AQUINAS SCHOOL

SAN JUAN CITY

EXPERIMENT 3
VECTORS

Benjamin Santos
Francis Tuazon

ABSTRACT
A vector is defined as an object with both magnitude and direction. The resultant vector is the
sum of two or more vectors. These concepts were further studied by the use of graphical and
analytical methods in measuring the resultant vector of eight previously measured vectors.

I. INTRODUCTION II. MATERIALS AND METHOD

A vector is defined as an object with The experiment required the use of the
both magnitude and direction. This is following materials: a 5-meter tape
usually geometrically represented by a line measure, a navigation compass, chalk,
segment with an arrowhead indicating its pencils, a ruler, a protractor, graphing
direction. paper, and a scientific calculator.

The resultant vector is the sum of two
or more vectors. This vector is the
displacement in between the start and end
point of a set of vectors. This can be
computed for by either using a graphical or
analytical method. The graphical method
mainly involves manually placing each
vector (which may be scaled to size) on a
graph and measuring the displacement
between the point of origin and the end
point of the sum of the given vectors. The
analytical method makes use of
trigonometric functions to calculate the
sum of all given vectors
The procedure’s goal is to measure the
resultant vector of eight different vectors,
all of which both start and end right in front
of the faculty room. This was done by
using both the tape measure and compass
to measure both the distance and angle of
each individual vector and by using the
chalk to mark points in measuring the said
vectors.
Once all eight vectors had been
measured, the resultant vector had to
calculated with both graphical and
analytical methods.
 In using the graphical method, the v1 = 47.8 m, 15° S of W
vectors were scaled down using 5 m = 1 v2 = 41.8 m, 15° E of S
cm as the scale. Each vector was drawn v3 = 13.5 m, 43° N of E
on the graphing paper attached to the back v4 = 12.0 m, E
of this lab sheet. Precautions were taken to v5 = 3.78 m, 15° W of N
ensure that both the starting point and v6 = 17.0 m, 30° N of W
ending point are on the point of origin. v7 = 23.4 m, 5° E of N
v8 = 28.6 m, 15° N of E
Using the same vectors as measured in
the first step of the procedure, the resultant Before graphing, the vectors’ distances
vector was computed for via the analytical were converted using a 5 m = 1 cm scale.
method with the aid of a scientific The vectors were also rounded off to one
calculator and the following formulas: decimal place as the ruler used in graphing
cannot measure such a specific unit.
𝑜𝑝𝑝
a. sin 𝜃 =
ℎ𝑦𝑝
(Table 1.1) Vectors and their conversions (distance only)
𝑎𝑑𝑗
b. cos 𝜃 =
ℎ𝑦𝑝 Vector Conversion
𝑜𝑝𝑝 v1 47.8 m 9.6 cm
c. tan 𝜃 =
𝑎𝑑𝑗 v2 41.8 m 8.4 cm
v3 13.5 m 2.7 cm
d. 𝑣𝑅 = √𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 v4 12.0 m 2.4 cm
v5 3.78 m 0.8 cm

The steps involved in this method are v6 17.0 m 3.4 cm

v7 23.4 m 4.7 cm
to be further elaborated in the results and
v8 28.6 m 5.7 cm
discussion.

As shown in the graphing paper, the

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION resultant vector is exactly zero, which
should be the case because starting and
The following are the distance and ending at the exact same point will result in
angle measurements of the a displacement of zero despite having
aforementioned eight vectors in order: traveled a long distance.

The analytical method involves several

processes to arrive at the resultant vector.
First, both the x and y component were Lastly, the measurement of the
computed for in the following tables: resultant vector’s angle was computed for.

(Table 1.2) Identifying appropriate trigonometric function for

−0.68
each vector 𝜃 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1
0.49
x-comp y-comp 𝜃 = −54.22
v1 - 47.8 cos 15 - 47.8 sin 15
v2 41.8 sin 15 - 41.8 cos 15
v3 13.5 cos 43 13.5 sin 43 The resultant vector, according to the
v4 12 m 0m analytical method measures 0.84 m, 54.22°
v5 - 3.78 sin 15 3.78 cos 15
S of E.
v6 - 17 cos 30 17 sin 30
v7 23.4 sin 5 23.4 cos 5
v8 28.6 cos 15 28.6 sin 15 IV. CONCLUSION
vR x y
The resultant vectors from both
methods are relatively close to one
(Table 1.3) Computing for x and y components (maximum
of two decimal places) another.

x-comp y-comp
Vectors and the skills used in
v1 - 46. 17 m - 12.37 m
measuring such are vital to many
v2 10.82 m - 40.38 m
v3 9.87 m 9.21 m processes such as engineering and
v4 12 m 0m navigation. Both graphical and analytical
v5 - 0.98 m 3.65 m methods are reliable approaches to
v6 - 14.72 m 8.5 m
measuring vectors and the results of this
v7 2.04 m 23.31 m
experiment proves that.
v8 27.63 m 7.4 m
vR 0.49 m - 0.68 m
V. SOURCES

The next step was to use the  (2018). D. Frank, D.Q. Nykamp. An
Pythagorean theorem to compute for the introduction to vectors. Retrieved from:
https://mathinsight.org/vector_introducti
distance of the resultant vector. on. Retrieved on: October 7, 2019

 (2019). The Physics Classroom.

𝑣𝑅 = √(0.49 𝑚)2 + (−0.68 𝑚)2 Resultants. Retrieved from:
https://www.physicsclassroom.com/clas
𝑣𝑅 = 0.84 𝑚 s/vectors/lesson-1/resultants. Retrieved
on: October 7, 2019