Vector Components
- Author:
- Peter Sassman
Below is vector u, with two red points you can drag. Push "Show Components" to see the components of the vector. Play around with the application, and then answer the questions below.
Question 1: Explain in your own words, what a vector's components are.
Question 2: We learned about a similar idea, when finding the slope between two points. What should the signs of the components be, when the vector is pointing:
-up and to the right
-up and to the left
-down and to the left
-down and to the right
Question 3: We can now write vectors in component form. For our classes, this will look like: , where is the x-component, and is the y-component. Draw three of your own vectors, clearly with an axis, in your notebook, and write each vector in component form.
Question 4: Make the zero vector, and show the components. Hence, write the zero vector in component form.
Question 5: Describe how to find the magnitude of a vector, if you know its components. Hence, if , find a formula for .