Vector Cheat Sheet (M J Rhoades)

Bismarck State College

2
For 2 space
Directed line vector: (from one point to another) such that P = for example in
Cartesian coordinates (0, 0) and Q = (3, 2), then the directed line vector is as
follows:
Take the Q points and subtract the P points.

(Q1 – P1) + (Q2 – P2) = 3-0 + 2-0 = < 3, 2 > = the vector or directed line segment
is encased by the less and more than signs to show it is a vector or directed line
segment and it does not mean less than or greater than. The numbers are called
components of the vector

So vector = (Q1 – P1) + (Q2 – P2)

The vectors Length: (absolute value) = – –

or =

In our example above this would be =

Slope of := or essentially dy/dx

Addition, subtraction and Scalar multiplication of vectors:

1. + = < u1 + v1, u2 + v2 >

2. - = < u1 – v1, u2 – v2 >
3. c ( ) = < cu1, cu2 >
4. - = < -u1, -u2 >

Properties of vectors:

1. u + v = v + u Commutative
2. (u + v) + w = u + (v + w) Associative
3. u + 0 = u Additive identity
4. u + (-u) = 0 Additive inverse
5. c (du) = cu + du Distributive
6. (c +d) u = cu + du Distributive
7. c (u + v) = cu + cv “
8. 1(u) = u, 0(u) = 0 Multiplicative

Length of a scalar multiple: (absolute value)

Unit vector in direction of u: (Has length of 1)

= =

Example: find a unit vector in the direction of < -2, 5 >

= = = =

This is the unit vector u in the

direction of v

The directed line segment or component vector may be written in i & j format as
follows:

= is the same as

= -2i + 5j

The first number represents the x component and the second number represents
the y component. The “i” is x designator and the “j” is the y designator. This is
called the linear combination format.

Trig format: if given magnitude and direction in radians or degrees.

= cos θ i, sin θ j

Example:
500 n @ 300 off the positive axis is written in trig format as

r(t) = 500 cos 300 i + 500 sin 300 j

This form meets the same addition qualities as the other vector form only the
magnitude must be multiplied by the cos and sin values then added algebraically if
another vector is involved. very helpful in statics problems.

Taking limits of vector valued functions:

= + y (t) j

Other useful information when working with vectors

As found in Paul’s online notes: