Activity Worksheet #1

Read the information on each website down below to complete the questions:
Math Insight: Introduction to Vectors
Khan Academy: Vector Magnitude and Direction review
Math Centre: introduction to Vectors

For all questions, please show your work to receive credit.

Introduction to vectors:
We describe vectors in component form, for example, if we call 𝑣⃗ a vector, with components (5,4). Then
𝑣⃗ = (5,4) looks like Figure 1, where the direction is NE from the origin point (0,0).

Figure 1

N
5
W E
4 𝑣⃗ = (5,4)
S
3

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Question 1: What is a vector?

Question 2: Illustrate question 1 by graphing an arbitrary vector?
y

Question 3: What is the magnitude of a vector, write the formula?

Question 4: What is the magnitude of the vector 𝑣⃗ = (−4 ,7).

Question 5: How do you find the direction of a vector, write its formula.

Question 6: Find the direction of the vector 𝑣⃗ = (−2 , −5). Hint: which quadrant does this vector lie in?
Question 7: How to find the components of a vector given its magnitude of 2 and direction of 90°, use
the graph below to illustrate and write your answer. Hint: there’s a formula for this but you need to
know where to plug in the right numbers.

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Question 9: What is the addition of vectors 𝑥⃗ = (−2, 4) and 𝑦⃗ = ( 4, 6).

Question 10: What is the subtraction of vectors 𝑤

⃗⃗⃗ = (4, −4) and 𝑧⃗ = ( −8, 11).
Question 8: How to find the components of a vector given its magnitude of 1 and direction of 25°, use
the graph below to illustrate and write your answer.

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Question 11: What is the unit vector?

Question 12: If 𝑢
⃗⃗ is the unit vector, what is the length of −5𝑢
⃗⃗.