Chapter 11: Problem 55
Find the magnitude and direction angle (to the nearest tenth) for each vector. Give the measure of the direction angle as an angle in \(\left[0,360^{\circ}\right)\). $$\langle 8 \sqrt{2},-8 \sqrt{2}\rangle$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The magnitude is 16, and the direction angle is 315°.
Step by step solution
01
Identify the components of the vector
The vector is given as \( \langle 8 \sqrt{2}, -8 \sqrt{2} \rangle \). The \( x \)-component (horizontal) is \( 8 \sqrt{2} \) and the \( y \)-component (vertical) is \( -8 \sqrt{2} \).
02
Calculate the magnitude
The magnitude of a vector \( \langle x, y \rangle \) is calculated using the formula: \[ |\mathbf{v}| = \sqrt{x^2 + y^2} \].\ Plugging in the values, \[ |\mathbf{v}| = \sqrt{(8\sqrt{2})^2 + (-8\sqrt{2})^2} = \sqrt{128 + 128} = \sqrt{256} = 16 \].
03
Calculate the direction angle
The direction angle \( \theta \) can be found using the tangent formula: \( \tan \theta = \frac{y}{x} \). For this vector, \[ \tan \theta = \frac{-8\sqrt{2}}{8\sqrt{2}} = -1 \].\ Thus, \( \theta = \tan^{-1}(-1) \).
04
Determine the correct quadrant for \( \theta \)
Since both components are \( (8 \sqrt{2}, -8 \sqrt{2}) \), the vector lies in the fourth quadrant. The angle with \( \tan \theta = -1 \) in the fourth quadrant is \( 315^\circ \).
05
Check the angle range
Verify the angle is within the range of \( [0, 360^\circ) \). The angle \( 315^\circ \) is already within the correct range.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Magnitude of a Vector
When working with vectors, one important concept is the magnitude. The magnitude can be thought of simply as the length of the vector. To find it, you'll use a familiar formula similar to the Pythagorean theorem. For a vector defined as \( \langle x, y \rangle \), the magnitude is calculated by the equation:
- \( |\mathbf{v}| = \sqrt{x^2 + y^2} \)
- \( |\mathbf{v}| = \sqrt{(8\sqrt{2})^2 + (-8\sqrt{2})^2} = 16 \)
Direction Angle
The direction angle of a vector is like the compass direction, telling you which way the vector points, measured from the positive x-axis. To find this angle, you use the tangent function, as it relates the x and y components:
- \( \tan \theta = \frac{y}{x} \)
- \( \tan \theta = \frac{-8\sqrt{2}}{8\sqrt{2}} = -1 \)
- \( \theta = \tan^{-1}(-1) \)
Vector Components
The components of a vector provide insight into its influence in different directions. They split the vector into its horizontal and vertical contributions. For a vector \( \langle x, y \rangle \):
- \( x \) is the horizontal (often called the "i" or x-component)
- \( y \) is the vertical component (often called the "j" or y-component)
- The x-component is \( 8\sqrt{2} \)
- The y-component is \( -8\sqrt{2} \)
Quadrants
The coordinate plane is divided into four regions called quadrants, and each quadrant helps to identify the direction of a vector. The quadrants are labeled counterclockwise starting from the positive x-axis:
- Quadrant I: Where both x and y are positive
- Quadrant II: Where x is negative and y is positive
- Quadrant III: Where both x and y are negative
- Quadrant IV: Where x is positive and y is negative