Chapter 7: Problem 8
Find the magnitude and direction angle of each vector. $$ \mathbf{u}=\langle 4,7\rangle $$
Short Answer
Expert verified
Magnitude is \( \sqrt{65} \), direction angle is approximately \( 60.26^\circ \).
Step by step solution
01
Magnitude Formula
To find the magnitude of the vector \( \mathbf{u} = \langle 4, 7 \rangle \), use the formula: \[||\mathbf{u}|| = \sqrt{x^2 + y^2}\]where \( x = 4 \) and \( y = 7 \).
02
Calculate the Magnitude
Substitute \( x = 4 \) and \( y = 7 \) into the magnitude formula: \[||\mathbf{u}|| = \sqrt{4^2 + 7^2} = \sqrt{16 + 49} = \sqrt{65}\]Hence, the magnitude is \( \sqrt{65} \).
03
Direction Angle Formula
To find the direction angle \( \theta \) of the vector, use the arctangent function: \[\theta = \tan^{-1}\left(\frac{y}{x}\right)\]for \( \mathbf{u} = \langle 4, 7 \rangle \), substitute \( x = 4 \) and \( y = 7 \).
04
Calculate the Direction Angle
Substitute \( x = 4 \) and \( y = 7 \) into the direction angle formula:\[\theta = \tan^{-1}\left(\frac{7}{4}\right)\]Calculate to find \( \theta \). This will give you approximately \( 60.26^\circ \).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Vector Operations
Vectors are mathematical objects used to represent quantities that have both a magnitude (or size) and a direction. Common examples of vectors in physics include force, velocity, and acceleration. In mathematics, vectors can be depicted in two or more dimensions, such as in the coordinate plane.
- Notation: A vector is often represented as \( \mathbf{u} = \langle x, y \rangle \) for two-dimensional cases, where \( x \) and \( y \) are the vector's components along the axes.
- Vector Addition: To add two vectors, simply add their corresponding components. For example, if \( \mathbf{u} = \langle x_1, y_1 \rangle \) and \( \mathbf{v} = \langle x_2, y_2 \rangle \), then \( \mathbf{u} + \mathbf{v} = \langle x_1 + x_2, y_1 + y_2 \rangle \).
- Scalar Multiplication: Multiply each component of a vector by the scalar value. If \( c \) is a scalar and \( \mathbf{u} = \langle x, y \rangle \), then the product \( c\mathbf{u} = \langle cx, cy \rangle \).
Magnitude Calculation
The magnitude of a vector is a measure of its length, representing the size of the quantity it describes. To calculate the magnitude of a two-dimensional vector, use the Pythagorean theorem.
For a vector \( \mathbf{u} = \langle x, y \rangle \), the magnitude \(||\mathbf{u}||\) is calculated as follows:
For a vector \( \mathbf{u} = \langle x, y \rangle \), the magnitude \(||\mathbf{u}||\) is calculated as follows:
- Formula: \(||\mathbf{u}|| = \sqrt{x^2 + y^2}\)
- \(||\mathbf{u}|| = \sqrt{4^2 + 7^2} = \sqrt{16 + 49} = \sqrt{65}\)
Direction Angle
The direction angle of a vector provides information about its orientation in the plane, specifically indicating which way it is pointing. This angle is typically measured from the positive x-axis, counter-clockwise.
- Direction Formula: To find the angle \( \theta \), use the arctangent function — \( \theta = \tan^{-1}\left(\frac{y}{x}\right)\).
- \( \theta = \tan^{-1}\left(\frac{7}{4}\right) \)
Trigonometric Functions
Trigonometric functions are key tools in calculating vector magnitudes and direction angles. They relate the angles and sides of triangles, playing a pivotal role in vector analysis in both two and three dimensions.
- Sine, Cosine, and Tangent: These functions relate angles to ratios of sides in right-angled triangles.
For a vector \( \mathbf{u} = \langle x, y \rangle \):- Sine represents the ratio of the opposite side to the hypotenuse: \( \sin\theta = \frac{y}{||\mathbf{u}||} \)
- Cosine represents the ratio of the adjacent side to the hypotenuse: \( \cos\theta = \frac{x}{||\mathbf{u}||} \)
- Tangent represents the ratio of the opposite to the adjacent side: \( \tan\theta = \frac{y}{x} \)
- Inverse Functions: These trigonometric functions have inverses we use to calculate angles from ratios: \( \sin^{-1}, \cos^{-1}, \tan^{-1} \).