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Vectors: Adding and subtracting

Free High School Science Texts Project

1 Algebraic Addition and Subtraction of Vectors

Whenever you are faced with adding vectors acting in a straight line (i.e. some directed left and some right,
or some acting up and others down) you can use a very simple algebraic technique:
Method: Addition/Subtraction of Vectors in a Straight Line

1. Choose a positive direction. As an example, for situations involving displacements in the directions
west and east, you might choose west as your positive direction. In that case, displacements east are
negative.
2. Next simply add (or subtract) the magnitude of the vectors using the appropriate signs.
3. As a nal step the direction of the resultant should be included in words (positive answers are in the
positive direction, while negative resultants are in the negative direction).
Let us consider a few examples.
Exercise 1: Adding vectors algebraically I (Solution on p. 3.)
A tennis ball is rolled towards a wall which is 10 m away from the ball. If after striking the wall
the ball rolls a further 2,5 m along the ground away from the wall, calculate algebraically the ball's
resultant displacement.
Exercise 2: Subtracting vectors algebraically I (Solution on p. 3.)
Suppose that a tennis ball is thrown horizontally towards a wall at an initial velocity of 3 m · s−1
to the right. After striking the wall, the ball returns to the thrower at 2 m · s−1 . Determine the
change in velocity of the ball.

1.1.1 Resultant Vectors

1. Harold walks to school by walking 600 m Northeast and then 500 m N 40◦ W. Determine his resultant
displacement by using accurate scale drawings.
Click here for the solution 1
* Version 1.2: Sep 29, 2011 9:15 am -0500
„ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
1 http://www.fhsst.org/l2b

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2. A dove ies from her nest, looking for food for her chick. She ies at a velocity of 2m · s−1 on a bearing
of 135◦ and then at a velocity of 1, 2 m · s−1 on a bearing of 230◦ . Calculate her resultant velocity by
using accurate scale drawings.
Click here for the solution 2
3. A squash ball is dropped to the oor with an initial velocity of 2, 5 m · s−1 . It rebounds (comes back
up) with a velocity of 0, 5 m · s−1 .
a. What is the change in velocity of the squash ball?
b. What is the resultant velocity of the squash ball?
Click here for the solution3
Remember that the technique of addition and subtraction just discussed can only be applied to vectors acting
along a straight line. When vectors are not in a straight line, i.e. at an angle to each other, the following
method can be used:

1.2 A More General Algebraic technique

Simple geometric and trigonometric techniques can be used to nd resultant vectors.
Exercise 3: An Algebraic Solution I (Solution on p. 4.)
A man walks 40 m East, then 30 m North. Calculate the man's resultant displacement.
In the previous example we were able to use simple trigonometry to calculate the resultant displacement.
This was possible since the directions of motion were perpendicular (north and east). Algebraic techniques,
however, are not limited to cases where the vectors to be combined are along the same straight line or at
right angles to one another. The following example illustrates this.
Exercise 4: An Algebraic Solution II [ADVANCED] (Solution on p. 6.)
A man walks from point A to point B which is 12 km away on a bearing of 45◦ . From point B the
man walks a further 8 km east to point C. Calculate the resultant displacement.

1.2.1 More Resultant Vectors

1. A frog is trying to cross a river. It swims at 3 m · s−1 in a northerly direction towards the opposite
bank. The water is owing in a westerly direction at 5 m · s−1 . Find the frog's resultant velocity by
using appropriate calculations. Include a rough sketch of the situation in your answer.
Click here for the solution4
2. Sandra walks to the shop by walking 500 m Northwest and then 400 m N 30◦ E. Determine her resultant
displacement by doing appropriate calculations.
Click here for the solution5

2 http://www.fhsst.org/l2j
3 http://www.fhsst.org/l4F
4 http://www.fhsst.org/l4L
5 http://www.fhsst.org/l4M

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Solutions to Exercises in this Module

Step 1.

Figure 1

→
Step 2. We know that the resultant displacement of the ball ( x R ) is equal to the sum of the ball's separate
→ →
displacements ( x 1 and x 2 ):
→
xR =
→
x1 + x2
→
(1)
Since the motion of the ball is in a straight line (i.e. the ball moves towards and away from the wall),
we can use the method of algebraic addition just explained.
Step 3. Let's choose the positive direction to be towards the wall. This means that the negative direction is
away from the wall.
Step 4. With right positive:
→
x1 = +10, 0 m · s−1
→ (1)
x2 = −2, 5 m · s−1
Step 5. Next we simply add the two displacements to give the resultant:
→
+10 m · s−1 + −2, 5 m · s−1



xR =
(1)
= (+7, 5) m · s−1
→
Step 6. Finally, in this case towards the wall is the positive direction, so: x R = 7,5 m towards the wall.
Solution to Exercise (p. 1)

Step 1. A quick sketch will help us understand the problem.

Figure 2

Step 2. Remember that velocity is a vector. The change in the velocity of the ball is equal to the dierence
between the ball's initial and nal velocities:
→ → →
∆ v= vf − vi (2)
Since the ball moves along a straight line (i.e. left and right), we can use the algebraic technique of
vector subtraction just discussed.
Step 3. Choose the positive direction to be towards the wall. This means that the negative direction is away
from the wall.

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Step 4.
→
vi = +3 m · s−1
→ (2)
vf = −2 m · s−1
Step 5. Thus, the change in velocity of the ball is:
→
−2 m · s−1 − +3 m · s−1



∆ v =
(2)
= (−5) m · s−1
Step 6. Remember that in this case towards the wall means a positive velocity, so away from the wall means
→
a negative velocity: ∆ v = 5 m · s−1 away from the wall.
Solution to Exercise (p. 2)

Step 1. As before, the rough sketch looks as follows:

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Figure 3
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Step 2. Note that the triangle formed by his separate displacement vectors and his resultant displacement
vector is a right-angle triangle. We can thus use the Theorem of Pythagoras to determine the length
of the resultant. Let xR represent the length of the resultant vector. Then:
2 2
x2R = (40 m) + (30 m)
x2R = 2 500 m2 (3)
xR = 50 m
Step 3. Now we have the length of the resultant displacement vector but not yet its direction. To determine
its direction we calculate the angle α between the resultant displacement vector and East, by using
simple trigonometry:
opposite side
tanα = adjacent side
30
tanα =
−1
40
(3)
α = tan (0, 75)
α = 36, 9◦
Step 4. The resultant displacement is then 50 m at 36, 9◦ North of East.
This is exactly the same answer we arrived at after drawing a scale diagram!
Solution to Exercise (p. 2)

Step 1.

Figure 4

^ ^ ^
B A F = 45◦ since the man walks initially on a bearing of 45◦ . Then, A B G = B A F = 45◦ (parallel
lines, alternate angles). Both of these angles are included in the rough sketch.
Step 2. The resultant is the vector AC. Since we know both the lengths of AB and BC and the included angle
^
A B C , we can use the cosine rule:

^
 
AC 2 = AB 2 + BC 2 − 2 · AB · BCcos A B C
2 2
= (12) + (8) − 2 · (12) (8) cos (135◦ ) (4)
= 343, 8
AC = 18, 5 km
Step 3. Next we use the sine rule to determine the angle θ:
sinθ sin135◦
8 = 18,5
8×sin135◦
sinθ =
−1
18,5
(4)
θ = sin (0, 3058)
θ = 17, 8◦
^ ^
To nd F A C , we add 45◦ . Thus, F A C = 62, 8◦ .

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Step 4. The resultant displacement is therefore 18,5 km on a bearing of 062, 8◦ .

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