- 5. Inverse Trigonometric Functions and Basic Trigonometric Equations1h 41m
- 6. Trigonometric Identities and More Equations2h 34m
- 7. Non-Right Triangles1h 38m
- 8. Vectors2h 25m
- 9. Polar Equations2h 5m
- 10. Parametric Equations1h 6m
- 11. Graphing Complex Numbers1h 7m
8. Vectors
Geometric Vectors
Problem 2
Textbook Question
In Exercises 1–4, u and v have the same direction. In each exercise: Find ||v||.
![](/channels/images/assetPage/verifiedSolution.png)
1
<insert step 1> Identify that vectors \( \mathbf{u} \) and \( \mathbf{v} \) have the same direction, meaning they are scalar multiples of each other.>
<insert step 2> Express \( \mathbf{v} \) as \( \mathbf{v} = k \mathbf{u} \), where \( k \) is a scalar.>
<insert step 3> Use the property of magnitudes: \( ||\mathbf{v}|| = |k| \cdot ||\mathbf{u}|| \).>
<insert step 4> Determine the scalar \( k \) by comparing the components of \( \mathbf{u} \) and \( \mathbf{v} \) if given, or use any additional information provided in the problem.>
<insert step 5> Calculate \( ||\mathbf{v}|| \) using the formula from step 3, substituting the known values of \( k \) and \( ||\mathbf{u}|| \).>
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Magnitude of a Vector
The magnitude of a vector, denoted as ||v||, represents its length or size in a given direction. It is calculated using the formula ||v|| = √(v₁² + v₂² + ... + vₙ²) for a vector v = (v₁, v₂, ..., vₙ) in n-dimensional space. Understanding how to compute the magnitude is essential for analyzing vectors in trigonometry.
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Direction of Vectors
Vectors have both magnitude and direction, and when two vectors u and v have the same direction, they are scalar multiples of each other. This means that one vector can be expressed as a scaled version of the other, which is crucial for solving problems involving vector relationships. Recognizing this property helps in simplifying calculations and understanding vector operations.
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Unit Vectors
A unit vector is a vector with a magnitude of 1, used to indicate direction without regard to magnitude. To find a unit vector in the direction of a vector v, you divide v by its magnitude: u = v / ||v||. This concept is important in trigonometry as it allows for the normalization of vectors, making it easier to work with directional components in various applications.
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