Lesson 2.
Vector Addition through
Analytical Method
General Physics 11/2
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Consider a race car shown below.
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What are the forces present in this car?
3
The car has weight. Weight acts downward.
weight
4
While running, the tires of the car experience
friction with the pavement.
running in this
direction
friction
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The sum of these forces, among others,
determine whether the car will move or not.
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You learned in the
past lessons that
resultant vectors can
be solved graphically.
But can we do vector
addition analytically?
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How are two or more vectors
added analytically?
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Learning Competency
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to do the following:
Perform addition of vectors
(STEM_GP12V-Ia-9).
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Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to do the following:
● Understand the rules in adding vectors using the
analytical method.
● Add two or more vectors using the analytical
method.
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Recall: Graphical Method of Adding Vectors
Vectors can be added by placing them head to tail.
Graphical method, however, is prone to measurement
errors. 11
Analytical Method of Adding Vectors
Consider the word problem below.
Denise walks every day from her house to the school. First,
she covers 10 m, 20° north of east. Then, she walked 15 m
in a direction 50° north of east. What is her resultant
displacement?
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Analytical Method of Adding Vectors
We can represent the displacements as vectors.
Denise walks every day from her house to the school. First,
she covers 10 m, 20° north of east. Then, she walked 15 m
in a direction 50° north of east. What is her resultant
displacement?
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Analytical Method of Adding Vectors
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Analytical Method of Adding Vectors
What is Denise’s resultant
displacement?
Step 1: Determine whether
the angles given were
measured from the +x-axis.
Vector A is 10 m, 20º NE.
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Analytical Method of Adding Vectors
What is Denise’s resultant
displacement?
Step 1: Determine whether
the angles given were
measured from the +x-axis.
Vector B is 15 m, 50º NE.
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Analytical Method of Adding Vectors
What is Denise’s resultant displacement?
Step 2: Resolve each vector into its x- and y-components.
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Analytical Method of Adding Vectors
What is Denise’s resultant displacement?
Step 3: Add all components together.
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Analytical Method of Adding Vectors
Distance Angle x-component y-component
A = 10 m 𝜃 = 20° 9.40 m 3.42 m
B = 15 m 𝜃 = 50° 9.64 m 11.49 m
Rx = 19.04 m Ry = 14.91 m
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Analytical Method of Adding Vectors
What is Denise’s resultant displacement?
Step 4: Calculate the magnitude of the vector using the
Pythagorean theorem.
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Analytical Method of Adding Vectors
What is Denise’s resultant displacement?
Step 5: Calculate the angle 𝜃 using the inverse tangent
function.
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Analytical Method of Adding Vectors
Denise walks every day from her house to the school. First,
she covers 10 m, 20° north of east. Then, she walked 15 m in
a direction 50° north of east. What is her resultant
displacement?
The resultant vector of Denise is 24.18 m, 38.06° or
38.06° north of east.
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Remember
Always check whether your calculator is
in the degree mode before proceeding
to the calculations. All your calculations
would be different if this is not
addressed beforehand.
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Let’s Practice!
A car covered 25 km, 60° north of east on its initial
route. Afterwards, it covered 50 km in the direction
30° north of west. What is its resultant displacement?
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Let’s Practice!
A car covered 25 km, 60° north of east on its initial
route. Afterwards, it covered 50 km in the direction
30° north of west. What is its resultant displacement?
The resultant displacement is 55.90 km, 123.43° or
56.57° north of west.
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Try It!
During his early morning training, Louie
jogged 10 km, 20° south of west. He then
covered another 15 km in the direction
of 60° south of east before resting. What
is his resultant displacement?
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Let’s Practice!
A person covered three displacement vectors as
shown below. What is his resultant displacement?
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Let’s Practice!
A person covered three displacement vectors as
shown below. What is his resultant displacement?
The resultant displacement is 532.99 m, 6.36° or 6.36°
north of east.
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Try It!
Find the resultant vector R if A is 95 N,
30° north of east, B is 50 N, south while
C has a magnitude of 75 N and a
direction of 45° south of west.
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Let’s Practice!
Four sled dogs are pulling a 1000 kg load. Sled dog A is
pulling the load at 20 N, 10° north of east. Sled dog B
is pulling the load at 55 N, 70° north of east. Sled dog
C is pulling the load at 45 N, 33° north of west, while
sled dog D exerts 30 N at a direction of 80° south of
west. What is the resultant force acting on the load?
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Let’s Practice!
Four sled dogs are pulling a 1000 kg load. Sled dog A is
pulling the load at 20 N, 10° north of east. Sled dog B
is pulling the load at 55 N, 70° north of east. Sled dog
C is pulling the load at 45 N, 33° north of west, while
sled dog D exerts 30 N at a direction of 80° south of
west. What is the resultant force acting on the load?
The resultant force is 50.32 N, 95.06° or 84.94° north
of west.
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Try It!
A plane covered four routes with the
following velocities: A = 50 m/s, 30°
south of east, B = 20 m/s, 60° south of
west, C = 70 m/s, 25° south of west, and
D = 65 m/s, 15° north of west. What is
the resultant velocity of the plane?
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How can you check whether the
angle 𝜃 from the inverse tangent
function was measured from
the +x-axis?
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Check Your Understanding
Write the correct word(s) in the space provided to
complete the sentence.
1. The ___________ function is used to calculate the
x-component of a vector.
2. The ___________ function is used to calculate the
y-component of a vector.
3. The ___________ function is used to calculate the
direction of the resultant vector.
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Check Your Understanding
Calculate the resultant vector using the analytical
method.
1. = 650 N, 270°; = 550 N, 32° north of west
2. = 130 m, 19° north of east; = 200 m, 70° north of east
3. = 22 m/s, 70° north of west; = 53 m/s, 60° south of
east
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Let’s Sum It Up!
● The analytical method of adding vectors utilizes
the trigonometric functions and the Pythagorean
theorem. It is more accurate and less time
consuming than the graphical method.
● Before resolving the components, ensure first
that the angle is measured from the +x-axis.
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Let’s Sum It Up!
Steps in adding vectors using the analytical method:
1. Calculate the x- and y-components of all the
vectors. Use the cosine function to calculate the
x-component, and the sine function to determine
the y-component.
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Let’s Sum It Up!
Steps in adding vectors using the analytical method:
2. After this, add all the x-components together. Do
the same for the y-components. The sums are
the x- and y-components of the resultant vector.
3. Use the Pythagorean theorem to determine the
magnitude of the resultant vector.
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Let’s Sum It Up!
Steps in adding vectors using the analytical method:
4. Use the inverse tangent function to determine
the direction of the resultant vector. Check first
whether the angle 𝜃 from your calculation is
measured from the +x-axis or not. Express it in
the correct notation.
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Key Formulas
Concept Formula Description
Use this formula to
Vector Addition
calculate the
through Analytical
where x-component of a
Method
● Ax is the vector.
x-component of the
vector
● A is the magnitude
of the vector
● 𝜃 is the angle
measured from the
+x-axis
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Key Formulas
Concept Formula Description
Use this formula to
Vector Addition
calculate the
through Analytical
where y-component of a
Method
● Ay is the vector.
y-component of the
vector
● A is the magnitude
of the vector
● 𝜃 is the angle
measured from the
+x-axis
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Key Formulas
Concept Formula Description
Use this formula to
Vector Addition
calculate the
through Analytical
where magnitude of the
Method
● R is the magnitude resultant vector.
of the resultant
vector
● Rx is the
x-component of the
resultant vector
● Ry is the
y-component of the
vector
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Key Formulas
Concept Formula Description
Use this formula to
Vector Addition
determine the
through Analytical
where direction of the
Method
● 𝜃 is the angle resultant vector.
● Rx is the
x-component of the
resultant vector
● Ry is the
y-component of the
resultant vector
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Challenge Yourself
What are examples of nonzero
vectors with either of its x- or
y-component as zero? Explain your
answer.
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Bibliography
Faughn, Jerry S. and Raymond A. Serway. Serway’s College Physics (7th ed). Singapore: Brooks/Cole,
2006.
Giancoli, Douglas C. Physics Principles with Applications (7th ed). USA: Pearson Education, 2014.
Knight, Randall D. Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach (4th ed). USA: Pearson
Education, 2017.
Serway, Raymond A. and John W. Jewett, Jr. Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics (9th
ed). USA: Brooks/Cole, 2014.
Young, Hugh D., Roger A. Freedman, and A. Lewis Ford. Sears and Zemansky’s University Physics with
Modern Physics (13th ed). USA: Pearson Education, 2012.
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